Nancy C. Halbrook

Nancy Robbins Halbrook, 77, of Jonesboro, died Thursday, December 18, 2025, at NEA Baptist Hospital. Nancy was known for being a witty friend to many and a daughter, wife, sister, and aunt to her family. She was a musician, teacher, church worker, and accountant who contributed to her community for 77 years.

She leaves behind a grieving husband, James Halbrook, who she met at Arkansas State University. She and James married in 1978 and shared a love of music and cats together for 47 years.

Nancy was born to Dorsey and Marie Millican Robbins who are now deceased. She also had a nephew, Clinton Robbins, and a great niece, Claudia Johnsey who predeceased her. She is loved by one sister, Linda Johnsey of Memphis; and one brother, Jim Robbins (Ginny) of Covington, Tennessee. Her family also included nieces and nephews: Christie Griffin, Rick Johnsey, Lee Johnsey (Kelly), Rex Robbins, April Wood, Max Rand, Heather Wright, and Heath Halbrook (Lauren). She had fifteen great nieces and nephews!

Nancy was known for having a dry sense of humor by her friends and family alike. She was smart and earned three degrees, two on scholarships: Bachelor of Music in 1970 from Union University, Masters of Music Education 1972 from Arkansas State University, and Master of Accounting in 1985. She was a music mentor to many students in Two Rivers Missouri School District where she started their first marching band in the 70s as well as to her nephews Lee and Rick Johnsey. After suffering from kidney failure in the early eighties, she had a transplant in 1983 that lasted for 42 years. This resulted in a return to ASU where she earned a second master’s degree in accounting.

She was the kind of friend who stayed in touch with classmates. Her friends Betty Ervin, Connie Daniel, Peter Jennings, and Milton Southall stayed close ever since they graduated from Byars Hall High School in 1976. She kept her friends Wendy and Ruth from her teaching days in Missouri until the present. Ginny has been a great friend from the time she came to Jonesboro in 1981.

Her work besides teaching included accounting, (she was a CPA) spanning from 1985 to 2019. She retired from NEA Baptist Hospital accounting Department in 2019.She was a worker in her church serving on the finance committee at Cornerstone UMC and part time bookkeeper for Magnolia Road Baptist Church until 2025. She worked extra hard battling thyroid cancer during her last three years and well deserves to REST IN PEACE.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be 11:00 AM, Monday, December 22, 2025, at Cornerstone United Methodist Church with Jonathan Griese officiating and Emerson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Visitation will be from 10:00 until service time. Burial will be private.

For lasting memorials, please consider the NEA Humane Society, 6111 E. Highland Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401. To sign an online guestbook, go to emersonfuneralhome.com.