From the Dec. 7, 2008, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. [Bess was the daughter of Ruth Moore Malone, who had extensive connections to Clarendon and Holly Grove throughout her life -- and whose "Holly Grove at Christmas" essay is found in the "Memories" section of this website, under "Misc.", and whose obituary is in the same section under "Obits-Recent and Past."]
MARY BESS MALONE LANKFORD of Maumelle, Ark. died Dec. 3, 2008, at age 69. She was born in Memphis, Tenn. on Dec. 28, 1939.
Bess spent her childhood years in Camden and Clarendon, Ark. Becoming a national baton twirling phenomenon at age six, The Little Drum Major toured around the country with her parents to perform and was invited to be a celebrity guest on national late night television shows in New York.
She later attended Mary Baldwin College in Virginia and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she was a Pi Beta Phi and became friends with her future soul mate, Dick Lankford. Her creative juices flowing and sense of adventure churning, she started playing the ad game in Dallas, Texas and went on to become Publicity Director for the prestigious Princess Hotel in Bermuda.
Upon her return to the United States, Bess continued her career in advertising at Cranford Johnson. In 1969, the two-ring circus was underway, when Bess married Dickie. The circus got bigger when Bess gave birth to Malone and Jack, giving them unconditional love and encouragement throughout their lives. In 1976, Lankford, Ink. was born, and Dickie and Bess happily launched creative campaigns for clients that will never be forgotten.
With sand in their shoes, Bess and Dickie took yearly trips to the beach in Gulf Shores, Ala. with their children, Malone and Jack. Although never one to take credit for her contributions, Bess was a co-author and the driving force behind numerous published cookbooks with her mother, Ruth Malone, including their latest, the Arkansas Classic Country Cookbook.
In 2000, with sand still in their shoes, Driftwood Villa in the Cayman Islands became Bess and Dickies home away from home for the next three years. As he personally explained in his obituary, Dickie headed back to the beach in 2005 to wait for Bess. Beach chairs beside each other, Dickies wait is over as Bess joins him for beach patrol and eternal happiness.
Bess was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Jordan Lankford of 36 years and her parents, Ruth Moore Malone and Charles E. Malone. She is survived by her daughter, Malone Moore Lankford of Dallas, Texas; her son, Jack Jordan Lankford, Jacks wife, Meg, and their two children, Jackson and Mary Margaret, all of Little Rock. Bess is also survived by her sister, Margaret Malone de Marcy of France.
A private service was held at Ruebel Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.
-- Edited by Jane Dearing Dennis at 09:28, 2008-12-08
