Vanessa Mallette

As we retrace the footprints of Vanessa Joyce Mallette, we can only give thanks for the many lives she touched and enriched along her life’s journey.

Vanessa, or “Ness Joy” as many knew her, began her journey of life on January 26, 1956, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas as the daughter of Martha Lee Ivory Burks. She accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. Vanessa grew up to be a loving, fun-spirited, and intelligent young lady. She graduated from high school in Michigan. 

She enjoyed cooking and fine-tuned her skills in the kitchen. She was a soul food “boiling pots” cooking type of woman. She cooked for several years at Andrew’s in Michigan which was a well-known soul food establishment. 

Vanessa moved back to Arkadelphia where in her spare time, she and her best friend Linda Box would spend hours playing cards, having a good time, and listening to the sounds of Frankie Beverly, James Taylor, Patti Labelle, and Barry White. She truly lived life to the fullest and never wanted for much. She enjoyed reading love novels, Christian books, and dancing. Above all, she loved her trips to Wal-Mart, where she would stay for two to three hours, talking, shopping, and praying for people. 

She had a beautiful smile and would always tell you whatever she felt and the truth. Vanessa preached self-respect and to follow the golden rule --"Treat others as you would want to be treated.”

During all of her 68 seasons, she made friends regardless of race, gender, or faith. She freely offered wise counsel and inspired everyone who crossed her path. Family, as well as friends, will miss her sense of humor, smile, and love, but will never forget Vanessa’s spirit and compassion.

Although Vanessa lived what some may call a short life, those who were touched by her understood that the quality of her existence far exceeded the quantity of time many of us spent with her.

She was welcomed to her eternal home by her mother, Martha Lee Burks; her son, Jeremy Jerome Mallette (February 8, 1976-August 4, 1977), sisters, Jo Ann Hendrix, Myra Hendrix, Gussie Annette Mitchell (2018), her brother, Leo Hendrix (2017) and her best friend Linda Louise Arnold Box (2010).

Ness Joy leaves an abundance of laughs and memories in the hearts of her daughter, MaLika Hendrix of Arkadelphia; Nickila Hendrix, her niece whom she loved as a daughter;  two special nieces, Danielle and Laura and two special nephews, Edwin Bell and Valeto Juan Hendrix; her sisters, Kathy (Robert) Herron of Little Rock, AR, June (Garland) Poke of Little Rock, AR, Alfreda Mays of Arkadelphia, AR, Jennifer Hendrix of Little Rock, AR and Kim Hendrix of Arkadelphia, AR and brothers, Ronald (Lametric) Hendrix of Little Rock, AR, Lee Guster Hendrix, Jr of Jackson, MS, William Hendrix and Mark Osborne all of Arkadelphia, AR. She also leaves a sister-in-law, Vicki Hendrix of Arkadelphia, AR; and a special friend, Barbara J. Wells. She also leaves 17 grandchildren whom she loved so dearly. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends.

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2024 at Williams Funeral Home. A celebration of her life will be shared at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Williams Funeral Home Chapel with Superintendent Robert Davis, eulogist. Pallbearers honorable to mention are her brothers, grandsons, and nephews.