Jean Harrison

Jean Collie Harrison, of Sherwood, wife of Ray Harrison, departed from earthly life to eternal life in heaven March 2, 2018. She was born in Malvern on January 14, 1931 to George and Edna Collie.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her only sibling, Alliene Paxson, of Sherwood. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Ray Harrison of Sherwood and special friends, Charlotte Bishop, Barbara Bise, and Carol Johnson.

Following graduation from Malvern High School in 1948, she attended Ouachita Baptist University, where she was active in campus publications and activities. After teaching school for one year, she began working for the Federal Government at Pine Bluff Arsenal. She was one of the first civilian employees at Little Rock Air Force Base, working there for 27 years in the 384th Bomb Wing and the 308th Missile Wing.

She and her husband Ray built and operated Sherwood Mini Storage for 17 years before retiring. Jean was a Pulaski County election official, serving as a chief judge for several years. She was a former officer of the NLR Business and Professional Women's Club and the Toastmistress Club at Little Rock AFB. Her civic activities included Chairman of the Sherwood Civil Service Commission and the Jack Evans Senior Center Committee in Sherwood.

Her greatest fulfillment came in working in churches. She was a charter member of Indian Hills Baptist Church and Indianhead Lake Baptist Church. She served as Women's Missionary Union Director for several years in several churches. Jean founded and taught English as a Second Language (to people born in other countries) at First Baptist Church of Sherwood, where she also served as an assistant Sunday School teacher in a lady's class. She shared her resources with the Christian Women's Job Corps, sponsored by the North Pulaski Baptist Association (NPBA). Every week she delighted in helping others by serving at the NPBA Caring Center at Berea Baptist Church.

Jean deeply loved traveling abroad, visiting 18 countries. She went to Europe five times and her beloved Israel twice. She was very concerned about people in all nations.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at First Baptist Church of Sherwood, with the funeral to begin at 11 a.m., burial will be at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Malvern. Online obituary at www.SmithFamilyCares.com