Donnie Pendergraft

After ninety-six years of a life well lived, our wonderful mother passed on to Heaven. Donnie Dean Pendergraft peacefully passed on July 14, 2026, at her home in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Along with her twin sister, Mom was born in Winfield, Kansas, on March 29, 1930, to R.V. Eli and Jewel Ora Elmore. Her childhood years were spent near Witcherville, Arkansas. During her high school years, Mom and her twin sister, Bonnie, played basketball for the Mansfield Lady Tigers. After high school, Mom moved to Fort Smith where she worked for First National Bank. On November 24, 1949, she married our father, Charles Ross Pendergraft. They spent forty-nine years together before Dad died in 1998. Most of their life together was spent in Fort Smith. With Dad’s work for the Donrey Media Group, they also spent time living in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and Hilo, Hawaii. After Dad retired, they moved to Incline Village, Nevada. No matter where we lived, our home was filled with laughter, the smells of Mom’s great cooking or the hum of her sewing machine. Donnie was a wonderful mother who spent all of her time caring for her family. We were blessed to have her and we miss her dearly. Mom was always active in her community. Over the years she was a member and officer in PEO Chapter J. Mom loved all of her PEO family. Mother was also a member of the Fort Smith Garden Club and Fifty-Five Plus. She especially enjoyed her time as a member of the Sparks Guild Auxiliary. Every year she would put on her denim skirt, white shirt and red bandana to join the other members in selling programs at the Old Fort Days Rodeo. Many of those years our Dad and Lauri were with her to ride in the rodeo parade and the grand entry. Mom always had fun getting together with her “YaYa” sisters for travel, dinner or just an evening playing games. Our mother was a beautiful, graceful person who cherished nothing more than spending time with her family. Mother was a life-long member of First Baptist Church in Fort Smith. While our hearts are filled with sadness, we know that she is with our Heavenly Father who she loved and worshipped.

Donnie was predeceased by her parents R.V. and Jewel, her husband Ross, her twin sister Bonnie Peoples and her older brother Byars Elmore. Mom is survived by her son, Neal Ross Pendergraft and his wife, Gina; and her daughter, Lauri Ann Mason and her husband Tim. She also leaves her grandchildren, Rachel Pendergraft McGehee and her husband Joey, Wren Myers Wallace and her husband Chase, Sarah Ann Pendergraft and Erin Ross Mason. Mom was blessed to live long enough to hold her two great-granddaughters, Landry Ann Wallace and Polly Frances McGehee. She leaves multiple nieces, nephews and cousins as well. Our family wants to give special thanks to Terry Johnson who lived with Mom and took care of her over the past five years. Terry has been a wonderful blessing to all of us. Finally, our family would not have been the same without our beloved Jennie Delt. Jennie has been a member of our family for sixty-one years. On the hottest of days Mom and Jennie would be side by side working in the yard.

After a private burial at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, funeral services under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home will be held at First Baptist Church, 1400 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July17th. For her many friends who are unable to attend, the church will livestream her services.

Our family thanks all of Fort Smith for giving our mother a wonderful home, a great place to raise her family and friends to numerous to count. May God be with you all.

In lieu of flowers, Mother would be honored by donations to: The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith College of Nursing, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72904 or Mercy Hospice, 6801 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72903.