Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home
943 Highway 425 North
Monticello, AR 71655
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Gathering of Friends & Family Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home
943 Highway 425 North
Monticello
,
AR 71657
12/19/2020 at 1:00 PM
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16th Section Cemetery
South 16th Section Road
Monticello, AR 71655
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PLEASE NOTE THIS HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE STEPHENSON-DEARMAN CHAPEL DUE TO RAIN. .. 1:00 P.M. IN THE CHAPEL, 943 HWY 425 N MONTICELLO, AR 71655
Narvel Briggs May is the second child of thirteen to Rev. William and Emma Langdon Briggs, born October 12, 1929, in Drew County, Arkansas. At an early age, Narvel confessed her belief that Jesus died on the cross, rose from the dead and lives today in all of our lives. By her teenage years, she was no stranger to hard work; she helped cook, clean, raise her younger siblings, pick cotton, and whatever else “my daddy told me to do” on and off the farm for the family.
After completing her first year in college, her father told her she needed to leave school so he could send her brother; he couldn’t afford two kids in college at the same time. She begged her dad that if he’d let her stay, she’d get a job and put herself through college. He agreed, she got a job as a babysitter and maid and graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Arkansas AM&N, now known as UAPB. She immediately began teaching elementary students in Monticello, AR, and moved to Lake Village, AR where she taught at Central Elementary School until retirement. School administrators saw an astonishing result from Narvel’s students; those assigned to her who scored below the reading level at the start of the school year were scoring on or above the reading level at school year-end! Because of this gift, the school district aggressively pursued her to come out of retirement and teach reading again.
She married the man of her dreams, Wilbert A. May, on April 16, 1954. Her father officiated the ceremony at his home. From their marriage, she bore two children, one on her own birthday.
Narvel is preceded in death by her husband of over 57 years, Wilbert May, her parents, Rev. William and Emma Briggs, her stepson, Earl May, her brothers, Earl, Curtis, Adrian, Virgil, and Ernest Briggs and her sisters Willie Mae Briggs Ferrell, and Thelma Briggs.
She leaves to cherish her memories her daughter, Carneval Bellamy (Gilbert) and son, Edwin May (Tanya) both of Grand Prairie, Texas; her four granddaughters Choya Graves (Charles), Jardin, Jacqueline, all of Grand Prairie, Texas and Yonne Cowans (Anthony) of San Antonio, Texas; her four great-grandchildren Synai, Brooklyn, Xavier, and Londyn; her brothers Edward (Earline) of Acton, Massachusetts, Jesse (Lucille) of Mt. Morris, Michigan, William, Jr (Nora) of Dermott, Arkansas, and Bennie Jo of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and her sister, Gladys Briggs of Chicago, Illinois. She also leaves to cherish her memories a host of nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins, and friends.
The family asks to please keep in mind social distancing while in the Chapel
