Mary Catherine Speck

Mary Catherine Mullins Dempsey Wallis Speck (Mary Cat "Cat"), 80, died October 13, 2020, in Rogers, Ark., due to complications from COPD and Parkinson's disease. She was born May 7, 1940, in Hanover, Ark., to John Wesley Mullins and Annie Mae Goodwin. She is preceded in death by her parents, Annie Mae Goodwin Mullins and John Wesley Mullins; one brother, Carl Wesley Mullins; one grandson, Michael Christopher Burns; and one great-grandson, Collin Tyler Burns. She grew up in Arkansas and lived in many places during her life, moving with her family to follow the work. She spent years in Mtn. View raising her children with the help of her family and working as a cook, and later the laundry in the nursing home. She later moved to Little Rock and worked as a cook at Baptist Medical Center. She became disabled due to long history of back problems and surgeries and moved to Lodi, Calif., to live with her youngest son and his family. She enjoyed helping to care for his children, cross stitching, and smoking. The latter (and heredity), caused her to have a stroke that further disabled her. Not being able to smoke any longer (quit smoking that day) or drive, she moved back to Little Rock to live with her middle child (the nurse). After a few years and needing some independence she moved to Springdale, Ark., where she lived many years in her little apartment on Applegate Drive. She lost her battle with independence after a fall that resulted in a broken hip and after a few stays in rehab, moved to the Innisfree Nursing Center in Rogers, Ark. She was an avid reader of romance novels, quilt maker, cross stitcher (the latter two she could no longer do because of her tremors), shopper (she didn't let her declining health prevent that thanks to catalogs and QVC), color book colorer, TV watcher (Judge "anything", ID channel, Hallmark channel, latest animated movie, and loved type Westerns), story teller (sometimes being only one to remember that particular thing), and gossiper (not so much later in life due to loss of contact with old friends). She had a good sense of humor, so we know she won't be too mad at the "truths" of her life. She was a Christian, a loyal daughter and sister, had a great work ethic. She was a good mother that stood up for her children (almost to a fault), a great granny, an even better great-great granny (you definitely wanted her on your side in a fight), and mostly just a good person that did the best she knew how with the tools she was given in her life. She is survived by one brother, Clarence Mullins (Patricia); son, Thomas Lee Dempsey (Robbie); one daughter, Judy Mae Dempsey Burns (Brad); and son, Mark Wayne Dempsey; grandchildren, Rebecca Dempsey, Shaina Dempsey, Dacia Malone (Joshua), Jo Haven Anderson (Anthony Muli), Shayla Anderson, Jessica Burns, Damon Sabella (Jennifer), Cameron Roth (Melina), Samantha Dempsey; great-grandchildren, Hannah, Kylie, Kennedy, Kendal, Olivia, Matthew, Ashlyn, Ryan, Giovanni, and Roman. The Visitation will be held Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Chapel in Springdale, Ark. To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.backstrom-pyeatte.com