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Submitted: 12/14/21 • Approved: 12/22/21 • Last Updated: 12/25/21 • R1406446-G1406445-S3
September 3, 1924 - September 1, 2016
*Obituary
Edith Jean Blair, age 91, of Little Rock went to be with her Lord, Thursday, September 1, 2016.
Jean was many things, a wife, mother, aunt, sister, daughter, and friend, but, her most precious affiliation was her personal relationship with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Those who knew Jean experienced her strong faith and rich love. She was a gracious southern lady who was a great cook. She was humble, a good listener, a fervent prayer warrior and carried herself with quiet dignity. Jean also had a keen sense of humor which was fostered by her 46-year-marriage to the love of her life, L.D. Blair.
Jean was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky near Dawson Springs, a town known for coal mining and rejuvenating spring waters. She graduated from Dawson Springs High School in 1941 and began working for Dawson Daylight Mines. Later she received business training in Louisville before moving to Jonesboro to work for an attorney. She served as a court reporter for Chancery Judge, Francis A. Cherry and became his personal assistant when Cherry campaigned for governor, being driven around the state by a young man, David Pryor, who wanted to learn more about politics. She continued as Governor Cherry’s personal assistant before he lost his re-election to Orval Faubus. At that point, Jean began court reporting for various Arkansas attorneys and law firms.
She met L.D. through mutual friends. They married in 1959 and the Lord provided a ready-made family that she had always desired. The family moved to Little Rock within the first year of their marriage. Jean loved being a room mother for Ann’s classes and embraced Girl Scout cookie drives by serving as the chairman and chaperoning numerous scouting trips.
Jean became a Christian in the early 1960s, through her mentor Joyce Jensen and Bible Study Fellowship, which had just started in Little Rock. She traveled with Lib Winger & trained in 1974 to become the first BSF Area Children’s Supervisor for the southeast United States and retired in 1985. She also served on the board of the Ozark Conferences. To the end, Jean was very involved with her church, The Bible Church of Little Rock, and enjoyed Fellowship Bible Church’s Mid-week Community.
Though she lived in Little Rock, her Kentucky roots still ran deep. Her extended family contact remained close with regular cards and phone calls, especially her much anticipated weekly letters from her niece, Judy.
The family would like to extend thanks to the following special people in Jean’s life: Jimmie Kooistra, Beth Maris, Tracy Ward, Harriet Larson, and James Henrich; to her dedicated caregivers, whom Jean thought of as family: Karen Taylor, Torsha Cooksey, Mary-Britton Norton, Joni McKinney, and Bessie Smith; Arkansas Hospice and Right at Home services for their gracious care and support; and her doctors, Dr. Stephen Greer, Dr. James Hazelwood, Dr. Nancy Rector, Roxanne Hughes, Dr. Susan Delap, and Dr. Kathy Parnell for their years of care for Jean.
Jean is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, L.D. Blair; two brothers, Woodruff McGregor and Bill McGregor; one sister, Anita Offner; and two sons, Douglas Blair and Stephen Blair.
She is survived by her daughter, Ann Blair of Little Rock; niece, Judith Johnston of Dawson Springs, Kentucky; and her much-loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The funeral will take place at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at The Bible Church of Little Rock, 501-227-4980. Mrs. Blair will be interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Paris, Arkansas.
Contributed on 12/14/21 by billsully060
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Record #: 1406446