1941-2025
Barbara Merlene Jones Raines, 84, of DeWitt passed away December 18, 2025. She was born May 9, 1941, in Pine Bluff to Fate Dempsey Jones and Miriam Phyllis Procop Jones.
Barbara led an interesting life during her younger years, which included visiting 48 states while traveling with her mother with a carnival. Her mother helped with the cooking and feeding of employees. he spoke many times about the good people she had in her life that all showed her love and how much fun she had as a child riding rides and collecting her "treasurers." She was a hard worker, a dedicated and loving wife, and for years a stay-at-home mom doing what she could to care for her family and show unconditional love. Many times you would hear her singing while cleaning the house and she had such a beautiful voice. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, fishing, and gardening. She also enjoyed having tea parties and having picnics at the park with her granddaughters when they were little girls.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband Charles Raines; infant grandson Benjamin Charles Brooks; son-in-law Jow Howard Miller; and special friend Vera Miller.
Barbara is survived by her daughters Denise Miller of Bayou Meto, Rhonda Brooks (Sanders) of Hamburg, and Lorie Hancock (Danny) of Beebe; four granddaughters Rachel Edmondson (Curt), Becky Miller (Jody), Stephanie Murphy and Kaylor Murphy; her extra daughter Mary Alice McPherson; special friends Donna West and Sherry O'Neil Rawls; nieces, nephews, and other family and friends, and her fur grandbabies.
Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 21 at DeWitt Cemetery.
