Willie Jean Curbow

Willie Jean Curbow, age 89, of Pine Bluff, AR, made her journey to her Heavenly home Sunday, November 29, 2020.

Born November 14, 1931 in Star City, AR, she was a daughter to the late Henry Arnsle Collins and late Robie Clemmie Ham Collins. She graduated from White Hall High School in 1950.

She was married July 20, 1957 to Herbert R. Curbow who preceded her in death on August 21, 1990.

Sis. Curbow was a current member of Trinity Faith Fellowship at the Iron Stob Chapel in Harrison, AR. She was the Founding Pastor of Full Gospel Church in Pine Bluff, AR, and was also a Lifetime Ordained Minister in the Full Gospel Christian Association.

She accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age. She told everyone she met that her Mother made sure to take them to Church every Sunday, walking four miles each way. As a result of her Mother’s faithfulness, she was saved early in life and was baptized around the age of 16 in the Saline River, south of Rison, AR. She was known to tell you that she made up her mind to spend the rest of her life serving God and never back-sliding because she didn’t want to ever have to get back in that river again! She told us that her Daddy even showed up to Church one Sunday, just to make sure she was really going to Church and not chasing boys! That was not the case. She was chasing Jesus!

She began her preaching ministry in the 1960’s. In approximately 1976, pulling up at the stop sign at Hwy 54 & Hwy 79, she heard God tell her to “buy that land and build a church,” so that is exactly what she did! She and her husband, Herbert, along with her sons, her daughter-in-law, her two-year-old granddaughter, and Bro. Bill Kiggins, built the church with their own hands. While the concrete foundation was being laid, she prayed the rain away for 3 ½ days. When the worker was done finishing the concrete and while he was packing up his tools, he told her “It can rain all it wants to now. It will just make the concrete harder and stronger.” By the time he got his tools packed up, it began to rain. As a result, the concrete is as hard as granite. She faithfully pastored Full Gospel Church for over 40 years. She continued spreading the Gospel and God’s Love for the rest of her life.

She enjoyed Preaching Holiness, going fishing, crocheting, sewing dresses on her sewing machine and staying snuggled up under warm blankets by the heater. Her favorite blanket to cover up with was the blanket she received from Joyce & Emmitt Simmons for Christmas last year. She loved yellow flowers, puzzles and eating Girl Scout cookies. During the Christmas season, she loved eating chocolate covered cherries and of course, decorating her Christmas Tree with all the icicles she could fit!

She is survived by three sons, Mackie Dale Hale of Harrison, AR, Cecil Don Curbow of Kingsland, AR and Samuel Doy Curbow of Pine Bluff, AR, along with five grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by both her parents, her husband, Herbert R Curbow, her sister, Josie Johnson and her brothers, A J Collins, Arnsle Collins, Tillman Collins, J B Collins and Calvin Collins.

Visitation will be held Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm and Funeral Services will be Monday, December 7, 2020 at 2:00 pm, with Bishop Bert Montgomery and Pastor Emmitt Simmons officiating, immediately followed by interment at Memorial Park Cemetery. Both will be held at Fuller Hale South Funeral Home, 1621 S Cherry St., Pine Bluff, AR.

Funeral Services will be available via livestream at https://www.fullerhalesouth.com/ as well as via the Trinity Faith Fellowship at the Iron Stob Chapel FaceBook page.

Sis. Curbow requested all yellow flowers, if at all possible. Memorials may be made to Trinity Faith Fellowship at the Iron Stob Chapel, 4536 Hopewell Rd., Harrison, AR, 72601.

Social distancing guidelines will be in effect and masks will be required when inside and outside when social distancing is not possible.