Betty Jo Tarpley

Mrs. Betty Jo Tarpley, born Oct. 7, 1931, in Blytheville, passed away at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dan and Jewel Forrest (Jones) Grimes of Blytheville and a great-granddaughter, Angel Dawn Gray.

She leaves her husband of 37 years, Max Tarpley;

A son and daughter-in-law, Dennis and Molly Hay of Blytheville; and

A daughter and son-in-law, Pam and Randy Goff of Yazoo City, Miss.

A brother, Charles Jones and his wife Betty of Munford, Tenn.

Mrs. Tarpley was a 1950 graduate of Blytheville High School and a longtime member of First Baptist Church in Blytheville where she was an active member of her Sunday School class.

She retired from Farmers Bank in Blytheville in 1990 after 33 years of service to the public. She also worked as a volunteer at the Great River Medical Center Gift Shop in Blytheville.

She enjoyed hosting family gatherings, eating out and visiting with family and friends and shopping. Some of her favorite memories were of spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and traveling with her husband.

She leaves to cherish her legacy her grandchildren, Mandy and Joel Houck of Romance, Abigail and Vic Coffman of Bentonia, Miss., Emily Hay of Blytheville, Lindsay and Adam Chastain of Bartlett, Tenn., and Nathan Hay and his fiancée, Jennifer Pharo of Blytheville. She also leaves two great-grandsons, Hayden Houck and Whitten Gray, with Ian Hay due to arrive in November 2011.

Pallbearers will be Randy Goff, Joel Houck, Nathan Hay, Adam Chastain, Kerry Jones and two Honorary Pallbearers, Hayden Houck and Whitten Gray.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Friday at Cobb Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Don Childers officiating. Mrs. Tarpley will be laid to rest at Elmwood Cemetery following the service. Condolences may be emailed to cobbfuneralhome@sbcglobal.net