Margaret Jo Wasson, age 95 of Marshall, Arkansas died on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at Highland Court in Marshall, Arkansas. She was born at home in the Bear Creek Community of Searcy County, Arkansas on October 14, 1926 to Irvin Bishop Wasson and Pearl Jane Turney Wasson.

Her family operated a small country store, post office, and grist mill for several years on Bear Creek. She was a lifelong resident of Searcy County.

Her first schooling was at Bear Creek’s community school, Cooper School. Her first teacher was Theodore Atkinson who boarded with the Wasson family while teaching on Bear Creek. Later at the beginning of fifth grade, she went to Snowball School where she graduated from high school with the class of 1944.

During the school-week at Snowball School, she stayed at the home of her Grandmother Turney and shared a bedroom with her Aunt Woodroe. She would walk a mountain trail from Snowball back home to Bear Creek on weekends.

She attended Central College and Teachers College (now University of Central Arkansas) at Conway where she earned a B.S.E. degree in 1950 and M.S.E. degree in Elementary Education in 1968.

She taught 41 and one-half years in Searcy County. The Wasson’s moved from Bear Creek to Snowball in 1946, where they continued to farm and raise beef cattle. In the early 1950’s, they gave the land to build the Snowball Baptist Church upon.

In 1967, the Wasson’s bought a small acreage two miles west of Marshall and built a new home. The garden was a favorite spot around her cherished home place as she enjoyed growing vegetables and flowers. As her life story was showered with a wonderful friendship garden of loving family, cherished students and fellow teachers, trusted business advisors, dedicated medical team, joyous traveling buddies, wonderful walking buddies, and blessed brothers and sisters in Christ, there’s a bountiful harvest of precious memories! “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul”…Proverbs 27:9. She was a well-respected Christian lady who was a friend of many. She attended Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Marshall and was also a charter member of Snowball Baptist Church in Snowball. She was a lifetime member of Arkansas Teacher Retirement and Searcy County Teacher Retirement, a committee member of Snowball School Reunion and Homecoming, a member of Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association, a member of the Searcy County Ancestor Information Exchange, and an honored Woodman Life’s 2021 Fraternalist of the Year.

Survivors include her first cousins, Mary Margaret Horton and husband James, their son, Michael and wife Lesley and their grandson, Silas, all of Snowball and Mary Jane Holder of Harrison; and a host of extended family and friends who will mourn her passing. She was preceded in death by her dear parents, Bishop and Pearl Wasson; brother, who was stillborn (1925) and buried at Bear Creek Cemetery; and cherished family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services for her were 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 22, 2022 at Roller-Coffman Chapel in Marshall, Arkansas with Bro. Roy Ragland officiating. Visitation was 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. preceding the service. Burial was in East Lawn Cemetery where she will rest beside her parents. Pallbearers were Michael Horton, Rick Horton, Sid Lowrance, Bill McEntire, Johnny Neel and Steve Padilla. Honorary pallbearers were Highland Court Staff. The family would like to thank the staff of Highland Court for their “outstanding care!” In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Snowball Civic Club for renovations of the Snowball Gym; mail to, Cathy Griffin, 304 Ozark Mountain Lane, Marshall, AR 72650 or direct deposit to First National Bank of North Arkansas in Marshall, Arkansas.