Mary Rose Viney Hancock

Mary Rose Viney Hancock was born in Saint Joe, Ark., on August 1, 1932 to Clarence Elmer and Ollie Mae (Fortner) Viney. She was raised in Pindall, Ark., until she was 10 years old when her parents moved the family to Springdale, Ark., for better economic opportunities. For a few months her family lived at the brand new labor camp in Springdale and then in a rented home they called "the Johnson place" until her parents got their new home built. Along with her mother and aunts, she attended the First Assembly of God in Springdale (which at that time was on 71B). Many of her family call her Mary Rose and she liked that. Mary finished growing up in their new family home in Springdale and inherited it from her father. She and her husband, Ralph, raised their family of eight children there. Mary was a homemaker and her kids will tell you she was great at it. Mary's primary love in life was her husband and her children. She taught her eight children to be nice and to not think or speak ill of others regardless of their race, their religion or whether they were rich or poor. Discrimination just was not allowed– her kids knew that by her example. Mary loved cooking for her family. Her chicken and dumplings have never been matched. Her children always knew when she put bananas and vanilla wafers on the grocery list for their dad to pick up that she was planning to make them her banana pudding! It doesn't get any better. One of her sons remembers walking home from school and wafting down the street as he approached the house was the distinct aroma of carrots and onions cooking which he instantly knew meant that she was making her awesome vegetable soup! The world was perfect then. Those eight children grew up to give Mary many grandchildren who she loved and cherished and had happy times with. Mary also greatly loved her Fortner and Beckett cousins and many nieces and nephews with whom she had happy memories. She talked about them often. Mary's next biggest love was people. No matter how she may be feeling at any given moment (sick or just a little down), if she passed you in the hall, the aisle, in the waiting room, etc., she instantly forgot all that might be ailing her and gave you that bright, beautiful smile of hers. She wanted you to have it and, for her, that gesture always came first before herself. Oh, and your smile back lifted her, do not ever doubt that, she would talk about it later– she was selfless. In this last year Mary mentioned so, so many times of greatly missing her husband and her mother (her mother died in 1958 so there's your proof that love never wains). She also seemed increasingly weary of her physical limitations. She made the habit of reading her Bible every day and many times throughout the day. In this last year she would randomly sing hymns that she knew by heart but that now the message of which meant so much more to her. "He Brought Me Out of the Miry Clay" and "We Will Work Til Jesus Comes" were just two of them. It has become clear to her children that, as much as she loved them greatly, she was ready to go see those other people she loved but had been without for so many years. To also be where she didn't have to be so fearful of falling all of the time (that fear weighed on her more each year) and to be where she didn't have to worry about losing all of her precious memories. The Lord honored her desires for herself before answering any of our prayers. That's how it should be. Mary loved Jesus with all of her heart and her main hope was (and still is over where she's at) that her children do as well. Mary would love for all of her friends, acquaintances and family to know how so very much she appreciated every single gesture of friendship and love that you ever showed to her. Whether it was a pat on the back, a smile, a hug, a kiss or kind words, you will never know how very much it meant to her, people-lover that she was. Mary's presence in this world is already tremendously missed and the absence of it is deeply grieved. However, her sweet, beautiful spirit is so clearly felt all around us. It's a wonderful, amazing phenomenon that the Lord provides to us and Mary would tell every one of you that you should be thankful to the Lord for that gift. Listen to her. Mary is preceded in death by Ralph E. Hancock, husband, siblings, Darrell Viney, Bill Viney, Fern Viney Brown, Clarence Viney, Jr., Violet Viney Baker, Bob Viney, Daisy Viney Marchant, and two infant brothers, grandson, Joseph Eugene Hancock. Survivors: Children: Ralph E. Hancock, Jr., of Huntsville, Vivian Rose Hancock Gordon of Rudy, Ark., Dwight David Hancock of Lowell, Melinda Jane Hancock Luper of Lowell, Darrell Edwin Hancock of McKinney, Texas, Lucinda Mae Hancock Whitfield of Scott, Ark., Jennifer Sue Hancock of Little Rock, Ark., Beverly Jo Hancock of Johnson, Ark., brother, Dan Viney and wife Fran of Palmdale, Calif.,, 28 grandchildren and at least 21 great-grandchildren. Viewing will be Sunday from 2-5 p.m., and Monday from 4-6 p.m., at Sisco Funeral Chapel in Springdale. Private graveside services will be at Burkshed Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.siscofuneral.com.