Margie Nell Blake

Margie Nell Blake, 89, passed away peacefully in Benton, AR on November 14, 2025. Born in Drew County in 1936, she was the youngest daughter of Ludye Magnolia (McDaniel) and Bonnie Ferguson.

She was preceded in death by six siblings: Herbert, Labonne Strong, Jack, Billie Jean Simpson, and Mikki Hogue.

Her true love and treasure, Wilbur "Dean" Blake, departed this life all too soon in 1984. They met on a blind date that was meant for Billie Jean, but fate had other plans, and Billy Jean couldn't make it, so Margie stepped up to the plate. And what luck she had!

Dean did not care for his first name, and Margie only found out almost a year later that it was Wilbur by a chance encounter with an old high school buddy.

Rather romantically, Margie timed her death on their wedding anniversary. She was buried with a corsage and brought along a boutonnière to pin on his lapel.

Her legacy is carried on by their daughters, Lisa Ives and Tracie Blake of Benton, AR and son, Barry Blake of Westport, CT; five grandchildren (Jennifer and Emily Ives, Zachary, Caroline and Alex Blake) and four great-grandchildren (Trinity Roy and Cash Bailey of Fayetteville, AR and Landon and Natalie Dycus of Galloway, OH).

Margie was the "surprise" youngest child and a fiercely beloved member of the "Four Roses," a term of endearment she and her sisters applied to themselves to capture their unique, affectionate and cherished bond. The nickname is proudly carried on today by her daughters, niece (Jeanne Stearns), and daughter-in-law (Jessica Blake). They gave a rose brooch on her sweater for her memorial service.

Margie's descendants' have a term for their hilarious mishaps, mistakes, and mess-ups: they can all be chalked up to "the Ferguson factor!" These inside jokes are impossible to list due to their all-too-frequent occurrences.

A woman of deep faith, she was a living example of what it meant to love God. She made have only stood 5'1", but she was a strong woman, generous and loving. However, she wasn't afraid to scold with a "You shush right now or Imma slap your jaws!" (To this day, it remains a mystery what she meant by this.)

She and her sisters often argued over who made the best pie crust, but it was undeniable by all that she made the most delectable chocolate pie.

Margie was an excellent seamstress, sewing all of Tracie's (and friends') dance outfits and cheerleading uniforms. She was a master of crochet and needlepoint. She loved to read and play piano.

Margie HATED yoga but loved hamburgers. We miss her already, you should have met her. She was truly one-of-a-kind.

Funeral Services will be held, Sunday, November 16, 2025. 12:00 pm at Griffin-Culpepper Funeral Service Chapel in McGehee, Arkansas.