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Obituary
Grace Wellman Dyer Sturgeon,
born September 28, 1930 in Wayne County, West Virginia, to Carl Wellman and
Frankie McCoy Wellman, died April 18, 2015. She is preceded in death by her
parents, her sister, Roberta Faye Freeman, her step-mother Lois Wellman and
her step-brother, James Sutton. Her relationship with her first
husband, George E. Dyer began when she tripped him at the skating rink in
Huntington, West Virginia. After marrying George, on May 28, 1949, she often
joked about earning her “PhT” (putting hubby through school), as they moved
from Huntington, West Virginia to Anderson, Indiana, Big Spring, Texas and
finally Lubbock, Texas, as he pursued his PhD. In 1966 the couple moved to
Little Rock, where he began his teaching career at UALR. After his death,
she married Howard M. Sturgeon, with whom she enjoyed traveling the country.
Grace and Howard settled in Lehigh Acres, Florida, where she enjoyed
teaching crafts at the Senior Center. Grace was well known for her
crafting and sewing skills and has a wall of ribbons awarded from the
county, district and state fairs. She had a generous spirit and enjoyed
helping others. With her friend, Billie Taylor, she made hundreds of dresses
for the girls of Africa and Haiti, blankets and sock monkeys for Children’s
Hospital, and other crafts to help patients in nursing homes and hospitals.
Grace was especially proud of the patent for an oxygen holder for a walker
that she and her friend, Billie, applied for and were granted when she was
80. She was a spirited woman with a strong faith in God and a deep and
reciprocated love for her family and friends. She is survived by her son,
Carl Wesley Dyer, Sr. (Marsha) of White Hall, Arkansas; grandson, Carl
Wesley Dyer, Jr. (Lisa) of Jonesboro, Arkansas; granddaughter, Laura
Elizabeth Johnson (Jeff) of Little Rock, Arkansas, and her brother, Bud
Danny Wellman (Connie) of Catlettsburg, Kentucky. She is also survived by
two step-sons, Donald Sturgeon (Barbara) of Dayton, Ohio and Jim Sturgeon
(Tami) of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, five great-grandchildren, two nephews
and five nieces. She leaves behind many friends in Arkansas, West Virginia
and Florida. The family would like to thank the staff at Baptist Hospital,
White Hall Nursing Home, Nursing and Rehabilitation at Good Shepherd and
Hospice Home Inpatient Center for the care and many kindnesses during her
illness. Services will be at 3:00 PM Wednesday, April 22nd at Ruggles-Wilcox
Funeral Home in Arkadelphia. Visitation will 1:30 PM Wednesday until service
time at the funeral home. Graveside services will be conducted at 11:30 AM
Saturday at Ridgelawn Memorial Park, Huntington. Burial follow. Reger
Funeral Home is assisting the family. The family asks that in lieu of
flowers, memorials be made to White Hall United Methodist Church Building
Fund, P.O. Box 20880, White Hall, Arkansas 71612.
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