Murel Lee Mangrum

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Murel Lee Mangrum

Trumann -- Murel Lee Mangrum, 76, passed away Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, at Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House. He was born Jan. 31, 1938 in Caraway. Mr. Murel was a farmer and a cowboy. He was a member of the Maple Grove Baptist Church. He was a past Justice of the Peace for Poinsett County, a former board member and secretary of Monette Co-op Gin, board member of the Arbyrd Cotton Warehouse. He also worked as a supervisor at Singer Company until it closed.

He served his country proudly in the Arkansas National Guard and his community as a youth baseball and basketball coach. He enjoyed riding horses, trail rides and team penning, he had won many awards at local and state horse competitions. He will be remembered for his quick smile, for being a fair man and a friend to all and a loving husband, brother, father and grandfather.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lei Lani Blasingame Mangrum; a son, Michael Mangrum of Monette; a daughter, Karri Mangrum of Trumann; a grandson and his wife, Dayne and Christy Davis of Trumann; a great-grandson, Gunner Barber; three sisters, Juanita Spivey of Lewisville, Texas, Faye Emery and husband Melton of Caraway and Patti Jones of Little Rock; a brother and wife, Gary and Brenda Pace of Black Oak; three aunts, Margaret Dobbins and husband Lynn of Blytheville, Inez Parten of Jonesboro and Winnie Flynn of South Carolina; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wade and Minnie Lee Pace; two brothers, Jim Pace and David Pace.

A celebration of his life was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Gregg Funeral Home in Monette with Jerry "Chub" Qualls and Jerry Wilcox officiating. Burial followed in Monette Memorial Cemetery.

The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Maple Grove Baptist Church in Trumann and from 9 a.m. until time of service Saturday at Gregg Funeral Home in Monette.

Honored to serve as pallbearers were Jeff Blasingame, Jamie Blasingame, Jeb Blasingame, Merett Emery, Kevin Pace, Michael Pace, Mandy Young and Jamie Pace. Honorary pallbearers were Bob Farmer, Gerald Hunt, Jerry Brown, Paul Gairhan, Dean Terry, Harvey Faulkner, Wayland McClelland, Dennis Cantrell, Walt Wood, Mike Watkins, Lee Ballard and Adult Men's Sunday School Class from Maple Grove Baptist Church

Lasting memorials may be sent to Maple Grove Baptist Church or Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House.

Online: www.mcnabbfuneralhomes.com