MARY JOLENE GARNER,

age 91, of Little Rock, died Monday July 20, 2020.

She was a member of Parkway Place Baptist Church, where she enjoyed participating in her weekly call-in Sunday School class.

She grew up in poverty during the Great Depression, but she was always surrounded by a large and loving family. In addition to her mother, she had great admiration and affection for her aunt, Dolly Mills Hutchinson, and her grandmother Eliza Jane (Finn) Davis, who she called Granny.

She married Lewis A. Garner Sr., a World War II veteran, in 1949. Together, they built a lovely home and shielded their two sons from the pain of poverty and war which had been so prevalent in their own early lives. Education was important to her. She encouraged her sons to go to college, and they did. A generation later, both of her granddaughters graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, one as a Doctor of Medicine and one as a Doctor of Pharmacy. She was so proud of them. She treasured the time she spent with her granddaughters, and most recently, her great granddaughter, Elise Byram.

She is survived by her two sons, Lewis Garner and his wife Betty, and Jeff Garner and his wife Kristen; two granddaughters, Kristin Garner and Lauren Byram; one great granddaughter, Elise Byram; one sister, Ruth Ann Moore.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lewis A. Garner, Sr.; parents, Paul Davis and Ila Mills Davis; four sisters, Juanita Davis, Lois Davis Kirby, Rose Marie Davis Womack, Linda Davis; four brothers, John Wayne Davis, Franklin E. Davis, Roy Harrison Davis, Michael Stuart Davis.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth, 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock (501) 661-9111. Interment will follow in Forest Hills Memorial Park. To sign the online guestbook, click “Add A Memory” at: www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com

Due to the COVID-19 situation, the Governor of Arkansas has issued directives that face coverings must be worn and social distancing be observed; indoor funeral events are limited to 50 people in attendance.

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