Marjorie Ellen Rhoden Hull, 102, of Jacksonville, Arkansas passed away January 16, 2024, in Jacksonville.
She was born September 7, 1921, in Walnut Grove on the Butler Farm, Carroll County, Arkansas to the late John Sherman Sr. and Hattie Mae Butler Rhoden. She was a graduate of Berryville High School in Berryville, Arkansas after being raised with one brother and three sisters, Mildred, Alice, and twins Kathryn and John Sherman Jr. (all born within five years), in Army Camps in the U.S. and Panama Canal Zone.
In addition to her parents, Marjorie was preceded in death by her siblings. Her father, John Sherman Sr. was the grandson of William Rhoden and his American Indian wife, Mary Ann Smith (often called Polly) who farmed, along with their six children, 320 acres very successfully while residing in Shady Grove, Carroll County, Arkansas.
Marjorie’s family, excluding her father who wanted to spend his last tour of duty in Hawaii, moved back to Berryville, Arkansas when she started high school. She, Mildred, and Alice worked as soon as they were old enough. Marjorie was a dental assistant and drug store clerk. She would often style her friends’ and sisters’ hair. She excelled in art – drawing small pictures with pen/ink of various subjects. The family came back from the Panama Canal Zone with two parrots, and later added two cats and a dog.
She married her high school sweetheart, J.A. Hull, two years after graduation beside Long Creek in Alpena, Arkansas. J.A. worked as paymaster for the builder of Norfolk Dam in Mountain Home, Arkansas. World War II found J.A. in the Army Air Corps. Wherever he was stationed, Marjorie found living quarters nearby. Pregnancy sent Marjorie back to live in Berryville with her in-laws.
After J.A. was released from duty, the family settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma with one daughter followed swiftly by another daughter. Marjorie took up photography, taking pictures of her daughters, friends, neighbors, insects and animals. Springdale, Arkansas was the next move where J.A. apprenticed to run an OTASCO store for two years. Marjorie worked as a bookkeeper and clerk as part-owner of OTASCO store in Cassville, Missouri for about twenty-two years. She sewed clothes for her daughters, sport jackets and long-sleeved shirts for men, formals, alterations for a local clothing store and her own clothes. She also crocheted doilies, bed spreads, and gloves. Drawing and measuring to make her own patterns, she recovered padded furniture. She moved after a divorce in February 1978 to Bentonville, Arkansas to work at CTS. Marjorie eventually owned two homes there, finally retiring in Bentonville, Arkansas from CTS at the age of 72. While at CTS, Marjorie earned several attendance and production awards.
Marjorie continued living in Bentonville after she retired, joining the Senior Center where she played pool and earned awards in pool tournaments. She was their oldest player. She liked to read and play cards – Canasta and Kings in the Corner – with family and a ladies Card Club for years. She learned to use a computer and cell phone, and drove all over the country well into her 90s having a valid driver’s license set to expire in September 2025, although she hasn’t driven for the past five years.
At 90 years of age, Marjorie had a hip replacement but was told by the doctor that she didn’t need physical therapy. She went on her first cruise six months after her surgery with family. Marjorie was always walking and moving.
Marjorie was always young in looks and actions. She would not tell her age in public. In fact, she had her age removed from a birthday cake presented in public. She was intelligent and creative, accomplishing everything she tried. She studied birds and animals, loved music, especially Unchained Melody. She enjoyed dancing alone in her house or round dancing and square dancing. Marjorie played melodies by ear on the piano. She watched football and golf on TV with the sound off most of the time. She also loved old movies. She continued to draw and paint with colored pens as long as her eyes could see butterflies, cats, and children.
Most of all she loved her family and fur babies, helping out whenever she could. First Buddy the miniature poodle, Cody the Papi-poo, then little Rocky the part Chihuahua who is now living with family. She kept her house and yard clean. At 97 years old, she and Rocky moved to Jacksonville, Arkansas to live with her oldest daughter bringing her frog collection, stuffed animals and other details of her personality. Marjorie’s life was not easy, being partly deaf, but she did her best to make it fun.
Marjorie is survived by two daughters, Patricia Ann (Joe) Pennington of Jacksonville, Arkansas and Cynthia Sue (Dennis) Kelly of Springfield, Missouri; four grandchildren, Stacy Scott (Dr. Katherine) Pennington of Memphis, Dr. Jaymie Hull (April) Pennington of Little Rock, Tamara LaShawn Rose of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Amber Dawn (Thomas) Kisting of Springfield, Missouri; four step-grandchildren, Michael Kelly of Honolulu, Hawaii, Kathleen (Lawrence Taylor) Kelly of Lincoln, Nebraska, Patrick (Lani) Kelly of Columbia, Missouri, and Sean (Diana) Kelly of Springfield, Missouri; five great-grandchildren, Jacob Pennington, Ethan Pennington, Hayley Pennington all of Little Rock, Arkansas and Miranda Kisting and Lauryn Kisting of Springfield, Missouri; eight step-great grandchildren, Grace Kelly, Laura Kelly, Michael Kelly, Norah Taylor, Jude Kelly, Kennedy Kelly, Catherine Kelly, and Clair Kelly; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Special thanks to Woodland Hills Healthcare & Rehabilitation for taking great care of Marjorie for the last year.
Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Berryville Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be made to your favorite charity in Marjorie’s name.
Cremations arrangements by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home, (501) 982-2136, www.MooresJacksonvilleFuneralHome. com. PAID OBITUARY
