Lena Lucinda Ethridge, 97, passed away January 29, 2013, with her children by her side. Lena was born in Eureka Springs, AR, on July 11, 1915, to Marion Cosby and Margaret Ann (Price) Jackson. Lena was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 56 years, Donald, two sisters, Grace Collins and Oleta Summers, one half-sister, Celestia Northcross, and one half-brother, Marion Jackson. She is survived by one half-brother, Theo Jackson, her three children, Larry and his wife Connie from Denver, CO, Neal and his wife Betty, and Lynelle Dock and her husband Bob, from Springfield, seven grandchildren Dan (Flora) Ethridge, Scott (Crystie) Ethridge, Terri (Dave) Zavada, Todd (Johnelle) Ethridge, Darren (Helen) Ethridge, Jana and Ryan Dock, and ten great-grandchildren, Nicole, James, Haley, Kimberly, Chloe, Dustin, Sophie, Emma, Tucker and Isabel, her very special caregiver for the last 14 months, Janet ‘Cunningham’ Kirkpatrick, and a host of extended family and many friends.
Lena was a member of Boulevard Baptist Church where she attended weekly until her health declined. Church was very important to her, but far more than that was her personal relationship with Jesus. She lived the walk she talked.
Lena was a one-of-a-kind human being and to know her was to love her. She retired in 1978 from Cox North Hospital where she worked as an LPN. She truly loved everyone she met including her patients and their families, and her neighbors. Compliments flowed freely from her and she meant every one of them. Lena loved to cook and always had food available for unexpected guests, which were frequent. She coaxed friends and family to visit her by calling to say she had just pulled a pie out of the oven. Sick neighbors could count on Lena stopping by with something delicious straight out of the oven. In addition to baking and cooking, Lena was a master quilter. She made many quilts, all by hand.
A visitation will be held from 1-2:00 pm at Boulevard Baptist Church in Springfield on Saturday, February 2, with the funeral immediately following.
The family would like to express appreciation for the love she was shown by special friends, the staff at Ravenwood Assisted Living and Magnolia Square during the past couple of years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Boulevard Baptist Church or Southwest Office on Aging.