Bessie Olivia Blacknall

Bessie Olivia Blacknall was born April 2, 1919 in the Mt. Morriah Community of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Her parents Walter Warren Newburn and Bedie House Newburn where highly respected in the community and raised their children in the fear and admonition of God. Bessie accepted Christ at the tender age of 12 years old and was a life-long member of Mt. Morriah Baptist Church where she served as an Usher. At her passing she was the oldest member of Mt. Morriah Baptist Church. She married the handsome D. G. Blacknall on March 3, 1945 and the Lord added to this union three children. She prided herself in being a loving wife and mother. She loved to garden and admire her flowers. Her home was always impeccably clean and tasty meals were ever present. She enjoyed “chit chatting” on the telephone and exchanging recipes with her friends.  Bessie was fun loving and gentle by nature. She could tease and crack a joke that would bring laughter and smile to a person’s soul. After 98 seasons of life she passed on Sunday, November 12, 2017. She was preceded in death by her parents; and infant son, D. G. Blacknall, Jr and her beloved, D. G. Blacknall “Doc” who made his transition on October 24, 2009; her son-in-law, Rev. Lonnie C. Gill; two sisters, Mollie L. Smith and Wilma L. Hearn and two brothers, Joel Edward Newburn and Elmer Franklin Newburn. Those left to live in her rays of love and laughter are her daughter, Rosie Mae Gill of Arkadelphia; her son, Charles N. (Paulette) Blacknall of Arkadelphia; two grandchildren, Lonya (Travwon) Gill Newborn of Arkadelphia and Charles N. Blacknall, Jr., of Bryant, AR; two great-grandsons, Alontae Newborn and Kelton Newborn both of Arkadelphia. She also leaves one brother-in-law, Alfred Jerry Smith of Arkadelphia, as well as, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and the Mt. Morriah Church family.