Nellie Jennings Hatridge

Nellie Hatridge, 92, of Jonesboro, passed peacefully from this life to her heavenly home on June 29, 2021, at the Craighead County Nursing Center.  She was born December 23, 1928, in Nevada County, Arkansas to Charles and Agnes Borror Jennings. In 1935 they moved to Craighead County, where she was raised by Nora and James Griffin, after her parents died.  She graduated from Brookland High School in 1946, received her BS degree from Arkansas State College in Jonesboro in 1950.  She continued her education and received her Masters degree from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in 1955.  While working on her graduate degree, a friend encouraged her to save her money and take a cycling tour through Europe. It was a trip of a lifetime that she thoroughly enjoyed. She was married to the love of her life, Kenneth Hatridge in 1952.

They moved to Oak Harbor, Washington where her husband served his country in the US Navy.  She taught business related classes in Missouri prior to moving to the northwest. They began their family while living in the northwest. She loved their years in Seattle. They lived in several places before settling in Jonesboro in 1973.  Her life’s calling was being a mother. She taught her children to work hard and instilled in them the confidence to accomplish whatever they wanted to do in life. Her faith was strong, she was a prayer extraordinaire and she had a quiet servant heart. She loved working with Miss Jean in the 4-year-old Sunday school class. She was a member of First Baptist Church for over 49 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, Nora and James Griffin, brother, Frank Jennings and a son-in-law, James McCauley.

Survivors include her son, John Hatridge (Denise) of Orlando, Florida; daughters, Virginia Meurer, (Paul) of Osceola; Ruth McCauley (Stacy Greene) of Jonesboro; six grandchildren, Doug Meurer (Christina); Sara Grace Welch (Steve); Ellen Webb (Josh); John Michael McCauley (Nicole) Robert McCauley; William McCauley; and seven great grandchildren.

Graveside services will be 10:00 A.M., Thursday, July 1, 2021, at Oak Lawn Cemetery with Ralph Waddell officiating and Emerson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Pallbearers are Paul Meurer, Stacy Greene, Steve Welch, John Michael McCauley, Robert McCauley, William McCauley, Josh Webb and Doug Meurer.

For lasting memorials, please consider the Arkansas Children’s Hospital, 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72202.  To sign an online guestbook, go toemersonfuneralhome.com.