Mary Frances Malcolm Tidwell of Hot Springs Village, AR, died September 1, 2025 in Hot Springs, AR. A former resident of Texarkana, she was currently residing in Hot Springs Village, AR. She was born on September 2, 1930, in Pittsburg, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, William H. (Bill) Tidwell.
Mary was valedictorian of her graduating class in DeKalb, Texas, and earned her BBA and MBA from Texas A&M-Texarkana (formerly ETSU-T). She was a retired accounting officer and chief of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Nonappropriated Funds Office and was the recipient of the Army Materiel Command’s accountant of the year award.
She was a long-time active member of First Baptist Church Moores Lane, and more recently a member of Northern Hills Baptist Church. Over the years she served in the children’s bus ministry, homebound ministry, jail ministry, taught 5th-grade girls in Bible study, and taught the Ruth Sunday school class for adult women for 25 years.
Mary is survived by one son, Bill Tidwell and wife Jamie of Mesquite, Texas; two daughters: Kathryn Patterson of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and Diane Daniels and husband Eddie of Hot Springs Village, AR; six grandchildren: Bryan Buster and wife Rhonda of Bismarck, AR, Brent Buster and wife Jenn of Ward, AR, Kimberly Jackson and husband David of Texarkana, AR, Kelly Edrington and husband Chris of Texarkana, TX, Jennifer Hunley and husband Charles of Benton, AR, and Courtney Sparrow and husband Brian of Mesquite, TX; 13 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren, two sisters, Cheryl Nichols of Nash, TX and Gladys Reinke of Duncanville, TX, two brothers: Ron England and wife Trecia of Tyler, TX, and William Murray England of Gilmer, TX
Graveside service will be Thursday September 4, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Texarkana, TX. with Rev. Mike Beck officiating. Mrs. Tidwell’s body will lie in state at Texarkana Funeral Home on Texas Blvd, Wednesday September 3, 2025, from 11:00 am – 5:00pm, and on Thursday September 4 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm prior to graveside service.
