Maerene Nickerson

Mrs. Maerene Nickerson, 73, of Blytheville, died Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011, at Baptist Hospital East in Memphis. Born July 12, 1937, in Hughes, she was a homemaker of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Sarah Jones; her husband, Elbert Nickerson; one daughter, Florence Nichols; one son, Amos Nichols; six sisters, Mattie Jones, Pearl Jones, Eddith Johnson, Florence Jones, Wreather Jones and Mary Jones; nine brothers, David Jones, Ruffus Jones, James Jones, Annis Jones, Billy Ray Jones, Chester Jones, Thomas Jones, Lafin Jones and Iban Jones.

She leaves nine daughters, Sarah Johnson, Edna Nichols, Yvette Nickerson, all of Blytheville, Barbara Henderson of Osceola, Joyce McAdory of Seattle, Wash., and Lena Nichols of Peoria, Ill.;

Four sons, Jimmy Lee Nichols, Jerry Nichols and Jesse Nichols of Peoria and Vincent Nichols of Blytheville;

One step-son, Elbert Nichols of Tampa, Fla.; and

Fifty-one grandchildren, 77 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday at Wilson Funeral Home in Blytheville with funeral services at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Blytheville. The Rev. Theodis Rucker will officiate. Burial will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery.