Virgie Viola Bruce

Virgie Viola Bruce, 89, of Mulberry, AR, died Thursday, June 28, 2012 in Benton, AR. She was born October 5, 1922 in Wynne, AR to Reverend Raymond and Dora Butler. She was a graduate of Clarksville High School. She attended the College of the Ozarks for one year and then finished her Elementary Education degree at Arkansas Tech in Russellville. She taught school one year at the Piney one room school north of Mulberry during World War II and the 21 years at Mulberry Elementary School where she retired in 1983. She was a member of the Mulberry First Baptist Church. She enjoyed attending the Mulberry Senior Center and loved to quilt, raise flowers and read books from the Mulberry Library. She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, James Marion Bruce; a son, Kenneth Allen Bruce; a grandson, Walter Henry Spaul; brothers, Arnold Odell, Raymond Lee, Bobby and Garland Butler; sisters, Pauline Hardin, Mary Baker and Bess Browning.

She is survived by a daughter, Linda Annette Spaul and her husband Walter of Mabelvale, AR; two sons, James Bruce and his wife Evelyn of Jacksonville, AR and Ronald Bruce and his wife Connie of Muldrow, OK; three brothers, Alton Butler and his wife Nell of Pensacola, FL, Charles Butler and his wife Donna of Harrison, AR and James Butler and his wife JoAnn of North Little Rock, AR; a sister, Martha Beal and her husband Gene of Conway, AR; seven grandchildren, LaRae McLeroy of Sallisaw, OK, Marsha Gates of Arkoma, OK, Tiffany Beard of Jacksonville, AR, Kevin Bruce of Muldrow, OK, Beth Spaul of Mabelvale, AR, Holly Spaul of North Little Rock, AR and James Spaul of Conway, AR; nine great grandchildren, Brittney Dailey, Tyler Dailey, Ethan Gates, Jonah Gates, Sierra McLeroy, Henry Beard III, Izak Beard, Athena Beard and Keenan Beard; a great-great grandchild, Bailey Dailey and a host of relatives, friends, nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be 10:00 A.M. Monday, July 2, 2012 at First Baptist Church in Mulberry, AR with burial at New Cemetery in Mulberry, AR under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren, AR.

Pallbearers will be Kevin Wayne Bruce, James Bruce Spaul, Tyler Dailey, Henry Beard Jr., Izak Beard and Henry Beard III.

Honorary Pallbearers will be LaRae McElroy, Marsha Gates, Tiffany Beard, Beth Spaul, Holly Spaul and great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. Sunday, July 1, 2012 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral home of Van Buren, AR.