Lela Inez Sims Cunningham Pettiette was born on June 16, 1929, to B.G. and Ena Sims of Boyd, Arkansas. She attended and graduated from Genoa Central Schools. She was a basketball player and loved to watch the Arkansas Razorbacks as long as they were winning! She enjoyed fishing as long as she was catching! She married Joe L. Cunningham and bore three children, Rickey Joe, Vicki Lynne and Sidney Wayne. Her greatest heartbreak was losing Rickey in a car accident before his 21st birthday. Both her marriages ended with divorce and she continued to raise her family alone. However, her greatest joys were her grandchildren, Amber Sue Frachiseur, Terri Lynn Bowman and Paul Cunningham.
Inez was predeceased by her beloved son Rickey, her parents and all her brothers and sisters, Beatrice Roberson, Bessie Truitt, B.G. Sims Jr , William “Bill” Sims, twins Earl and Dearl Sims, Maxine Lantrip and Orval Sims.
She is survived by her children, Vicki and husband Gene Hendrix of Mena, AR and Sidney and wife Theresa “Cricket” Cunningham of Fouke, AR, grandchildren Amber and husband Gary Frachiseur, of Lockesburg, AR, Terri and husband Anthony Bowman of Foreman, AR, Paul and wife Abbey Cunningham of Texas, her great-grandchildren Jamie Lynn Smith and husband Brian of Arkadelphia, Dylan Frachiseur and Kaeleigh of Lockesburg, AR, Andrew Frachiseur of Lockesburg, AR, Victoria “Tori” Cross of Alabama and Kylie Rae Cross of Ashdown, AR., and two great-grandchildren, Lilly Vandiver of Arkadelphia and Riley Frachiseur of Horatio, AR and numerous nieces and nephews.
Private graveside funeral services were held on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Memorial Gardens in Texarkana, AR with Bro. Danny Minton officiating.