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Submitted: 3/10/23 • Approved: 3/11/23 • Last Updated: 3/14/23 • R1475296-G1475294-S3
Willie
February 27, 1922 - April 21, 2011
Donna
October 8, 1925 - April 7, 2016
Married: December 20, 1944
Our Daughters: Carol - Francis
Donna Mae Ady Grantom, 90, retired cablevision systems executive manager, died peacefully after a short illness at Saline Memorial Hospice in Bryant on Thursday, April 7, 2016. She had moved to the Tull community four years prior to her death.
She was born on Oct. 8, 1925, in Reading, county of Noble, Minn. to Albert Hendon Ady and Mabel Lorane Baker. She graduated from West High School in Minneapolis, Minn. in 1943. She met Willie Lee (Bill) Grantom in 1942 while he was serving in the US Navy and attending training at the University of Minnesota during World War II. They married on Dec. 20, 1944, and moved back to Bill’s Arkansas in the winter of 1946. They moved several times during their life together due to Bill’s work and later their desire to be near family after retirement. With each move until retirement, Donna was employed in different types of businesses and was promoted into managerial and executives positions.
Donna began her career in 1947, working for John W. Baird Accounting in Springdale. When the family moved to El Dorado in 1951, she worked for Southern Transport and Greyhound Drilling companies. When the companies split, she worked for Herbert S. Woods for 18 years. In 1969, she and Bill moved to Dickinson, Texas, where she became involved in the emerging cable industry.
She was the first woman manager for Teleprompter Cable Systems and for Hark Hanks Cable. Donna managed the system in Pasadena and built out the cable systems in Galveston, Baytown, Deep Park, and LaMarque. The couple lived in Dickinson until they retired in 1986. After 40 years of marriage, Donna encouraged Bill to move back to Minnesota so she could be closer to her siblings. After several cold snowy winters, they moved back to Arkansas in 1997, living in Russellville, El Dorado, and Benton (Tull).
Donna was active in the Texas Business and Professional Woman’s Club and the Eastern Star in Minnesota and Russellville.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 66 years, Willie Lee (Bill) Grantom; younger twin sister, Golda Mae Ady Brokke and her husband, Leonard Kermit; oldest sister, Gladys Lorane Ady Eckert and her husband, Dale Armond; older brother, Robert Henry Ady and his wife, Lucille Elizabeth Peris; younger sister, Vivian Rae Ady Satre and her husband, Harland Morris, all of Minnesota and younger half-brother, Albert William Ady and his wife, Shirley Wickenhiser of Michigan.
The couple had two daughters, who remember their mother for her strong work ethic, setting and accomplishing goals and her always present sense of humor. Donna is survived by her daughters, Carol Lynn Grantom Humphries Smith and her husband, Basil A. Smith of Tull and Francis Elizabeth Grantom Kuykendall and her husband, Darrell Wayne Kuykendall of El Dorado; two grandsons, Marcus Lee Humphries of Benton and Paul Ryan Kuykendall and his wife, Martha Ann McKnight of Plano, Texas; two granddaughters, Keri Lynn Smith Jones and her husband Arnold Douglas III of Maumelle and Julie Lee Smith Schaap and her husband Daniel Ryan of Springdale.
Her eight great grandchildren, Haven Ashley Humphries of Van Buren, Andrew Nathan Kuykendall, Rachel Ann Kuykendall and Brandon Lee Kuykendall of Plano; Hallie Ashton Jones and Sophie Nicole Jones of Maumelle and Nila Belle Schaap and Smith Thomas Schaap of Springdale will remember their Nannie’s soup and cornbread, handcrafted caps and scarves, baby blankets, holiday cooking lessons and her stories of growing up on a farm in Minnesota.
Donna is also survived by several cousins, nieces and nephews who were very special to her.
She was accomplished at crocheting and knitting and made beautiful bedspreads, christening shawls and afghans for family and friends. She enjoyed genealogy and traveling with her family. She was an active and dedicated member of the Antioch Christian Church in Tull and the Tull Homemakers Club. She also enjoyed going to the Bauxite Ladies Luncheon each October with her good friend Virgie DuVall.
The Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for 11 a.m., Monday, April 11, 2016, at the Antioch Christian Church, Hwy. 190, in Tull with internment in Rest Haven Memorial Garden, North Wyatt Drive, El Dorado at 4 p.m. under the direction of Ashby Funeral Home of Benton.
Visitation is set for 10 a.m. one hour before the service. The Rev. Tom Haley of Antioch Christian Church will officiate and will be assisted by Carol Grantom Hymphries Smith. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Donna’s life.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the donor’s choice, Antioch Christian Church, 8147 North Main Street, Tull, Arkansas or to the SouthArk Library Endowed Fund, 300 South West Avenue, El Dorado, Arkansas 71730.
The family wishes to thank Saline Memorial Hospice for their loving care and kindness to Mother and her. The family also wish to thank Stagecoach Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for the special care Mother received. You all were definitely a blessing.
Contributed on 3/10/23 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 1475296