Geneva "Jonnie" Stovall

Funeral services for Geneva Mae (Jonnie) Stovall, age 72, of Maud, Texas, will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Reeder-Davis Chapel in Hughes Springs, Texas, under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home. Visitation with family and friends will be from 1:00 p.m. until service time.

Jonnie was born on January 16, 1954, in Texarkana, Texas. She passed away on August 14, 2026. During the years of her “dash,” Jonnie had many trials and triumphs, but through it all, her faith in her loving Savior never wavered.

As a career newspaper journalist and copywriter, Jonnie referred to herself as a “news hound.” Most of her career was spent at the Texarkana Gazette and The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tennessee. Jonnie was proud of her work ethic. Beth, a friend and colleague at the Memphis newspaper, once commented on Jonnie’s skills: “If Geneva edited a story, it was flawless!” Jonnie wrote a package of stories for the Gazette about her mother, Geneva Elrod, who was an 18-year-old survivor of the 1937 New London school explosion. While working for The Commercial Appeal, she met a survivor in Nashville who had been in the same classroom as her mother and wrote his account as a sidebar story.

Her final piece was written on December 31, 2005, when an extended family member asked her to write an original story for a book of family stories about her mother’s survival and recovery after the explosion. In a July 27 text message to the author, she wrote, “It’s probably the last thing I’ll ever have in print, so I sure want to see it.” The following day, another text read, “I’m really wanting to read that book. And then send copies to my siblings.” On August 7, 2026, Jonnie’s long-awaited copies of the book arrived in her mailbox.

Shopping at The DeLaughters and the dollar stores in Maud was one of Jonnie’s favorite pastimes, and her family is truly concerned about the future financial well-being of those establishments without her as a frequent shopper. However, her absolute favorite event was getting together with her three siblings for “Domino Days.” Additionally, she dearly loved her Sunday School class, lovingly referred to as “The Geezer Class,” and treasured the time she spent with its members. Having been a Nazarene, then a Methodist, and finally a Baptist, she identified as “Baptametharene.”

Jonnie’s love for her brother and sisters was evident. In her eyes, her only brother hung the moon. She cherished being called “Aunt Jonnie Mae” by her nieces and nephews. Jonnie’s lifelong loves were her fur babies, all named after MAS*H characters. In a poignant coincidence, “Hotlips,” her last pup companion, passed away at the age of 18 within an hour of Jonnie’s death.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Geneva E. Stovall, for whom Jonnie provided devoted care throughout her lifetime. Since Jonnie was a newborn when her dad, John Martin Stovall, passed away, she met him for the first time on August 14 when she entered the gates of Heaven.

Survivors include her brother, Franklin Stovall and his wife, Carolyn, of Hughes Springs; her sisters, Nelda Womble and her husband, Benny, of New Boston, and Wanda Langford and her husband, Larry, of El Dorado, Arkansas; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her beloved aunt and uncle, Naomi and Al Rhea of Lake of the Pines.

Jonnie filled our lives with humor and left us all with her legacy of love. She is already greatly missed, but we rejoice in knowing she is in the arms of Jesus.

Our family wishes to express our sincere gratitude to Hospice of Texarkana at Christus St. Michael for the excellent care provided to Jonnie.

, age 72, of Maud, Texas, will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Reeder-Davis Chapel in Hughes Springs, Texas, under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home. Visitation with family and friends will be from 1:00 p.m. until service time.

Jonnie was born on January 16, 1954, in Texarkana, Texas. She passed away on August 14, 2026. During the years of her “dash,” Jonnie had many trials and triumphs, but through it all, her faith in her loving Savior never wavered.

As a career newspaper journalist and copywriter, Jonnie referred to herself as a “news hound.” Most of her career was spent at the Texarkana Gazette and The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tennessee. Jonnie was proud of her work ethic. Beth, a friend and colleague at the Memphis newspaper, once commented on Jonnie’s skills: “If Geneva edited a story, it was flawless!” Jonnie wrote a package of stories for the Gazette about her mother, Geneva Elrod, who was an 18-year-old survivor of the 1937 New London school explosion. While working for The Commercial Appeal, she met a survivor in Nashville who had been in the same classroom as her mother and wrote his account as a sidebar story.

Her final piece was written on December 31, 2005, when an extended family member asked her to write an original story for a book of family stories about her mother’s survival and recovery after the explosion. In a July 27 text message to the author, she wrote, “It’s probably the last thing I’ll ever have in print, so I sure want to see it.” The following day, another text read, “I’m really wanting to read that book. And then send copies to my siblings.” On August 7, 2026, Jonnie’s long-awaited copies of the book arrived in her mailbox.

Shopping at The DeLaughters and the dollar stores in Maud was one of Jonnie’s favorite pastimes, and her family is truly concerned about the future financial well-being of those establishments without her as a frequent shopper. However, her absolute favorite event was getting together with her three siblings for “Domino Days.” Additionally, she dearly loved her Sunday School class, lovingly referred to as “The Geezer Class,” and treasured the time she spent with its members. Having been a Nazarene, then a Methodist, and finally a Baptist, she identified as “Baptametharene.”

Jonnie’s love for her brother and sisters was evident. In her eyes, her only brother hung the moon. She cherished being called “Aunt Jonnie Mae” by her nieces and nephews. Jonnie’s lifelong loves were her fur babies, all named after MAS*H characters. In a poignant coincidence, “Hotlips,” her last pup companion, passed away at the age of 18 within an hour of Jonnie’s death.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Geneva E. Stovall, for whom Jonnie provided devoted care throughout her lifetime. Since Jonnie was a newborn when her dad, John Martin Stovall, passed away, she met him for the first time on August 14 when she entered the gates of Heaven.

Survivors include her brother, Franklin Stovall and his wife, Carolyn, of Hughes Springs; her sisters, Nelda Womble and her husband, Benny, of New Boston, and Wanda Langford and her husband, Larry, of El Dorado, Arkansas; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her beloved aunt and uncle, Naomi and Al Rhea of Lake of the Pines.

Jonnie filled our lives with humor and left us all with her legacy of love. She is already greatly missed, but we rejoice in knowing she is in the arms of Jesus.

Our family wishes to express our sincere gratitude to Hospice of Texarkana at Christus St. Michael for the excellent care provided to Jonnie.