Frances Mae Stafford

On May 21, 1927, in Smithton, Arkansas Tom and Mallie Harvell Coleman welcomed the birth of another child, a baby girl they named Frances Mae. Frances accepted Christ at a tender age. She was a faithful member of Roanoke Baptist Church in the Greenville Community where she served as a deaconess and superintendent of Sunday school. Frances attended Bell High School, Gurdon and Arkansas Baptist College, Little Rock. Frances M. Coleman became Mrs. Frances M. Stafford when she married the handsome James A. Stafford. This union was blessed with six children, Brenda, James, Tommy, Deborah, Lori & Carl. In the early morning hours of Sunday, June 1, 2008, after 81 seasons, she left this world of time for her eternal home in heaven. Awaiting her arrival and to welcome her home were her parents; Mr. & Mrs. Coleman; three sisters, Estella Coleman, Inez Smith, Jean Stafford, a brother Welton Coleman and her beloved husband James A. Stafford who made his transition on May 4, 2003. She leaves indelible impressions in the hearts of her children: Brenda & her husband John Berry of Bedford Heights, OH, James H. Stafford and his daughter, Kyndrian of Gurdon, AR, Tommy & his wife Cheryl and their daughter Ashley Stafford of Hot Springs, AR, Deborah Stafford of Hot Springs, AR, Lori Stafford of Arkadelphia, AR, and Carl & his wife Allison and their son William James Stafford of Humphries, VA. Frances also leaves her brother Carl Coleman of Cleveland, OH, five grandchildren she cherished as her own: Keon Brewer, Kevin Gardner, Bryan Duncan, Latashia Duncan and Laphenetara Allen; two great-grandchildren and a caravan of nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends & the Roanoke Baptist Church Family. If you were to ask what was her testimony she would simply say: “I believed.” Mrs. Stafford will lie in state at the funeral home on Friday, June 6, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Final tributes to the life of Frances M. Stafford will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary of Eastern Star Baptist Church in the Smithton Community where Rev. Marshall Allen is the pastor. Rev. Troy Hearn the pastor of Roanoke Baptist Church will preach a message of comfort and hope. The committal service and final resting place will be in Greenville Cemetery. The bearers of the casket will be Otis Duncan, Roosevelt House, Aaron Meeks, Joe Brewer, Keon Brewer and Mark Hearn. The honorary bearers of the casket will be James Stafford, Johnny Stafford, Carl Strafford, Michael Stafford, Harold Stafford and Phillip Stafford. The Stafford family would like to thank Vinita, Vikita, Nia, LeNita, Karen, Lenatta, Perri, Renee, and Annie Tate for their efforts in helping and assisting Mrs. Stafford during her illness. Special thanks to Rev. Marshall Allen and the Eastern Star Baptist Church family for opening their doors and hearts.