Joy Delene Merritt

Joy Delene Merritt, 76, died Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008 at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born May 21, 1932 in Monette to the late Omer and Ethel Reed. She worked for Cavanaugh Ford and was a member of the Cornerstone United Methodist Church.

Surviving are Joe Lee; two daughters and their husbands, Deborah and Sonny McEntire of Walnut Ridge and Cindy and Mike Hinson of Jonesboro; two brothers and their wives, Jerry and Marga Reed of Monette and Donald and Mary Reed of Edgar Springs, Mo.; a sister and her husband, Jenny and Kenneth Worthey of Monette; five grandchildren and their spouses, Casey and Teresa Hinson, Amanda and Paul Betts Jr., Lindsey and Blake Romine, Candace and Drew Gamber and Delecea and Billy Coram; and nine great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by a brother, Dickey Reed.

A celebration of her life was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Gregg Funeral Home Chapel with her brother, Rev. Jerry Reed officiating. Burial was in Nettleton Cemetery.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Drew Gamber, Paul Betts, Jr., Billy Coram, Blake Romine, Eric Strickland and Jared Dunigan.

The family requests lasting memorials to the American Heart Association.