Barbara Janell (“Nell”) Cleland, 87, of Waldron passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2024, in Mena. She was born August 17, 1936, in Parks, Arkansas, to Paul Frost and Virgie Vines Frost.
Nell was raised in Parks where she went to grade school, and then rode the bus from Parks to Waldron High School. Her first year there, Nell met the love of her life, J.W. (“Dub”) Cleland. They married on March 12, 1955, after Dub returned from two years in Germany in the U.S. Army. Nell and Dub lived in Waldron for a year, where their rent was seven dollars a month. After that, they moved to Parks where they raised their daughter, Phyllis. Nell and Dub were married for 59 years.
Nell was a talented seamstress; she worked at the apparel factory in Mena before she went to work at the Waldron Furniture Factory with Dub. She sewed covers for all the furniture, while Dub built the structures. After the Waldron Furniture Factory closed, Nell and Dub commuted to Texarkana every week to build furniture for Mayo. After returning from Texarkana, Nell spent the rest of her career as a door greeter and checker at Waldron Wal-Mart. Nell cared greatly for the friends she made there and her co-workers. Nell had a quick wit and a hilarious sense of humor. She was especially fond of her dog Meggie.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Phyllis Cleland Wilcox and husband Jim of Waldron; her grandchildren, Stephen Jones and wife Ana of Pea Ridge, and Amie Schoeppel Wilcox and wife Chacey of Little Rock; her great grandchildren, Layla and Lane Jones of Pea Ridge; her sister, Sharon Langley and husband Wayne of Waldron; and several cousins, and many friends.
Nell was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dub; and two sisters, Myna Bea Johnson and Rita Dean McGrew.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 20, 2024 at Heritage Funeral Home in Waldron. Visitation will be held at 9:00 a.m. preceding the service. A graveside service will take place at Hawkins Cemetery in Parks. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
“I Made It Home”
“I just wanted to let you know that I made it home. The journey wasn’t an easy one, but it didn’t take too long. Everything is so pretty here, so white, so fresh, so new, I wish that you could close your eyes so you could see it too. Please try not to be sad for me. Try to understand, God is taking care of me. I’m in the shelter of His hands. Here there is no sadness, and no sorrow, and no pain. Here there is no crying – and I’ll never hurt again. Here it is so peaceful, when all the angels sing. I really have to go for now…I’ve just got to try my wings.”
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hawkins Cemetery Fund.
