Tommie Lou Flanders

Tommie Lou Flanders May 25, 1925 February 5, 2011 Tommie Lou Pardew Flanders died Saturday at a Waco nursing home after many years of Alzheimer's disease. She was 85. Mrs. Flanders will be buried in a private graveside ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery, followed by a memorial service at 1 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with Dr. Glenn Hilburn officiating. Mrs. Flanders was born in Nettleton, Ark., to Tom and Eva Pardew on May 25, 1925. For several generations the Pardew family operated a grocery, dry goods, farm implement and hardware store in Nettleton, located on the outskirts of Jonesboro. For many years it was the largest store of its kind in Northeast Arkansas. Mrs. Flanders graduated from Nettleton High School and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with a degree in Business. She was a member of Alpha Chi sorority. While in college she participated in musical programs and was an accomplished pianist. She continued playing most of her life. While attending a Baptist summer camp in Arkansas, Mrs. Flanders met Henry Jackson Flanders Jr. of Little Rock. The couple married in 1944. Shortly after the wedding, Flanders was transferred by the U.S. Army Corps. to the European Campaign. Following the war, Mrs. Flanders and her husband lived in Louisville, Ky., and then Greenville, S.C. In Greenville, they participated in faculty life at Furman University for many years. The family moved to Waco in late 1962 when Dr. Flanders became minister of First Baptist Church of Waco. He later joined the religion department at Baylor University, serving as department chairman during the 1980s. During the 1970s Mrs. Flanders worked as a foster home coordinator at Waco Methodist Home. Mrs. Flanders was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and two brothers, J.W. Pardew and Charles Pardew. She is survived by her daughter, Janet Flanders Mitchell and her husband, Gil, of Oklahoma City; her son, Jack Flanders III, and his wife Pat, of Arlington, Texas; and her three grandsons, Thomas Flanders of Austin; Luke Mitchell, and wife Lauren, of New York City; and Ben Flanders of Yucca Valley, Calif. Mrs. Flanders is remembered by her family and dear friends for her eternal beauty and grace, and the manner in which she lovingly supported her husband, children and grandchildren. The family has asked that charitable contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association in memory of Tommie Lou Flanders. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey