Grace Ruth Dykes Stell
1916 - 2006

Grace Ruth Dykes Stell, age 90 of Fordyce, went to be with her Lord on August 8, 2006. As long as her health allowed, she was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Fordyce, Arkansas.

Grace was born on July 1, 1916 in Kingsland, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Will and Ludie West Dykes, her husband James F. Stell, and three brothers, Sanford, Charles, and Odis Dykes.

Survivors are her children, Ruth Hamby of Little Rock, Raymond and wife Linda Stell of Fordyce, two sisters, Lorene Brandon and Kathryn Franklin of Kingsland, and one brother, J.W. and wife Patricia Dykes of Conway, Arkansas.

Grandchildren include Mark and his wife, Sara Hamby of Russelville, Arkansas; Chris, who is soon to leave to serve his country in the Middle East, and his wife Dee Hamby of Little Rock, Arkansas; Blake and his wife Sherrie Hamby of Benton, Arkansas; Holly and her husband Julian Jones of Bryant, Arkansas; Bryan and his wife Rebecca Stell of Conway, Arkansas; Donna and her husband Greg Lane of Springfield, Missouri, and Gary Stell of Fordyce, Arkansas.

Great-Grandchildren are Laura Hamby of Russelville, Arkansas; Brittany and Jennifer Hamby and Brandie and Gary Rogers of Little Rock, Arkansas; Alex Hamby of Benton, Arkansas; Jordan and Jessica Harris and Kaleigh Grace Jones of Bryant, Arkansas; Ashley and Brandon Stell of Camden, Arkansas; and Julianna Grace and Olivia Lane of Springfield , Missouri.

Visitation will be on August 10, 2006 from 6-8 in the evening at Benton Funeral Home in Fordyce with the services in the Benton Funeral Home Chapel at 10 AM in August 11, 2006. Pastors Stacy Reed of Fordyce First Baptist Church and B.L. Blann of Fordyce First Assembly will be officiating. Burial will be at Stoney Point Cemetery.

Grace was a loyal and loving, sunny and hardworking wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman and lived up to her name, Grace. She also leaves behind a host of loving nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors and excellent caregivers at Dallas County Nursing Home of Fordyce, and Southwest Residential Homes, St. Vincent’s Infirmary, and Odyssey Hospice Services all of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Arrangements are by Benton Funeral Home of Fordyce. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Fordyce, Arkansas. (Benton Funeral Home Online Obit)

( Obituary & Photo provided by Ilene Jeffers)