Jane Cheairs Nixon

Jane Cheairs Nixon, 93, of Pine Bluff, passed away Sunday, December 31, 2023 at Trinity Village Medical Center.

Born Jane Carolyn Cheairs August 26, 1930 in Memphis, Tenn., she was a daughter of William Thomas Cheairs and Lillie Mai Adams Cheairs.

In 1947, she moved to Pine Bluff and graduated from Pine Bluff High School in 1948.

She and William Robert Nixon married in 1948. Following his years in medical school, internship, U.S. Navy service and residency in Ophthalmology they returned to Pine Bluff to open his medical practice in Ophthalmology in 1957.

Mrs. Nixon was a member and past president of Sesame Club and Mathontes Club, a member of the former Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra Board, and the Junior League of Pine Bluff. A member of Lakeside United Methodist Church, she formerly served as a member of the Board of Trustees, Finance Committee chairwoman, Sunday School teacher, and UMW group chairwoman (was named Life Member of UMW). She helped organize the Altar Guild and served as chairwoman for 18 years.

Her favorite pastime was doing needlepoint stitchery. She was chosen to be part of the group of Pine Bluff women who worked chair seats for the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion dining room. She worked many pieces for her church: banners, kneeling cushions, and the bible markers, as well as a kneeling cushion for Greene Chapel at Hendrix College. She won one of ten prizes a national magazine offered for an original design in needlepoint.

She loved to travel, particularly to England and Scotland. In recent years, she loved entertaining groups while serving English tea.

Mrs. Nixon was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sons, William Robert “Bob” Nixon and Jefferson Philip “Jeff” Nixon; two sisters, Ann Cheairs Mead and Helen Cheairs Crockett; and a brother, Tom Cheairs, Jr.

Survivors include children, Lyn Nixon Bayless (Monte), Dr. David Nixon (Ann) and a daughter-inlaw, Pam Nixon; grandsons, Jeff Bayless (Raychel) and Tom Bayless; granddaughters, Jennifer Nixon Hubbard (Trent), Alice Ann Nixon McClure (Dr. Tim), Carol Nixon Ricketts (Brandon), Laura Nixon and Sally Nixon; great-grandchildren, Wesley, Betsy, Charlotte and Sarah Margaret McClure, Campbell and Baker Jane Bayless, Emma and Claire Ricketts, and Zach Hubbard; sister-in-law, Bobbye Nixon; and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be 11 am., Friday, January 5, 2024 at Lakeside United Methodist Church with Reverend Judy Rudd officiating. Interment will be private. Visitation will be Thursday evening from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Directors.

Memorials may be made to Lakeside United Methodist Church, 1500 S. Olive Street, Pine Bluff, Ark. 71601 or the Jefferson Regional Foundation, 1600 West 40th Avenue, Pine Bluff, Ark. 71603. Online register: www.RalphRobinsonandSon.com.