Vanita Jean Grantham

Vanita Jean Grantham, 84, of Portland, went home to be with Jesus on Thursday, June 9, 2016 at the Chicot Memorial Medical Center in Lake Village.  Mrs. Grantham was born in Chicot County and was a life long resident of Portland.  She graduated from Portland High School.  She worked at Portland Bank, now Parkway Bank, for 40 years having retired as Vice President of Operations.  She was a steadfast member of the Portland Baptist Church for over 60 years where she was on multiple committees, served as treasurer and was a Sunday school teacher for many years. Her greatest joy in life was her children, grandchildren and extended family.  Her home was very often the center of activity for family gatherings with games, children playing, and great southern cooking of family recipes.  Vanita loved to cook and shared her recipes which were more often spoken than written.  Among the favorite recipes for which she is most remembered are her yeast rolls, roasted hen with cornbread dressing, chocolate pie, strawberry pie, southern potato salad and peach cobbler.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Aubrey & Roxie Ann Stoffer Sadler.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Ramon Grantham; a son, Gregg Grantham and wife, Susie, all of Portland; a daughter, Pamela Jean Clayton of Mountain Home; two brothers, Gerald Sadler and wife, Delia, of Winnsboro, Louisiana and Larry Sadler and wife, Debbie, of Horatio, Arkansas; two sisters, Dian Lawrence and husband, Robert, of Orange Beach, Alabama  and Doyce Lord of Des Moines, Iowa; three grandchildren, Grant Clayton, Hunter Clayton and Ryan Grantham; two great-granddaughters,  Kayleigh Clayton, Jayce Clayton and nieces and nephews, Tom Sadler, Michael Sadler, Richard Keith Lord, Mckelle Stanley, Robert Crotts and Amy Sadler-Cannady.

Funeral services are 11 a.m., Saturday, June 11, 2016 at the Portland Baptist Church with Rev. Carl Mason officiating.  Burial will be in the Portland Cemetery.  Pallbearers are Buddy Lawrence, H.T. Cunningham, Jerry Selby, Jimmie Sadler, Richard Sadler and Bobby Lawrence.  Honorary pallbearers are Bill Wilson and Carl Rice, Jr. Memorials may be made to the Portland Baptist Church, PO Box 86, Portland, AR 71663 or to the Portland Cemetery Association, PO Box 51, Portland, AR  71663.  

Visitation will be 10 a.m., Saturday until the service at the church.

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