Patsy Bishop King Vance

Patsy Bishop King Vance was born May 5, 1941, at Big Lake near Manila, to her parents, Granville Rufus and Lillie Mae Curnutt Bishop, who preceded her in death. Her paternal grandparents were Rufus Riley Bishop, a Civil War veteran, and Clarkie Ann Wilfsord Bishop from Giles/Lawrence County, Tenn. Also, her maternal grandparents were Perry Fountain Curnutt and Vady Lou Ella Holden Curnutt Holden.

Miss Patsy, or “Bishop” as many long-time friends knew her, passed away on Nov. 3, 2023, in her home surrounded by family and friends.

Bishop graduated from Hornersville High School in 1959. Early college classes she took at Blytheville Community College included business law. She then moved to Memphis, Tenn., enrolling at the University of Tennessee. She worked at Tri-State Mack Distributors and E.H. Crump & Company doing clerical work. She received a Certificate of Insurance from the Women of Memphis. Patsy completed additional business and computer classes at the Phillips County Community College after she and Donald King moved to Stuttgart. Patsy soon acquired a senior secretarial position at the First National Bank becoming administrative assistant to President Albert M. Hayes who also served as an Arkansas State Representative at the State Capitol.

Her interests included photography as she learned skills from Tim Looney. She also learned calligraphy from E.E. Edewaard. The Arkansas Millers Association named her “Miss Southern Belle” at an Atlanta, Ga., conference. She was honored in the “Outstanding Young Women of America” volume of 1991.

Through the Lions Club International, of which Donald was a district governor, the King family kept foreign exchange students from Japan and Germany in their home. They had opportunities to travel all across America and to some foreign countries as representatives of both Lions Club and Producers Rice Mills of Stuttgart.

The Kings volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America and church vacation bible schools. Patsy served as a children’s Sunday school teacher for more than 30 years at Shiloh Methodist Church in Crocketts Bluff, Ark., and First United Methodist Church in Stuttgart. Patsy served as the secretary-treasurer of Shiloh and Trinity Community of Cardwell, Mo.

After returning near her childhood home of Hornersville, Mo. in the early 1990s, she became the president of the Senath-Hornersville High School alumni association. Other community offices held were executive director of the Hornersville Housing Authority, board member of the McGrew Cemetery, and member of the Dunklin County, Mo. and Giles Co. and Lawrence Co. genealogy societies.

Bishop privately published 20 family and cemetery books containing her research at court houses, libraries, cemeteries, funeral homes, private correspondence, and newspaper offices. She helped with restoring and cleaning up the 1800 Wilsford Cemetery in Pulaski Co., Tenn.

Survivors include son, Justin King of Harrisburg, and daughter, RaDonna King Fox of Hornersville, Mo. Also she leaves behind five grandchildren, Dillan Keith (Christina) Fox, Tyler Meins and Jace, Landon and Drake King. Great-grandchildren are Henley Keith Fox, Brooklyn and Rowan Knox Meins. Her brothers remaining are Andy “Toby” Bishop and Glen Ray (Faye) Bishop.

Preceding her in death were her children’s father, Donald Ray King of Harrisburg/Stuttgart. She also married Larry Maurice Vance of Hornersville, Mo., in her golden years.

Visitation for extended family members will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the chapel of Faith Funeral Home in Manila. Other visitors are asked to arrive after 1 p.m. A service will follow at 2 p.m. lead by Rev. Jared Hancock of Fairdealing, Mo., Mark Bormann and Rev. Thomas Bormann of Stuttgart. Graveside interment will be at the Manila Cemetery in Manila.

Burial services are provided by Faith Funeral Home of Manila.

Pallbearers are Wayne Johnson, Fernando Meza, Kenny Hunt, Greg Rowe, Terry Kellums, and Steve Westmorlon. Honorary pallbearers are Andy Lee Bishop, Donald Lee Rowe, John Leonard Edmonston, Dr. Hoy Speer, Mike Vance, Bub Foresythe, Tim Wilson, Jimmy King, Clark King and Dr. Brandon Lane.

Guest Registry: www.faithfuneralservice.net