Wava Jean McMillon Wilcox

Wava Jean McMillon Wilcox, 93, of Arkadelphia, formerly of Paragould, died Friday July 24, 2020. She was born June 30, 1927, on a farm in the Alexander community near Paragould, the daughter of Sam and Syble Wineland McMillon.

She was a retired cosmetology instructor at the Delta Vocational Technical School in Marked Tree. She received her license and opened her own shop, The Swirl and Curl, loved her work and customers but wanted to teach cosmetology. In 1967 she received her instructor’s license and in July of that year accepted the position at Delta Vo-Tech where she led and loved her students for 20 1/2 years.

Wava worked at many jobs from picking cotton to working at Lockheed Martin in California. Her true passions were teaching her students not only cosmetology but her relationships with her students and sharing life lessons. All her students knew her affectionately as “Teach” and the impact she had on them created their desire to maintain a relationship with her long after they graduated.

She was a member of Alexander Baptist Church. Wava and Ray moved to Arkadelphia in 2002 to be near their son and daughter-in-law. They attended, loved and were loved by the members of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Arkadelphia.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and brother, Bobby Glen McMillon.

Wava is survived by her husband of 72 1/2 years, Ray; one son Michael and his wife Rebecca; one granddaughter Lynli Carlin, Little Rock; sister, Sammy Kay Burton, Paragould; two great-grandsons, Oliver and Julian Carlin; three stepgrandchildren, Michael Lawson, Michelle Brock and Megan Evans; a host of nieces and nephews, and too many friends to count.

A walk-through visitation was Sunday, July 26, at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home from 2-4 p.m. A private family service will be held. Memorials may be made to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, P.O. Box 398, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.

The family thanks the staff at The Plaza for their loving care for Wava Jean during her stay.

Recorded service was uploaded to Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home Facebook page to be watched after the service.

Guestbook: www.ruggleswilcox.com