Nadine Cranford
January 10, 1928 - January 14, 2019

Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home 943 Highway 425 North Monticello, AR 71655 Map & Directions Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home 943 Highway 425 North Monticello ,  AR 71657 1/18/2019 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm Map & Directions Funeral Service First Baptist Church 413 N. Main Monticello ,  AR 71655 1/19/2019 11:00 AM Map & Directions   Oakland Cemetery 800 North Hyatt St. Monticello, AR 71655 Map & Directions

Nadine Cranford, of Madison, Mississippi, and formerly of Monticello, Arkansas, died on January 14, 2019. She was born on January 10, 1928 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as the only child of Virgil Ray and Opal Lierly Ray. She graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1949 and did graduate work at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in French. In 1955 she married Cornelius “Buddy” Cranford of Horatio, Arkansas. Early on, she was a full-time homemaker, setting up housekeeping at the many stops along Buddy’s career, including Orange, Texas; Newark, Delaware; Cleveland, Mississippi; Carlsbad, New Mexico; Broken Bow, Oklahoma; and Monticello, Arkansas. They decided to settle in Monticello, and Nadine lived there from 1969 until Buddy’s passing in 2011. After that she moved to be near her son in the Jackson, Mississippi, area. She worked at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, first in the Forestry Department and then in the library.

Nadine was a devoted wife and mother. She was a committed Christian, sure of her personal faith in Christ. Nadine was a faithful church musician, learning to play hymns at an early age. She played piano and organ for churches throughout her life.

She is survived by her daughter, Michelle Chamberlain of Alton, Illinois and husband, Hal, and their son Clay, and by her son, Dennis Cranford of Ridgeland, Mississippi and wife, Julia, and their children: Daniel (Ashley, son Matthew), Philip (Jennifer, daughters Isabelle, Lily, and Evelyn), Benjamin (Stephanie), Bethany, Andrew (Kelissa, son Tobias), John, Anna, Hunter, and Heather.

Special thanks to her caregivers Julia Cranford and Kelissa Cranford and the folks at St. Joseph Hospice, her nurse Natalie and caregiver Lena.

Arrangements are by Stephenson-Dearman of Monticello. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, January 18 at the funeral home and services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 19 at First Baptist Church in Monticello. There will also be visitation at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church.