FAYETTEVILLE — Cherished wife,

connoisseur of the finer things in life, and master bridge player Nancy Reckmeyer Hagood, age 85, of Fayetteville, Ark., departed this world, bound for another, on Jan. 20, 2021.

Nancy was preceded in death by daughter Stacy, parents Nora and Fred Reckmeyer, and siblings Shirley and Charles.

She is survived by the love of her life and husband of 66 years, Charles; children Karen and Steven; son-in-law Tim and wife Sharon; grandchildren Meghan, Michael and Andrew; sister-in-law Sandra; brother-in-law Jerry; nieces and nephew Jennifer, Katherine, Katrina, Stephanie and Tim; her extended church family of Christ United Methodist in Franklin, Tenn., and all of those who knew and loved her.

The pride and great beauty of Tulsa, Okla., was born March 30, 1935, and married her beloved Charles in Shreveport on Sept. 10, 1954. She was a devotee of all things decadent, from desserts to jewelry to gowns, but stopped just short of showing an affinity for fine red wines, solemnly believing that any red wine would do.

Nancy raised her three children in Little Rock, where she dutifully mothered them, spared some time to beat the daylights out of her girlfriends in bridge, and regularly hid her homemade sweets from the rest of her family.

In addition to her human children, she also raised some couple dozen cats, most of whom she named Kitty Babe and all of whom have also preceded her in death with the exception of one that crossed the rainbow bridge on the same day as she.

When she wasn’t playing cards or Yahtzee, Nancy could be found enjoying a cocktail and conversation with Charles and their friends. She prided herself on taking photos of the wildlife that regularly visited her in her backyard, though no one can be sure if they were drawn by her magnetic personality or a need for immediate medical attention (long story).

An adversary of the mundane, Nancy indulged in all that was flamboyant and grandiose. Hilarious and spirited, she eschewed normalcy, favoring instead the bright colors and fashions of a woman whose existence embraced pageantry.

Never a singer, Nancy has left her family traumatized with the memory of her rendition of the “12 Days of Christmas.” Though a master of the long golf ball drive, she never quite knew where the ball was going and is thusly also survived by several hundred undiscovered golf balls on courses in Arkansas, Tennessee and Florida.

Nancy not only served to welcome newcomers to her church family, but extended her kindness through the prison ministry system, serving the inmates of River Bend Maximum Security Prison in Nashville, Tenn. Her incarcerated pen pals remained devoted friends of hers.

She was active in the Music City Miata Club, as the woman loved driving a fivespeed convertible. She has truly never met a stranger and will likely be cheering on the new arrivals in Heaven from beneath the brim of a bejeweled cowboy hat.

It would please her to no end for her friends to join her family in remembering and paying homage to the one and only Nancy Hagood, precious wife, mom, sister, aunt, grandmother, and friend. Her ashes will join her beloved daughter Stacy in Little Rock, Ark., where they will wait together patiently for Charles and then spend all eternity together in each other’s loving arms.

To those who beat the rest of our family there, send our love, enjoy her company in our stead, and tell her we can’t wait to see her again. Until then, her loving family will have to make do with her many baubles and hats and a smattering of her own beautiful watercolor bird paintings, while they desperately wonder where she hid the chocolate this time.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Ark.

Arrangements: Epting Funeral Home. Condolences: www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com .