Earline Atwell

It is with great sadness and celebration of a century well lived the family of Earline Parrish Atwell announces her death Friday, July 5, 2020. Earline was born April 25, 1920, in rural Corning, Arkansas to Charles M. & Bertha (Ennis) Parrish (deceased).

She married Nathaniel H. Atwell (deceased) on April 18, 1939, at Poplar Bluff. To this union four children were born: Johnny C. Atwell (deceased), Helen Annette (Atwell) Epps, Samuel D. Atwell and Sandra M. (Atwell) Graham.

Earline witnessed many changes in her lifetime. She had her first car ride at the age of six. She became car sick. She informed her parents that had the car been red in color she would not have gotten sick. She was plagued with car sickness throughout her lifetime. Her last car ride to the doctor she became sick. Ironically, the vehicle color was red.

Earline’s groom of 64 years often laughingly told the story that when he said to her, “How about getting married?”, she told him she “had somebody in mind but who would he get?” The two were lovingly known by many as “Pa and Gram.” His pet name for her was “Jingle Britches” which always brought many giggles from the grandchildren. She was the matriarch of our family and was a devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother.

She was a wonderful cast iron skillet cook. Her most requested foods were fried potatoes, fried cream style corn, cream pies and doughnuts. Over the years she happily cooked for our large family groups. We also loved her biscuits, dumplings, strawberry shortcake, cobblers, walnut cake and home-made ice cream. It was often a treat to have boiled shrimp, fried catfish and home-made fries at Gram’s. She later expanded the menu. While many families had traditional turkey at holiday dinners, the Atwells enjoyed shrimp gumbo.

Earline joined the Independence Missionary Baptist Church, Neelyville in 1934. She taught Sunday school for the children and served as secretary/treasurer over the years. Her church family visited her recently on her 100th birthday. Everyone listened with joy as Earline sang every word from memory of her favorite hymn, “In the Garden”. 

Earline was a great farmer and spent much of her life chopping cotton, picking cotton, driving the tractor, feeding animals, gathering eggs, growing vegetables, fruits and beautiful flower gardens. She would incubate eggs successfully in her electric skillet. We have witnessed her picking up live hens in each hand, swinging them in circles and twisting off their heads. Unpleasant though it was, the result was tasty chicken and dumplings. In the early 1990’s she was said to be “the best cotton module maker in Southeast Missouri.” 

Pa always admitted Gram was a much better shot than he. They often went squirrel or rabbit hunting with one gun. He would carry it and then give the gun to her to take the shot which she successfully did time and again.

She dearly loved the St. Louis Cardinals. She listened to their games on the radio in the early years, watched every televised game possible for the next 60 years, and attended some games. Earline was honored at a game and was escorted by Cardinal personnel to a locked display and was shown a World Series Championship ring. She was privileged to place it on her finger. She took great pride in sharing her memory of that special event.

We are deeply saddened by Earline’s (Gram’s) death, but our family does not mourn as those who have no hope. As her memory and body failed and her days on this earth waned, those who hurt will fill the void caused by her passage.

Earline is survived by:

Johnny’s family: spouse Dorothy Hover Atwell, Neelyville; granddaughter Debra (Gary) Parish, Neelyville; great-granddaughter Amanda (Andy) Moore; great-great-grandchildren Jackson and Maclaren Moore, Poplar Bluff; great-granddaughter Elizabeth (Dr. Jared) Beaird; great-great-granddaughters Ellison, Layton and Harlan Beaird, Poplar Bluff; granddaughter Cassondra Gilmore, Neelyville; great-grandson Jeffrey (Misty) Gilmore; great-great-grandsons Hunter, Hank and Hestin Gilmore, Neelyville; great-granddaughter Sheri Gilmore (deceased); great-great-granddaughter Alexandra Gilmore, Poplar Bluff; grandson Charles Atwell, Neelyville; great-granddaughter Brena Atwell, Poplar Bluff; granddaughter Sirena (Chad) Jones, Coon Island; and great-granddaughter Michaela Jones, Coon Island.

Annette’s family: spouse Robert D Epps (deceased) Brandon, Florida; granddaughter Tammy Sanders, Poplar Bluff; great-grandsons Robert (Rachael) Sanders, Four Seasons, Missouri, Cory (Alison) Sanders, Reeds Spring, Missouri; grandson Nathaniel Wasson (Nancy) Epps, Brandon, Florida; and great-grandchildren Jarett (Sara) Epps, Brandon, Forida, Elizabeth Epps, Brandon, Florida.

Sam’s family: spouse Fran Harrison Atwell, Poplar Bluff; grandson Kevin (Jenni) Atwell, Galesburg, Illinois; great-grandchildren Nathaniel Atwell, Guthrie, Missouri, Conner Atwell, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Katherine Brynn Atwell, Galesburg, Illinois; granddaughter Samantha (Bryan) Crisp, New Bloomfield, Missouri; great-granddaughter Savannah Crisp Schaefer; great-great-grandchildren Shiloh, Decker and Brylan Schaefer, New Bloomfield, Missouri; great-grandson Joshua (Madison) Crisp; great-great-granddaughter Xoe Crisp, Meta, Missouri; great-grandson Dalton Crisp, New Bloomfield, Missouri; grandson Trevor (Carol) Atwell, Saratoga, North Carolina; granddaughter Angel (Clay) Neal, Olive Branch, Mississippi; great-grandchildren Bethany Neal, Olive Branch, Mississippi, Cooper Neal, Olive Branch, Mississippi, Julianne Neal, Olive Branch, Mississippi; granddaughter Rhonda (Andy) Brooks; great-grandchildren Shelby and John Andrew Brooks, Hernando, Mississippi; grandson Tommy (Alisa) Hancock, Knobel, Arkansas; granddaughter Melessia (Michael) Woods, Biggers, Arkansas; great-grandchildren Shane (Alex) Woods, Biggers, Arkansas, Tiffany (Chris) Reinhold, Biggers, Arkansas; 

Sandra’s family: spouse Thomas Graham (deceased), Hertford, North Carolina; grandson Tommy (Holly) Graham, Broad Run, Virginia; great-grandchildren Reese and Tyler Gordon, Broad Run Virginia; great-granddaughter Faith McSpadden, Richmond, Virginia; granddaughter Stephanie Graham-Riddick, Hertford, North Carolina; great-grandchildren Brianne Graham-Riddick, Hertford, North Carolina, Bryson Graham-Riddick, Hertford, North Carolina.

Earline is survived by nieces Doris McPherson, St. Louis; Donna Parrish, Burlington, Vermont; Linda Lane, Spokane Washington; Janice Keeney, Van Buren; Marjorie Voyles, Ava, Missouri; Julia Hilton, Tallahassee, Florida; Melinda Christensen, Van Buren;  Alona Gay Metz, Salinas, California;  Ardis Moore, Washington, Michigan; Alicia Taylor, Kingwood, Texas. Nephews: David Parrish, Clarkston, Washington; Leon Parrish, Surgoinsville, Tennessee; Delon Parrish, Oak Creek, Wisconsin; Dean Parrish, Alexandria, Virginia; Daniel Hilton, Hardy, Arkansas and Alvin Trentleman, Salinas, California.

Earline was predeceased by her brothers Ewell, Loren & Berl Parrish and her sisters Lillian Hilton and Arleta Trentleman.    

Our family is forever grateful to Loretta McComb. Our Gram dearly loved her, as do all of us. Loretta provided Gram with compassionate and loving personal care for over 13 years. 

We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Kenneth Li & his staff for their dedicated care over the years. We are grateful to Dr. Roland Njoh & team who restored circulation to her legs & extended her life an additional 18 months.

Visitation is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, July 8, with the service to follow at noon at Fowler & Son’s Funeral Home, Neelyville. Interment will be in Memorial Gardens at Poplar Bluff.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Atwell Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship was established in 2003 in memory of N.H. Atwell and has been awarded to various Neelyville High School graduates. It will now memorialize both Nathaniel and Earline. The donations may be mailed to Debra Parish, Neelyville R-IV School District, P.O. Box 8, Neelyville, MO 63954.