Emma Bell (Atwood) James

Memorial Graveside Service for Emma Bell James, 73, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Brent Cemetery in Brent Community, Oklahoma under the direction of Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Service, Inc.

She was born on September 5, 1948 in Anadarko, Oklahoma to Ruth Evelyn (Nelson) Dempster and Earl Vanburn Atwood and passed away on September 6, 2021 in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. She was married to Troy Wayne James on May 10, 1986 in Rison, Arkansas. He preceded her in death on September 14, 2010. Emma was a jack of all trades and a master of none. She attended beauty college and eventually owned and operated Emma’s Beauty Salon in Rison, AR. She learned to drive a semi-truck and would assist her husband with their trucking business after her salon closed in the evenings. She was the director of the Rison center for the Area Agency on Aging and a butcher for Mad Butcher among other things. Later in life she worked for the Sequoyah County Jail. She attended courses to become a private investigator, from which she retired. There wasn’t much she couldn’t do.

Survivors are:

3 children: Debra Fieldhouse and Doug of Bella Vista, AR, Teresa Woodard and Ward of Sallisaw, OK and Angela Gist and John of Sallisaw, OK;

10 grandchildren: Whitney Richardson and Dave of Bentonville, AR, Johna Bell Taylor and Bryan Samson of Noel, MO, Leanne Chandler and Brandon of Bella Vista, AR, Dylan Taylor and Mercedees of Rogers, AR, Madisen Taylor of Centerton, AR, Jodie Webster of Gans, OK, Ward Woodard IV and Margo of Sallisaw, OK and Mia Gist, Emma Gist and Zoe Gist;

16 great-grandchildren: Noah, Michael Travis, Hunter, Rylan, Scarlotte, Harper, Van, Leo, Emilea, Hadlie, Maycie, Logan, Sophia, Ward Andrew and Stetson;

3 siblings: MaryJo Dakil of Sallisaw, OK, Dan Atwood and Regina of Monticello, AR and Dennis Atwood of Phoenix, AZ;

several other relatives and friends .

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; and two siblings, Bill Tackett and Douglas Tackett.

Honorary pallbearers will be John Dee Gist, Doug Fieldhouse, Ward Woodard III, Dylan Taylor, Ward Woodard IV, Shane Johnson, Rick Carter, and Tyler Seaton.