Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas

Home
United States
Bauxite, AR
Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas

Call Directions Website

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas, Nonprofit Organization, P. O. Box 94, Bauxite, AR.

Legacy Keepers NHG of AR is a group of active & retired nurses who volunteer their time to honor & preserve the memory of those that have dedicated their lives to the profession of nursing through a personal & meaningful tribute at their final service.

11/05/2026

As members of the nursing profession, we understand that exceptional healthcare is built upon mutual respect and a shared commitment to serving others. While our mission is to preserve and honor the legacy of nurses, we also recognize extraordinary physicians whose life's work has strengthened healthcare and touched countless lives.

Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard joins our healthcare community in mourning the passing of Dr. James Y. Suen, a distinguished physician, surgeon, educator, and internationally respected leader in cancer care.

A 1966 graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Dr. Suen devoted his remarkable career to advancing the treatment of complex head and neck cancers. He served as Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at UAMS, helped establish the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, and served as its Executive Director from 2002 to 2007. His expertise became so widely respected that patients traveled to Arkansas from more than 44 states and at least 33 countries seeking his care.

Dr. Suen was a physician who listened, explained, reassured, and treated his patients as individuals rather than diagnoses. For families facing frightening and uncertain futures, he offered not only exceptional medical care but also hope.

Colleagues recall a mentor whose encouragement and example shaped their careers. We remember his humility, kindness, and the respect he extended to nurses, staff, and fellow physicians. His influence reached far beyond the operating room, leaving a legacy of knowledge, compassion, and healing that will continue through the generations of healthcare professionals he inspired.

Today, Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas respectfully extends this Professional Courtesy Remembrance in gratitude for Dr. Suen's lifetime of dedication, healing, teaching, and service.
His hands may now be at rest, but the healing they brought, the knowledge they shared, and the hope they inspired will continue for generations to come.
With deepest sympathy to his family, colleagues, and all whose lives were touched by his care.
🕊️🕊️🕊️

10/30/2026

Today, members of Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas gathered in Little Rock to honor the life and nursing legacy of Teresa Kay James-Tharp, RN.

In her 30s, Teresa answered the call to nursing, traveling from Batesville to Jonesboro to earn her Associate Degree in Nursing from Arkansas State University.

She devoted nearly 30 years to Baptist Health as a Home Health nurse, bringing skilled care, compassion, and reassurance into the homes of countless patients throughout Central Arkansas.

Remembered by coworkers as hardworking, knowledgeable, and capable of handling almost any situation, Teresa retired in 2018 before returning to nursing part-time.

Though her nursing journey has ended, the lives she touched and the compassion she shared will remain part of her lasting legacy.

We sincerely thank Teresa's family for allowing us the privilege of honoring her life and Pinecrest Memorial Garden Funeral Home for their continued support.

A heartfelt thank you to Teresa's Honor Guard: Tina Coppock, Mary Kathrine Smith, Mary Lake-Flack, Angela Howard, Lo**ta Nalley, Bud Gates, Susie Tannehill, Tina Pennington, Anne Harden, and Donna Johnston (Arkansas Nurses Honor Guard – Pulaski County).

Rest well, Nurse Teresa. Your legacy lives on.

For information about requesting a nurse tribute in Central or Southern Arkansas, please message our page.

10/28/2026

Tuesday, October 26, members of our organization gathered in Benton and had the honor and privilege of paying tribute Rachel Lavon Laster, RN and her dedication to the nursing profession.

She graduated with high honors from Baptist's Nursing School in Little Rock in 1960. Becoming a Navy wife that same year, her nursing career took her to many locations before returning to Benton in 1972. Where Lavon went to work in the Emergency Department at Saline Memorial Hospital. In 1975, she joined Arkansas State Hospital as a night-shift supervisor, later serving in recruitment. Recognized for her exceptional leadership and professional excellence, Lavon retired in 2005 after more than 40 years of dedicated nursing service

We would like to personally thank Nurse Lavon’s family for entrusting our organization with the privilege and honor of paying tribute to such a wonderful woman and nurse. Please join us in keeping her family members, friends, and coworkers in your thoughts and prayers at this time.

A heartfelt thank you to Nurse Lavon's Honor Guard: Mary Kathrine Smith, Tina Coppock, Kristi Mays, Mary Lawhon, Mary Lake-Flack, Belinda Jones, Sheila Nolen and our two newest members Ashley Jeffrey and Tina Pennington.

If you would like to request our presence for a loved one or coworker in Central or Southern Arkansas or have any questions regarding our organization you may message our page at any time.

There are Nurse Honor Guard organizations in all 50 states, to find Nurse Honor Guard organizations near you follow National Nurses Honor Guard Coalition or Email them at [email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">[email protected]

10/27/2026

Today, Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas had the privilege of watching two of our newest members complete their very first tribute service.
Ashley Jeffrey came looking for us at a Fall Festival. She knew in her heart that this was something she was being called to do. Ashley and her mother attended our very next chapter meeting, eager to learn more about our mission and the traditions we work so hard to preserve.
Today, Ashley arrived in uniform, ready to serve. Before participating in her first tribute, she received her ceremonial pinning from fellow member Mary Katherine Smith, RN. It was a special moment, marking the beginning of Ashley's journey as a Legacy Keeper.

Tina Pennington also sought out our organization, drawn by that same desire to honor those who have dedicated their lives to nursing. She was formally capped during last month's chapter meeting, and today, she too, stood in honor for the very first time.

But perhaps one of the most meaningful parts of today was seeing these two ladies surrounded by their fellow Legacy Keepers.
There is a special responsibility that comes with wearing the white uniform and blue cape. We are entrusted with honoring the lives of nurses who have gone before us, preserving their stories, and reminding their families that their loved one's years of service will never be forgotten. That responsibility is not something we take lightly.

This is how our nursing traditions are passed from one generation to the next. Experienced hands guiding new ones. Encouragement offered quietly before a service. Friendships growing through a shared calling. And nurses teaching nurses what it means to stand in honor of one of our own.

Today, as we gathered to pay our final respects to a fellow nurse, we were also reminded that the future of our mission rests in the hands of those willing to step forward and carry it on.

Ashley and Tina, we are so proud to have you standing alongside us! May you always remember your first tribute, the privilege of being entrusted with a fellow nurse's final farewell, and the responsibility of preserving the traditions of our beloved profession.
Welcome to the calling, ladies. We are honored to stand beside you.

The Legacy We Live
Honoring the Past • Serving the Present • Inspiring the Future.

10/27/2026

Today members of our team gathered in Benton to Honor the Life and Nursing Legacy of Rachel “Lavon” Laster, RN
February 25, 1940 – October 17, 2026

Sometimes, a nurse's story comes full circle in the most beautiful and unexpected way.
Born nearly two months premature in Willow, Arkansas, in 1940, little Rachel was so tiny and frail that the attending physician did not believe she would survive. But a community nurse saw a spark of life in that tiny baby and refused to give up.
For nearly two months, that nurse remained with the family, caring for the infant until she grew strong enough to survive. It was that very nurse who gave the little girl her middle name, Lavon, the name she would carry throughout her life.
Who could have imagined that this tiny little girl would one day become a nurse herself?

After graduating from Benton High School, Lavon enrolled in Baptist's nursing school in Little Rock, graduating with high honors in 1960, at just twenty years old, as a Registered Nurse.
Soon afterward, she married her high school sweetheart, Jackie Laster, who was serving in the United States Navy. Their military life would take them across the country and around the world, and Lavon's nursing career would travel right along with them.

In 1962, while stationed in Hawaii, Lavon worked as a civilian nurse at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, gaining valuable experience in the demanding world of acute and emergency care. It was also in Hawaii that they welcomed their first child, Scott.
By 1964, the family had relocated to Oklahoma, where their daughter Patricia was born. Their next assignment took them to the Philippines, where Lavon stepped away from nursing for two and a half years to enjoy raising her young children.
Around 1968, the family returned stateside to California, where Lavon resumed her nursing career at a local hospital.
Their final military assignment took them to Iowa, where their youngest son, Matthew, was born in 1971.

In 1972, following Jackie's retirement from the Navy, the family returned home to Benton, Arkansas, settling on Edison Avenue. Lavon accepted a position in the Emergency Department at Saline Memorial Hospital, bringing with her the experience and knowledge she had gained throughout her travels.
By 1975, Lavon began what would become a defining chapter of her nursing career when she accepted a position as night-shift supervisor at Arkansas State Hospital in Haskell.
Her dedication, exceptional leadership, and professional excellence earned her recognition throughout the 1980s. She was among a generation of pioneering women in Saline County who balanced demanding professional careers with the responsibilities of raising a family.
Lavon continued her service when the hospital moved to Little Rock. She served in Hospital Recruitment before retiring in 2005, at the age of 65. Dedicating more than four decades in nursing.

Beyond her nursing career, Lavon was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved scenic train rides, long drives without a particular destination, and the beauty of the world around her. Her home was always shared with beloved four-legged companions who found their way into her heart.

On October 17, 2026, Lavon's earthly journey came to an end at the age of 86. And what an extraordinary journey it had been.
A little girl whose life was nearly lost before it had begun, saved through the determination and compassion of a community nurse, grew into a woman who would dedicate more than forty years of her own life to caring for others.
We may never know the name of that nurse who refused to give up on Baby Lavon. But we know the name of the little girl whose life she helped save. And through Rachel “Lavon” Laster, RN, that nurse's compassion would continue touching lives for generations.

Today, Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas was privileged to honor a woman who answered the calling of nursing and faithfully served her profession. Rest well, Nurse Laster. Your duty is complete.

Every nurse has a story. Legacy Keepers ensures those stories are never forgotten.

10/22/2026

Some friendships are blessings from the very beginning. ❤️

We met Sonya during Arkansas’s winter storm earlier this year, and she quickly became a dear friend and one of Legacy Keepers’ biggest cheerleaders. Though she is not a nurse herself, her love for nursing, inspired by her Aunt Martha Bryant, runs deep.

From being one of our first Spring Spirit of Legacy Banquet sponsors to stopping by our booth at Old Fashion Day to encourage us, Sonya has continued to believe in our mission.

Today, we received a tremendous blessing from Sonia Lucas-Meyer and Arkansas Medical Staffing, LLC. Her generous donation will help with the expenses of our Christmas Memorial Ceremony, where we gather to remember and honor nurses who have gone before us.

Sonya, thank you for believing in what we do and for recognizing how God is using Legacy Keepers to bring comfort to families. Your kindness, generosity, and encouragement mean more than words can express.

We are so grateful to call you our friend. ❤️

10/18/2026

Members of our organization traveled to Carthage, Arkansas today to celebrate the life and Nursing Legacy of Jewel Dean Dawn, LPN

🕯️ June 5, 1949 – October 10, 2026 🕯️

Some lives are not measured by the years lived, but by the hearts touched along the way.

A 1968 graduate of Ouachita Vocational/Technical School, Nurse Jewel Dean Dawn began her nursing career at Dallas County Medical Center in Fordyce, Arkansas. Dressed in her crisp white uniform and nursing cap, she served her patients with skilled hands, a compassionate heart, and a smile that could brighten any room.

But Jewel's legacy extended far beyond nursing. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, talented seamstress, faithful servant of God, and a beloved member of the Carthage community.

Known for her Sunday family dinners, welcoming spirit, and unwavering faith, Jewel had a special way of making everyone feel loved. She was a prayer warrior, a woman of the Word, and a mother figure to far more than her own children.

Though her nursing career was only one chapter of her remarkable life, the compassion that called her into nursing was woven throughout everything she did.
A life of faith. A heart for service. A legacy of love.

Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas joins her family and community in remembering Nurse Jewel Dean Dawn and honoring her contributions to our noble profession and the community she served so faithfully.

🤍 Nurses Honoring Nurses

10/12/2026

"What happens when a nursing tradition begins to disappear? We have a choice. We can allow it to become a memory… or we can become the generation that keeps it alive."

To some, it's just a white cap.....

10/11/2026

The 52nd Annual Old Fashioned Day Festival was a huge success, with more than 100 vendors surrounding the courthouse! Possibly one of the biggest festivals yet, and Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas was honored to be part of it!

Under our blue tent, was plenty of Legacy pride. Our members spent the day sharing our mission of Nurses Honoring Nurses!
We enjoyed visiting with old friends, making new ones, and even sneaking away for a little shopping of our own!

We are incredibly blessed to have so many members willing to give up their Saturday to represent our organization. One of our newest members, who joined just this week, arrived ready for her very first event and quickly jumped right in, sharing our mission with visitors! 💙

We had 14 nurses express interest in joining our organization and even secured our November guest speaker! Micah Tallent with ABCFM. We look forward to being a small part of a child's story here in Arkansas.

❤️ But some of the most meaningful moments came from unexpected reunions. We had the privilege of hugging the necks of several families whose beloved nurses we have previously honored. Shawn Tater Neal was just one of our visitors. Thank you for allowing us another moment to talk about your beautiful wife.
Those moments were bittersweet. There were smiles, memories, and the tender reminder of someone deeply loved and missed. What a blessing to have another opportunity to talk about their nurse and remember the legacy they left behind. The ceremony may be over, but our promise to of remembrance never is. ❤️

As we packed away our table and tent, we left with something more valuable than anything we could have purchased — new friendships, shared memories, and the reminder of why our mission matters.

To our dedicated members, every visitor who stopped by, and the families who continue to hold a special place in our hearts, thank you for making today so memorable! 💙🌹

Address

P. O. Box 94
Bauxite, AR
72011

Telephone

+5013268108

Website

http://www.LegacyKeepersNHG.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Legacy Keepers Nurse Honor Guard of Arkansas posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.