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Submitted: 6/28/23 • Approved: 6/29/23 • Last Updated: 7/2/23 • R1490198-G1490196-S3
James
April 12, 1927 - May 15, 1976
Besma
October 28, 1928 - May 17, 2021
*Obituary
Besma Lee (Barnes) Counts was born in Athens, Arkansas in 1928 and passed away peacefully May 17, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was the first of three children born to C.C. and Rosetta "Zet" (Parson) Barnes.
She married James Counts in 1948 and they had two daughters – Jan and Cindy. With the exception of a few years in Texas, she lived her entire life in Arkansas – mostly in Fort Smith.
Her career included modeling, owning Besma's Grocery on High Street, Besma's Beauty Shop, working at Dixie Cup in the Credit Union, Besma's Party Designs, and Holt Krock Clinic.
She loved art and doing for others. She was one of only a few people in the United States that restored clock faces by hand. Her calligraphy graced thousands of wedding invitations and graduation announcements. She loved helping to plan her high school class reunions and making decorations for them. She made bracelets and would always have a couple so she could give one to somebody that looked like they could use a pick-me-up. She could spend an hour in Walmart just so she could visit with the people there.
She was preceded in death by her brother, husband, parents, and daughter Jan.
She is survived by her sister Connie Ambler and her husband Frank Amos, daughter Cindy Woods, grandchildren Caleb Bruce, Sean Bruce and his wife Frances, Cory Woods and his wife Leslie, and Amy Woods-Bridges and her husband Marcus Etzkorn, great-grandchildren Dylan Goff, Lucas Woods, Damon Bridges, Lily Etzkorn, and Eli Woods, nieces, nephews, and many friends.
Services will be at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel on May 20, 2021
Photo courtesy of Frances Allen Titsworth
Contributed on 6/28/23 by Billsully060
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Record #: 1490198