Roberta Jeanette Ownbey Sullivan

Roberta Jeanette Steele Ownbey Sullivan, 86-year-old resident of Gentry, Ark., died Oct. 2, 2014, at Willard Walker Hospice Home, Fayetteville, Ark. Born April 10, 1928, she was the daughter of James DeKalb Steele and Hettie Walls Steele. Both of her parents died when she was just 2 years old and she joined the family of Author and Lou Steele. She graduated from Gentry High School where she was the valedictorian of her class. Roberta went to the College of the Ozarks before graduation from the University of Arkansas with a master's degree in education. She met and married Orla James Ownbey in 1949, her husband of 60 years. She was a school teacher in area cities in Northwest Arkansas. Roberta was a member of the United Methodist Church of Gentry and co-founder of the Gentry Fine Arts Society. She married Ralph Sullivan in September 2010. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Fred and J.D. Steele; and her first husband, Orla James Ownbey. She is survived by her husband, Ralph; two sons, Ronald Paul Ownbey and wife, Joanne, of Russellville, Ark., and James Steele Ownbey of Gentry; grandchildren, Suzanne Mackey, Kevin Paul Ownbey, Lisa Lynn Kirchner, James "Jay" Ownbey and Samuel Morris Ownbey; and eight great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014, at Falling Springs Cemetery, Decatur, Ark. There will be a reception following the service at 12:30 p.m. at the Gentry United Methodist Church, Gentry, Ark. To sign the online guest book, please visit www.wassonfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to be sent to Gentry Public Library, 105 East Main St., Gentry, 72734; or the Gentry United Methodist Church, 102 Southwest 1st St., Gentry, 72734.