Nelma Griffin, age 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 4, 2025.

Nelma Duane Beasley Griffin began her life journey on April 16, 1935 to her parents, Noel and Nell at their residence in Fouke, Arkansas and continued to live most of her life in Miller County.  She was later joined by siblings, Nola Jean, Bobby, Nelene and Nolene.  Being the oldest child in her family she spent much time helping to raise her siblings.  At a young age she worked at the family's washateria in Texarkana.  She and her siblings all worked to help their family in those early years, even one Christmas they knitted sweaters to be sold in the Ben F. Smith's department store.

At the age of 14, Duane accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior on November 29, 1949.  A few years later in 1953 at the age of 18, she graduated from Arkansas High School.  Soon after in of June 1953 she married Billy Jack Griffin with their marriage lasting for 63 years until his passing in 2015.  For a short while they lived in North Arkansas and then returned to Texarkana to raise their young family.  Their son, Billy was born in 1954, a daughter, Jeana in 1960 and then another son Jeff in 1965.

As a young family, they attended Arabella Heights Baptist Church where Duane served as a Sunday School teacher and helped in Vacation Bible School.  She later became a member of Faith Baptist Church.  Duane's main vocation was her family and taking care of their home.  She loved her children and was active in their lives, whether it was at church or being a home room mother at school.

After her children were grown, she worked at Brown Miller Pickle Plant, LLI Vending, and The Sonshine School and also Grace Place Child Development Center.

Duane stayed busy with lots of activities.  She was an accomplished seamstress and sewed much of the clothing her family wore.  One of her favorite things to do was to make, piece and sew quilts.  Her children have beautiful quilts to cherish that she lovingly made for them, mostly given as Christmas presents each year or for a special occasion.

Duane enjoyed Spring and Summer to plant and cultivate a garden that she could harvest in the Fall and can the vegetables and fruit from the garden to enjoy in the Winter.  She enjoyed going to pick black berries, fishing with a cane pole, and even went deer hunting.  Another weekly activity she enjoyed were those trips to the beauty shop with her mother and sisters.  She continued these trips for many years.  She also enjoyed having Dr. Pepper parties with her sisters and friends.  She took trips to Colorado, Las Vegas, and the Canadian border.  Her comment on the Grand Canyon was 'It was just a big hole in the ground…'   She loved to go to Branson and Dallas to shop for Christmas gifts to give to her family.  Her living room at Christmas was always stacked with so many gifts that the opening of the gifts had to be done in shifts.

Her journey in this life concluded on August 4, 2025 at The Villa in Texarkana, Texas.  The family would like to express appreciation to all the kind and loving caretakers at The Villa and Heritage Hospice.  Your kindness will be cherished.

Duane will forever be remembered as Mother, Momma, Mamaw, Momo, Sister, Hard Worker, Determined, but always one to love her family and try to help and support them in any way and the best that she could.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Billy Jack Griffin, a beloved sister Nola Jean Crabtree, and a precious great-grand-daughter Mary Gail Griffin.

Her remaining family members include two sons and daughters-in-law, Billy and Carrolyn Griffin of Hooks, Texas, Jeff and Olivia Griffin of Fouke, Arkansas, one daughter Jeana Baker of Queen City, Texas,

her sisters, Nelene Harris, Nolene Crabtree, and a brother, Bobby Beasley.  She also has numerous grand-children and great-grandchildren to cherish her memory.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Friday, August 8, 2025 at the Texarkana Funeral Home, 4801 Parkway Drive, Texarkana, AR from 6-8p.m.  A memorial celebration will take place on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 11:00a.m. in the Texarkana Funeral Home Arkansas Chapel with Rev. Kevin Schutte and Dr. Kyle Peters officiating.  Mrs. Griffin will be laid to rest in Sylverino Cemetery following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorials be placed with Heritage Hospice, 4605 Texarkana, TX  75503.