Twila Ann Peters Schanink

Twila Ann Peters Schanink, age 94, of Mena, Arkansas passed away Tuesday, July 02, 2019.

She was born on December 15, 1924 in Council Grove, Kansas to the late Orlo Ray Skinner and Goldia Hills Skinner. Twila retired from American Express as a Data Processor. She was an avid bowler winning the USBC Senior State Bowling Singles championship at 85 years young with a 847 handicap game series, 600 scratch, and was a member of the WBA at the Mena Pine Bowl. She also was on the Board of Directors for several years. Twila was very talented, doing arts and craft shows with her daughter, Judy and enjoyed creating very beautiful hand embroidery, dish towels, children’s aprons, color bags and hand quilting. Some of her work is available at the Mercantile in Mena. As a member of the Ouachita Arts and Crafts Guild, she held offices as secretary and vice-president. For their family reunion held in 2015 at Mt. Nebo, Arkansas, she hand embroidered dish towels for each family member as a reunion heirloom. Twila spent many hours at her sewing machine. She enjoyed the Senior Center up until her health failed. She sang in the church choir and excelled as a cook. Twila could be feisty, but with a gentle and kind spirit. She always had a smile on her face. Her favorite quote was, “She had three of the best girls in the world.” Her girls say,“And we had the best mama in the world.” The whole family knows they were blessed beyond measure. Twila loved and was loved by all who knew her. She will be dearly missed by everyone. Twila was a faithful servant of God and her prayer in her last days was, “Jesus take me home.”

She is survived by her daughters:   Constance A. Osterlitz and husband Barry of Phoenix, Arizona, Judy R. Fryar and husband Wayne of Mena, Arkansas, Sonja M. Barnard and husband Jon of Portland, Oregon; the Schanink family:  Janice Winnes and husband David of Freeburg, Minnesota, Jerry Schanink and wife Jeanne of Canyon Falls, Minnesota, and Daniel Schanink and wife Cindy of Dardanelle, Arkansas; grandchildren:   Joseph and wife Penny Havely of Surprise, Arizona, David Havely and wife Kie of Okinawa, Japan,  Donnie Cary and Beverly of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tracy Sandon and husband Jesse of Phoenix, Arizona, Kathy Haneline and husband Michael of Greenwood, Arkansas, Kari Fryar of Mena, Arkansas, Darren Shaw of Wichita, Kansas, Kenny Barnard and wife Mandy of Wichita, Kansas, Jennifer Barnard of Portland, Oregon, Stacey Barnard of Portland, Oregon; fifteen great-grandchildren and one on-the-way; five great-great-grandchildren and one on-the-way; a multitude of friends, church friends, and family at the Salem Baptist Church and First Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her father, Orlo, who died saving others in a Wichita, Kansas Boeing Aircraft Company tragic fire in 1942; mother, Goldia Jessie Hills Skinner; step-father, Clyde Dunham; sister, Dorothy Radcliffe; and brother, Clarence Skinner.

Funeral services were Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Salem Baptist Church in Nunley with Brother Steve Ellison and Brother Russell Threet officiating. Interment followed in the Pinecrest Memorial Park under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home of Mena.

Family and friends visitation was Monday, July 8, 2019 at Beasley Wood from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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