Patricia Ann Elmore

1942 - 2026

Patricia Ann Elmore, 83, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026. Born on June 15, 1942, in Ripley, Mississippi, Patricia lived a full and meaningful life that touched the hearts of many.

Patricia was a devoted member of Open Arms Assembly of God in Beebe, Arkansas, where she worshipped faithfully for over 10 years. Her steadfast faith and dedication to her church community were a cornerstone of her life and brought her great joy and purpose.

She is lovingly remembered by her sons, James Thompson, Billy Hamm, and Thurel Hamm; daughter, Tish Taylor(Guy); brothers, Kenneth Thompson(Anita) and Charles Mcvey; sisters, Sheila Mcvey, Tina Mcvey, Nancy, Carolyn Stowe, and Betty Sherman; 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Her Kitchen Still Smells Like Home

She was the kind of woman whose loved lived in her hands-in warm dinners waiting five nights a week, in zucchini bread and banana nut bread cooling gently on the counter, made with quiet devotion.

You always knew when you walked in - that homey, comforting scent wrapping around you before her arms ever did.

She raised four children with strength that never wavered, and built a family tree that now blooms with grandchildren  and great-grandchildren who carry her spirit forward.

She sat in her swing in the front yard, watching the birds gather faithfully outside her glass door, tending to her flowers and hanging plants with the same care she gave her family. 

In the summertime, she would sit out at her little table beside the house, legs propped up in the chair, soaking in the sun like she had earned every warm, golden ray. 

She would get on to us grandchildren for climbing the rock fireplace on the side of her house - her voice firm but loving, because even her scolding was protection wrapped in care. 

She drove her old Cadillac with quiet pride. Though I once felt embarrassed to ride beside her, I would give anything now for one more drive, one more laugh in those worn seats. 

She was the strongest, most independent woman I have ever known. Steady. Faithful. Unshakable.

We sat beside each other in church every Sunday. And when my heart felt heavy. I knew exactly where to go - to her kitchen table, to her prayers, to her unwavering faith that carried both of us through.

She was my grandmother - but she was also my comfort, my safe place, my example of how to live with grit and grace. 

And though heaven may have gained her, this world will always hold the warmth of her kitchen, the creak of her front yard swing , the sound of her steady voice calling us down and the echo of her prayers. 

Her kitchen still smells like home - and I imagine heaven smells a little more like zucchini bread now too.        

 By Denna Hamm