✦ ✦ ✦
Lucinia (Lucy) Carrie Elizabeth Bain Koonce, age 94 of Monticello passed away Friday, April 23, 2010 at the Drew Memorial Hospital in Monticello. Born December 17, 1915 in Hardin, AR, she was the daughter of the late Will and Elphia Shockey Bain.
The eldest of ten children, she was preceded in death by her husband, Merrill G. Koonce; her parents; brothers, Wilbur Bain and George Bain; sisters, Lillian Bain Fletcher, Ruby Bain and Mary Ruth Bain Needham.
She was a musician, who spent many hours at her piano and playing for children’s church and children’s Sunday School in churches in DeLand, FL and Valdosta, GA when her husband was in the retail business in those cities until his death in 1983. This brought her much joy. She was thrilled when her grandchildren and great grandchildren began taking piano lessons and would play for her.
They had been former residents of Monticello, AR in the 50’s and she was a charter member of the Monticello Music Club and enjoyed once again attending those meetings when she returned to Monticello a few years ago. She was also a 51 years breast cancer survivor.
She was a very talented artist. Many of her paintings were of Florida scenes where she would go to different locations and paint. Many of her paintings are hanging in the homes of her children and grandchildren. She also loved flowers and was an avid gardener. She was in Garden Clubs in Florida and was always adding to the landscaping that surrounded her home.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Monticello and loved her Sunday School class and was so sad when she was no longer able to attend. She had been very active in the Eastern Star. She and her husband were great supporters of the Boy Scouts of America organizations in all of the cities in which they had lived. She was very supportive of everything her husband of 47 years was involved in. She loved unconditionally and was a great encourager to many.
Survivors include her son, Kelly M. Koonce and wife, Anna of Monticello; one brother, Raymond Bain and wife, Betty of Pine Bluff; three sisters, Lottie Bain Calhoun, Naomi Bain and Jean Bain Brown of Renton, WA; a brother-in-law, Clois Needham of North Little Rock; a sister-in-law, Irene Bain of Renton, WA; grandchildren, Karen Koonce Mills and husband, Jeff of Flower Mound, TX, K. Max Koonce and wife, Rebecca of Bentonville, and Martin Webb Koonce and wife, Louise of Kigali, Rwanda; and great grandchildren, Davis and Justin Mills of Flower Mound, TX, Jonathan and Caroline Koonce of Bentonville and Tucker, Taylor, Tanner and Trevor Koonce of Kigali, Rwanda.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. Monday at the Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel. Private family burial will be in Union Ridge Cemetery in Drew County with arrangements by Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Drew Memorial Hospital, 778 Scogin Drive Monticello, AR 71655, to be used toward the purchase of a digital mammogram machine. Family visitation will be from 5:30 - 7:30 P.M. Sunday evening at the funeral home. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.
The eldest of ten children, she was preceded in death by her husband, Merrill G. Koonce; her parents; brothers, Wilbur Bain and George Bain; sisters, Lillian Bain Fletcher, Ruby Bain and Mary Ruth Bain Needham.
She was a musician, who spent many hours at her piano and playing for children’s church and children’s Sunday School in churches in DeLand, FL and Valdosta, GA when her husband was in the retail business in those cities until his death in 1983. This brought her much joy. She was thrilled when her grandchildren and great grandchildren began taking piano lessons and would play for her.
They had been former residents of Monticello, AR in the 50’s and she was a charter member of the Monticello Music Club and enjoyed once again attending those meetings when she returned to Monticello a few years ago. She was also a 51 years breast cancer survivor.
She was a very talented artist. Many of her paintings were of Florida scenes where she would go to different locations and paint. Many of her paintings are hanging in the homes of her children and grandchildren. She also loved flowers and was an avid gardener. She was in Garden Clubs in Florida and was always adding to the landscaping that surrounded her home.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Monticello and loved her Sunday School class and was so sad when she was no longer able to attend. She had been very active in the Eastern Star. She and her husband were great supporters of the Boy Scouts of America organizations in all of the cities in which they had lived. She was very supportive of everything her husband of 47 years was involved in. She loved unconditionally and was a great encourager to many.
Survivors include her son, Kelly M. Koonce and wife, Anna of Monticello; one brother, Raymond Bain and wife, Betty of Pine Bluff; three sisters, Lottie Bain Calhoun, Naomi Bain and Jean Bain Brown of Renton, WA; a brother-in-law, Clois Needham of North Little Rock; a sister-in-law, Irene Bain of Renton, WA; grandchildren, Karen Koonce Mills and husband, Jeff of Flower Mound, TX, K. Max Koonce and wife, Rebecca of Bentonville, and Martin Webb Koonce and wife, Louise of Kigali, Rwanda; and great grandchildren, Davis and Justin Mills of Flower Mound, TX, Jonathan and Caroline Koonce of Bentonville and Tucker, Taylor, Tanner and Trevor Koonce of Kigali, Rwanda.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. Monday at the Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel. Private family burial will be in Union Ridge Cemetery in Drew County with arrangements by Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Drew Memorial Hospital, 778 Scogin Drive Monticello, AR 71655, to be used toward the purchase of a digital mammogram machine. Family visitation will be from 5:30 - 7:30 P.M. Sunday evening at the funeral home. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.