Bonita Crabtree Obituary

With deep love and profound sorrow, we announce that Bonita Ruth Standerford Crabtree, loving wife and mother, peacefully departed this life on Dec. 9, 2025.

Bonita was born on Sept. 29, 1932, in Violet Hill, to Robert Marvin and Artie Irene Standerford. She accepted the Lord as her Saviour and was baptized into Christ in 1948 at the age of 16 years. She married William Lee Crabtree on Aug. 30, 1953, at the Central Avenue Church of Christ in Batesville. The wedding was officiated by W.F. Mills. One son, Robert Michael Crabtree, was born to this family on July 8, 1954.

Bonita attended Harding College in Searcy for two years, celebrating her 17th birthday as a college freshman. After one year and two quarters, she left college and returned to Batesville where her parents lived, and she worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company as an operator before advancing to the position of Evening Chief Operator. Her career with the telephone company started in Batesville, then Jonesboro, and ending in West Memphis while her husband attended the University of Tennessee School of Dentistry in Memphis. She was employed by the telephone company from 1951-1963.

With her husband and son, she moved to Paragould where her husband went into dental practice with Dr. B.E. Gill.

To complete her college education, she commuted to Arkansas State in Jonesboro and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1974. Feeling too old to start a teaching career, she opened The Little Gift Shoppe with friend, Jacqueline Dudley. They continued a partnership for six months and then she became sole owner and operator until she closed the shop, due to health reasons, 11 years later in 1987.

Bonita enjoyed her church family at 7th & Mueller Church of Christ, her special friends in the Thursday afternoon book club, and the many travels with her beloved husband until his death on Feb. 1, 2013.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 59 1/2 years; brother-in-law, Harold Crabtree ; and cousins, Janice Gleghorn, Bill Shaver and Charles Shaver.

Bonita is survived by her son, Robert Michael Crabtree; cousin, Jean Guthrie of Lee Summitt, Mo.; nieces, Carlena Adams and family, Jerry, Corey, Braden and Nathan of Jonesboro; Bethany Benson and family, Lee and Reagan of Jonesboro; special cousins, Brent (Kim) Gleghorn and Jerri (Scott) Henley of Batesville; and devoted friend, Karan (David) Summitt of Paragould.

The family received friends on Monday, Dec. 15, beginning at 10 a.m. at Heath Funeral Service. The funeral service began at 11 a.m. with Larry McFadden officiating. Burial was in Oaklawn Cemetery at Batesville at 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the 7th & Mueller Church of Christ Children's Education Building, Children's Home of Paragould, or a charity of giver's choice.