Valarie Golda Stringfellow Ponder, age 93, of Malvern, formerly of Heber Springs, died October 5, 2009. She was born in Joy , Arkansas on July 14, 1916 to the late David Franklin and Dora Etta Vardell Stringfellow, the fourth of ten children. She lived most of her life in the Searcy and Rosebud area.

She was a retired laundry/drycleaners owner, and had been a realtor in Little Rock . Mrs. Ponder was a Baptist. She was the widow of the late Luther (Hank) Ponder, who died in 1961.

Her survivors include her children, Pat and his wife Becky Ponder of Austin, Texas, and Joe and his wife Carolyn Ponder of Rogers, Arkansas; three sisters, Pauline, La Dotta, and Freda; one brother, Bill; grandchildren, Luke and Nadia Ponder, Jeffrey and Hye Yeong Ponder, Valarie and Bill Lee, Jody and Rochelle Ponder, Donny and Tatiana Ponder; her great-grandchildren, Amanda Ponder, Ryan and Shauna Ponder, Robert Ponder, Kimberly, Caleb, Steven, Alexander, and Andrew Ponder, and Aubrey Ju Lee; and two great-great-grandchildren, Dakota Ponder and Kendall Ponder Cooley.

She was also preceded in death by two sisters and three brothers.Her funeral will be held on Friday, October 9, 2009 at one o'clock in the Temple Baptist Church , Hwy 16 and Cherry Street , Searcy , Arkansas , with interment to follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery .

Arrangements are by J. A. Funk Funeral Home of Malvern, Arkansas .

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your church or favorite charity.

Valarie's life was dedicated to serving her Lord, Jesus Christ. It would be her wish that you celebrate her life with a prayer of thanks to God for the time we spend in loving fellowship.

>Online condolences may be sent via jafunkfuneralhome.com.