Jeannie L. DeMoss Bragdon, 75, passed away peacefully at her home in Pine Bluff, Saturday, April 4, 2009. Jean was born April 10, 1933, in Grapevine, Arkansas, the daughter of Harry Smith DeMoss, Sr. and Mary Simpson DeMoss.
She attended Grapevine Schools and graduated in 1951. After high school, she moved to Pine Bluff and went to work as an operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She later worked for Condray Sign Company before finally settling into her long-time career as business manager at Benny Hatcher Construction Company in 1956. She was known by co-workers to be a tireless worker who was dedicated to getting things done correctly.
Jean was a member of Sardis Baptist Church in Grapevine. She was a charter member of the Pine Bluff Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. She was a past president and regional director of the organization. It was during this time that she was able to travel throughout the US representing NAWIC. She had fond memories of her time spent with other women in the construction business and forged life-long friendships along the way. She was a Dale Carnegie graduate and a member of the Grapevine Historical Society.
Although Jean was definitely a career woman, she also enjoyed her spare time. She was known for having fun get-togethers during the 1970s after her nephews’ baseball games. An avid collector of 45 records, she always had the latest and greatest tunes of the times. She also enjoyed games of all sorts, but especially Scrabble, Yahtzee, and cards. She was a voracious reader who had a collection of books that lined her walls. A lady of style, Jean always dressed immaculately. One never saw her without her hair perfectly coiffed and make-up carefully applied. Jean was a caring family member who always had good advice and a spare bedroom for a loved-one who needed it. As she was a meticulous housekeeper, the only requirement was to keep the room as spiffy as one had found it. Although she answered toJean, Jeannie Lou, and Sis, she was known by most in her family as "DooDoo" or "Doodie."
She loved sitting in her olive-green swivel chair while doing some sort of needlecraft, watching her favorite sports or TV show, sipping Coca-Cola out of a Dixie cup and smoking a cigarette. No doubt, she enjoyed life.
Jean is survived by a sister, Nancy DeMoss Donaldson and her husband Pat Mitchell of Pine Bluff, with whom she had lived since 1992. She also is survived by a host of other family members including sisters-in-law, Naomi DeMoss and Marilyn DeMoss, nieces, nephews, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, John DeMoss, Harry S. DeMoss, Jr., Paul DeMoss, James Edward DeMoss, and sisters, Geneva Moring and Delma Brewer.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at 11 AM in the Chapel of Ralph Robinson and Son in Pine Bluff with Brother Ronald Young officiating. Interment will immediately follow at Lee Cemetery in Jefferson County. Visitation will be at the funeral home Tuesday, April 7, 2009, from 6-8 PM. Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice Home Care of Pine Bluff, 3063 West 28th Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 71603, or Sardis Baptist Church Building Fund, 80 Grant County Road 18, Grapevine, Arkansas, 72057.
Obituary submitted by Katherine Webb.