Jane S. Priddy

June 10, 2015 Mrs. Jane S. Priddy, former resident of Forrest City, died at the Memory Care Unit of the Springs (senior living facility) in Missoula, Montana, where she resided for nine years. Mrs. Priddy was born Mary Jane Spies to Charles and Dorothy Spies in Oil City, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 1923. After graduating from high school in Rocky Grove, Pennsylvania, she attended Slippery Rock State Teachers College in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, then joined the Navy and served from 1943 to 1946. She worked in the Bureau of Ships in Washington D.C. Jane met another sailor on the way to the USO one day that led to a lifetime romance. She and Walter L. Priddy dated when duty permitted and were married after the war and both were discharged from the Navy in 1946 and lived in Arkansas most of their lives. She worked as a homemaker when their three children were small, then worked as the secretary for the Forrest City mayor's office and later served as Housing Director for a 300 unit housing project in Forrest City. Jane and Walter were in an automobile accident en route to a birthday cruise in Florida in 1990. Walter died in that accident and Jane suffered multiple traumas including a severe head injury. She spent nearly four weeks in ICU in Florida before being airlifted to the Rehabilitation Center at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana, where spent more that six months in treatments. She returned to Arkansas for a few years but returned to Missoula to be closer to family. Jane was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Walter, her sister, Doris Reed of Oil City, Pennsylvania, and her brother, Henry Spies of Dallas, Texas. She is survived by her children Mike Priddy, and wife, Sue, of Missoula, David Priddy, and wife, Cynthia, of Laguna Niquel, California, and Sandra Fanning of Springdale, Arkansas. She had nine grandchildren, Lisa, Brett, Erin, Catie, Molly, Sammy, Emma, Mark and Susan, and nine great-grandchldren. The family is thankful to the staff of the Springs in Missoula for all the amazing care and love they gave our Mother over the years. They reminded us all that all life is important and that everyone deserves a life and a death with dignity, honor, and respect. In memory of Jane, we ask that you show daily love to the 'older' people in your lives. Services for Mrs. Priddy will be held graveside, 10:00 A.M., Friday, June 12, 2015, at the Forrest Park Cemetery in Forrest City. Dr. Gene Crawley will officiate with Stevens Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. You may log on to stevensfuneralhome.net for the on line registry.

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Jane S. Priddy

March 25, 1923 - March 12, 2015