1930-2026
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalms 116:15
Jeannie Lou Simons Stone took her last breath here on earth and opened her eyes in the presence of the Lord on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026. She was 95 years old.
She was born in El Paso, Texas, on September 13, 1930, to Charles and Nina Marie (Price) Simons. When she was very young, her family moved to Beebe, Arkansas, where they farmed until her mother took a job as a telephone operator and moved them to DeWitt, Arkansas. Jeannie attended DeWitt High School and was elected FFA Sweetheart and Homecoming Queen. It was in DeWitt that she met and in 1949 married Glenn G. Stone and moved to the Olena community to farm. She and Glenn were married for almost 68 years. A few years before Glenn’s death in 2017, they moved to Almyra, where she continued to live close to her church and her son, Gary.
Jeannie is survived by family she loved dearly: daughters Becky Eden (Tom McDonald) and Janet Hansen, both of Sherwood, and son, Gary (Mary Ann) Stone of Almyra, four grandchildren, Chris (Erika) Stone, Kimberly Eden, Justin (Crystal) Hansen, and Brian Hansen, thirteen great-grandchildren, and five great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her large family of nieces and nephews who, even though she didn’t see often, she loved as her own. She is predeceased by her husband, her parents, a beloved granddaughter Jacque Stone (Rusty) Owens, her twin brother Jack Simons, and three sisters, Charlotte Perry, Lorena Wisdom and Barbara Ellenburg.
Jeannie was an accomplished artist whose oil paintings filled nearly every wall of her home, each one a testament to her remarkable talent. She labored lovingly over every canvas, anguishing until it felt just right—despite often saying that a painting should never be perfect, because real life isn’t. She believed art should reflect life as it truly is, imperfections and all. Beyond her family, she took the greatest pride in her paintings, and in her final years, they brought her deep comfort.
She was also deeply proud of the Sunday School class of ladies she taught at Almyra First Baptist Church, a role she cherished until COVID kept everyone at home. Teaching that class brought her great joy. Her faith in God was unshakeable, evident in both her words and her life. She was never known to gossip or complain, and a harsh word rarely crossed her lips—except when keeping her children in line, which they certainly needed. She read her Bible daily, and God was not only her faith, but her closest friend and advisor.
She was our teacher. She taught us how to laugh. When we visited her sisters and brother, we cousins would smile as we listened to them cackle in the kitchen – over what, we never knew. But we listened and we learned to laugh. She had a beautiful singing voice and what we would give for recordings from those church solos! There was always a song in her heart that often spilled out as we learned the joy in music.
She taught us appreciation for beauty – in her paintings, in sunsets, in nature and in people. She was a beautiful person both inside and out and found only good in everything.
She taught us art. She was the proud owner and operator for many years of a store in DeWitt she named Color Wheel Galleries. Her goal was to share her love and knowledge of art to anyone who had an interest. Her store supplied them with the materials. She taught her grandkids how to paint with oil and also to paint cast plaster figures that they still have today, along with the great memories.
She taught us faith in God. She made sure her family was active in church and, especially in her later years, made sure that we all knew God. She wanted to make sure we would all be together again in Heaven someday. Her greatest regret approaching death was leaving her family, even for a short time.
She taught us to be a family. She was a faithful and loving wife, mother and grandmother. She helped Glenn by supporting him on the farm and together they built a farm legacy for their family.
Her husband, Glenn, loved Valentine’s Day and always showered Jeannie with flowers and cards on Valentine’s Day. He couldn’t have found a sweeter Valentine than in our mom. God couldn’t have picked a better day to take Glenn’s sweetheart home to him.
Services to be held at the Almyra First Baptist Church with visitation at 1:00 p.m. on February 17, 2026, and celebration of life at 2:00 p.m. A short service of burial will be immediately following at the Almyra Cemetery.
