FAYETTEVILLE — Oma Lea Blackwell,

84, of Fayetteville, passed away Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, in Fayetteville. Oma was born on Aug. 8, 1937, in Pueblo, Colo., to James and Mary ( Bullington) Lovette.

She attended Colorado State College of Education in Greely, Colo., in pursuit of a teaching degree. She met the love of her life Virgil Lee Blackwell there and they were married on Aug. 4, 1956. Oma and Virgil then entered a life in the United States Air Force where Virgil served as a Captain. Oma pursued her college education and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Along the way, they became the parents of Joseph, Scott and Karen.

After Virgil’s retirement from the Air Force, the family moved to Arkansas where Oma taught and became an Elementary Principal. She earned her Master’s of Education from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She received her PhD as an Educational Specialist from the University of Arkansas. Oma became the Principal of Leverett Elementary School in 1975, later moving to Root Elementary School. Serving Root for 20 years, she led Root to become the model and mentor elementary school at both the district and state levels. She served as President of Arkansas’ Elementary Principal’s Association, chosen Principal of the Year in 1986 and honored as a Distinguished Principal of the Year in Washington D.C.

Under Oma’s leadership, Root was recognized in 1993 as a National Blue-Ribbon School and won six national and state awards for excellence in teaching economics. She was recognized by the Arkansas Council of Economics and served as Economics America Coordinator. She was inducted into the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation in 2008.

Oma was an avid gardener and reader. She loved traveling with her husband Virgil especially on two memorable trips to Europe. But the time she spent with her grandchildren were the high points of her life. She was a longtime member of Good Shephard Lutheran Church where she served as a lay minister, member of the choir and working with the children in Sunday School and the hand bell choir.

Oma was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil Blackwell; an infant son, Virgil Lee Blackwell Jr.; her parents, James and Mary Lovette; her stepmother, Estelle Allison Lovette; and her beloved grandparents, Joseph and Lena Bullington and James and Maude Lovette.

She is survived by two sons, Joe Blackwell and Scott Blackwell of Fayetteville; a daughter, Karen and husband Rusty Reynolds of Waco, Texas; six grandchildren, Cassie and husband John Kooy of Rogers, Ark., Brady Blackwell of Centerton, Ark., Ashley and husband Morgan Mulch of Temple, Texas, Josh and wife Carley Reynolds of Conroe, Texas, Rachel Reynolds of Austin, Texas, and Katherine Reynolds of Fort Worth, Texas; four great-grandchildren, Blakely and Kensley Kooy, and Michael and Mason Mulch and Russ Reynolds, who is due in November; one sister, Kathleen Lovette of Arizona and brother, Jim and wife Patty Lovette of Vermont.

Memorial service will be 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville with pastor Clint Schneckloth officiating, under the direction of Moore’s Chapel. Covid-19 protocol and social distancing will be in place for the service. Click this link to view additional details about Oma’s services, including any available live streams: https:// my. gather. app/remember/ oma-blackwell .

Memorials can be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2925 Old Missouri Road, Fayetteville, Ark., 72703, or to the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 571, Fayetteville, Ark., 72702.

To place an online tribute, please visit: www.bernafuneralhomes.com .