Ms. Jackie V. Funches

Jackie V. Howard Funches was born on May 29, 1963, in Hughes, Arkansas, to the union of Jesse Howard, Sr. and Mary Meanus Howard. She peacefully departed this life on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at the home of her sister in Peoria, Illinois, surrounded by the love of her family. Jackie accepted Christ at an early age, uniting with the Church of the Living God in Dansby, Arkansas. Her faith in God was a constant source of strength and guidance throughout her life. She received her education in the Marianna, Arkansas school district, graduating from Lee Senior High School. In later years, she married Leon Funches, and to this union two children were born. Jackie was a dedicated and hardworking woman, spending over 20 years of faithful service at DFAC in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where she worked until her retirement. Jackie was a gentle and soft-spoken woman, known for her compassionate spirit and caring heart. She had a love for word puzzles, skating, and traveling, and she enjoyed life's simple pleasures. Though private by nature, she loved her family deeply and was a devoted daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to many. She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Lee Howard; two brothers, Jesse Howard, Jr. and Lee Edwards Howard; one granddaughter, Abrielle Funches; two brothers-in-law, Herbert Gates and Harold Walters; and one sister-in-law, Kathy Howard. She leaves to cherish her precious memories: her father, Jesse Howard, Sr. of Haynes, Arkansas; two children, Marcus Funches of Waynesville, Missouri, Prentice (Tanisha) Funches of Las Vegas, Nevada; she shared a lasting friendship with her former husband, Leon Funches, two stepsons, Leon and Jeffery Funches of Memphis, Tennessee; 2 granddaughters Alaynna of Las Vegas, and Nya Funches of Florida; four step-grandchildren, Destiny Funches of Nashville, Tennesse, Belicia Funches, Joseph Funches, and Trinity Funches of St. Louis, Missouri; seven brothers, Eddie, Louis, Jerry, and Morris Howard, all of Peoria, Illinois, Leotis (Brenda) Howard and Terry Howard, both of Forrest City, Arkansas, and Leon (Fairnetta) Howard of Jonesboro, Arkansas; nine sisters, Rosie (Monroe) Pointer of Dansby, Arkansas, Debra Gates and Fannie Walters, both of Peoria, Illinois, Lizzie (Lynden) Robinson and Elmira (Michael) Williams, both of Atlanta, Georgia, Lela Jenkins and Paula Howard, both of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Marion Hill and Shelia Howard, both of Forrest City, Arkansas; and a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will forever remember her love and kindness. Jackie's life was a testament to faith, endurance, dedication, and compassion. She will be deeply missed, but her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.