Virginia Earlene Hicks, 70, of Strawberry went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday April 7, 2022, at UAMS in Little Rock. Earlene was born November 11, 1951, in Walnut Ridge Arkansas to John and Olene (Sharp) Voyles.  Earlene was a faithful member of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. She was a hard worker her whole life and loved her job as a river boat cook for Marquette for many years. Above all Earlene was a loving friend, mother, sister, and grandmother.  Her favorite thing to do was cook for her family and spend time at her home in Strawberry.

In addition to her parents, Earlene was preceded in death by sister, Lois Northcutt; brother-in-law, Norman Tanner; niece, Carrie Breedlove; and nephew, Chad Breedlove.

She is survived by her children, John (Tanya) Pettit of Strawberry and Debra (Roger) Randolph of Smithville; siblings, Steve Voyles, Ronnie and Lonnie Voyles, and Debra Tanner all of Odessa, Texas; grandchildren, Blake Pettit, Jake Pettit, Shelby Ward, Cheyanne Ibarra, Raven Johnson, and Ian Crane; and seven great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Tuesday, April 12, 2022, from 12 until 1 p.m. at Jerusalem Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Strawberry. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. with Bro. Roger Randolph officiating.  Interment will follow in Old Lebanon Cemetery in Lynn under the direction of Cox Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Jake Pettit, Michael Simmons, Rick Clem, Brady Johnson, Brandon Jackson, and Jeffery Bristow.

Honorary pallbearers are Blake Pettit, Caleb Ward, Jeffery, Ian Crane, and the men of JMBC church.