STUTTGART — Rosella Marie
Becker Hargrove, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 16, 2021, at Baptist Health Stuttgart, following a brief illness. Rosella was born in Stuttgart, Arkansas, on February 25, 1931, to Marjorie James Becker and John W. Becker. She was an 8th grade honor graduate of St. John’s Lutheran School and a 1949 honor graduate of Stuttgart High School, where she was a majorette and Drum Major for the Marching Ricebird Band. Upon graduation, she married the love of her life, Nicky Hargrove. They resided in the Lodge Corner community for 62 years of marriage and where she still resided at the time of her death.
She was a long-time member of Lodge Corner United Methodist Church where she served as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher. She was active in the WSCS and United Methodist Women where she served as President. In later years, Rosella moved her membership to First United Methodist Church in Stuttgart, to worship with her daughter and family. She was proficient at being able to worship through Facebook Live during the last year of her life.
In service to her community, she was a 50-year member of Stillwell Extension Homemakers Club, a former President of Stuttgart Junior Women’s Club and a former President of GFWC Amici Club, of which she was still a member at the time of her death. She had also served as an honorary chairman of Arkansas County Relay for Life and proudly walked the Survivor’s Lap many times in support of the American Cancer Society.
As a constant supporter of her husband and agriculture, the family received many honors including Arkansas County Farm Family in 1964, going on to receive the District award and finally named the runner-up to the State award. The Hargroves were also named “Master Farm Family” by Progressive Farmer Magazine in 1970. She loved the land and was a meticulous bookkeeper for Hargrove Farms, Inc., even as a 90 year old. She was truly the wind beneath Nicky’s wings as he led Arkansas Farm Bureau as President from 1976-1986 and as he served on many boards and commissions through the years but she turned into a different force of nature when supporting him through various health issues prior to his death in 2011.
Her sense of community and family came together in her support of her daughters’, her grandchildrens’ and even her great-grandchildrens’ activities. She was always a ready volunteer for activities at Stuttgart Schools, St. John’s Lutheran School, and the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie, whether bringing baked goods or working with SHS Marching Band parents in the concession booth or sending care packages to ballgames. She currently was a Facebook Live fan of watching SWAT and Maumelle Diamonds softball games and had made many trips to Dallas in the past to watch basketball, cheer and wrestling events.
Rosella was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her parents-in-law, Bill and Elsie Marie Hargrove, and a brother, Col. (ret) Marion C. Becker. Her survivors include her daughters and their families: Dana Harkey and her husband, Jack, and their children, William Blake Harkey and his wife Hannah, Amanda Kalescky and her husband Robert, all of Dallas; Rita Clinton and her husband, Cleve and their children, Charlotte and Cameron Clinton and his wife Carolyn, also of Dallas; Lori Dabbs and her husband Terry and their children, Lauren Walton Scherm and her husband , Eric, Lindsey Walton, Trent Dabbs and his wife, Kristian, Stacey Dabbs Reeves and her husband, Brian all of Stuttgart and Tiffany Dabbs Morris and her husband Matthew of Idaho Springs, Colo. She is also survived by her beloved great-grandchildren; Mykayla Hale, Cadence Reeves, Merritt Rose Scherm, Finlee Dabbs, Shelby Marie Sexton, Eleanor Rose Kalescky, William Blake Harkey, Jr., Winn Scherm, Charlee Ann Reeves, Erin Dabbs, Andrew Kalescky, Beau Scherm and Irie Morris. She could not express often enough how proud she was of her family. She was the proudest of the pictures she received from them all and showed them to everyone and anyone. She is also survived by two sisters and their families, Lyn Rhein and her husband Ron and Carolyn Synco and her daughter Terri and her family, all of Stuttgart. She is also survived by her husband’s cousin, Jerry Burkett and his wife Robin and their children Caroline and Laura and their families.
There will be a viewing at Turpin Funeral Home on Friday, August 20, from noon until 5:30, where you are encouraged to leave special memories and messages to the family on the cards provided there. A reception will be held at Open Season Restaurant from 5 until 7:30, that evening. The reception will be held on the east patio. Parking is available at the east end of the restaurant and guests may enter through the gate to the patio. Services will be held on Saturday, August 21, at Lone Tree Cemetery Chapel at 10 a.m., conducted by Dr. Bryan Fink and Pastor Brenton Higdem. Memorials may be made to the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie 921 E 4th Street, Stuttgart, Ark.,. 72160, or the Nicky Hargrove Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Stuttgart Memorial Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 1905, Stuttgart, Ark., 72160.
There aren’t enough words to express our gratitude to her caregivers, her longtime caregiver and companion, Martha Volner, her community friends, her church families and her doctors, especially Dr. Kirk Coker, for their love and assistance through the years. A special thanks to Dr. Eddy Hord and Dr. Coker along with Amy R., Joyce, Gail, Hannah and Megan for their kindness, care and compassion during her last hospital stay. She loved each and every one of you. Please go to: www.turpin-co.com to sign the online guestbook.