Iris Cheatham Aldridge

Iris Cheatham Aldridge, 78 of Magnolia, AR died Thursday, December 5, 2013 at Wentworth Place in Magnolia. Iris was born April 14, 1935 in Village, AR to the late Willie and Gurtha Crumpler Cheatham. She was a longtime active member of the Asbury United Methodist Church and she attended Southern State College for one year. She sold car licenses and kept score at basketball games and did various jobs until June 1957 when she was hired by Dr. John Wilson as a receptionist and worked until 1990 when she became disabled with a rare muscle disease. She enjoyed writing and wrote her memories several years ago. She also wrote an article published state wide in the Arkansas Farm Bureau Magazine. She was preceded in death by her parents; step mother Ruth Lockett Cheatham, husband Rodney Aldridge; and sister-in-law Martha Cheatham. Iris is survived by her brother Billy Cheatham and wife Erlene of Magnolia; niece Patricia Scroggins and husband Chuck of Coppell, TX; great nephew Jason Pipkin of Plano, TX; and a host of friends and loving cousins. Rodney and Iris married in 1968 and she helped raise three children from a previous marriage, Jeff Aldridge, Charles Aldridge and Rhonda Wilson, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren, whom she loved as her own. Visitation will be Sunday, December 8 at Lewis Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be Monday, December 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Lewis Chapel with Rev. Michael Daniel officiating. Burial will follow at the Village Cemetery under the direction of Lewis Funeral Home, Inc. of Magnolia. Pallbearers will be Bobby Staten, Danny Nelson, Neil Cheatham, James Drake, Paul Moss, and Horace Ray Booth. Memorial donations may be to Asbury United Methodist Church, 1300 East University Street, Magnolia, AR 71753 or to the Village Cemetery Association, 1222 Mockingbird, Magnolia, AR 71753. The family would like to thank the staff at Wentworth Place for their kind and compassionate care they provided to Iris and her family.