Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ethel Pledger

Mrs. Ethel May Pledger, 100 = of Prescott, formerly of Fordyce and Norphlet, died Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at Hillcrest Care and Rehab in Prescott.

She was born on July 19, 1904, in Holly Springs to Folden Oscar and May Patterson Pledger. She was a retired primary school teacher with 45 years of service, having served in the Holly Springs School System, Norphlet, Warren and Camden also. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Fordyce. In 1922, she attended Arkansas Teachers College in Conway, which at the time only offered a two year program. She later returned to Conway to earn her full B.S. Degree in Education. A dedicated teacher, an independent-minded career woman was in many ways ahead of her time. She began teaching in Holly Springs, but was very shortly recruited by the Norphlet School System during the town's oil boom of the early to mid-1920's. Because of it's prosperity at the time, the community of Norphlet was able to hire top instructors from other locations by supplying the with housing in dormitories called "teacheries" and by paying their living expenses. In time, the school in Norphlet was completely destroyed by a tornado and Ethel joined with the rest of the teaching staff in safely evacuating the children to an alternate building nearby. She retired in 1969 and returned to Fordyce. She was very active in and had a great love for the First Methodist Church of Fordyce where she was a part of the Wesleyans. She remained in Fordyce in the family home until 1997 when she moved to Prescott to be near her family.

She was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters, Sadie Jewell Pledger Goodgame, Myrtice Maude Pledger, Elbert Patterson Pledger, George Harold Pledger and Reece Lynton Pledger. Ethel leaves behind a strong legacy of honesty, determination and great humor.

Her survivors include a host of nieces and nephews who will miss her immensely.

Graveside services were 11 a.m., Thursday, March 3, 2005, Oakland Cemetery, Fordyce. Burial followed. Arrangements by Brazzel/Cornish Funeral Home in Prescott. Memorials may be made to First Methodist Church, 104 East 4th St., Fordyce, Ark. 71742.