Harriett Juanita Dudley

Harriett Juanita Dudley departed this world on Saturday, July 8, 2023, in her home, surrounded by love. She left her failing body behind and ran into the arms of her Savior. She is preceded in death by her father, George Rhoades; her mother, Emma Rhoades; her brother, Ted Rhoades; and her husband, Clifford Dudley.

She is survived by her three children, Rebecca Phillips, wife of Jon Phillips; Tim Dudley, husband of Becki Dudley; and Lydia Matthews, wife of Curtis Matthews. She deeply loved her 11 grandchildren: Aubrey Peden, Matty Phillips, Robert Phillips, Jordan Dudley, Josh Dudley, Taylor Stewart, Will Vancuren, Ben Vancuren, Hannah Vancuren, C.J. Matthews, and Meghan Scholtens. She is also survived by 18 great-grandchildren and her beloved niece, Kathy Cummings.

Harriett was born on June 14, 1929, in Hinsdale, IL, to George and Emma Rhoades. Her mother passed when Harriett was young. She and her brother were brought up by her father and grandmother, Rozetta. She frequently recalled accepting Christ as her personal savior at the knee of her grandmother when she was about eight years old. Loving Jesus and following his commands continued to be her one goal in life as she entered college. She attended Missionary Training Institute in Nyack, NY, in 1947 and studied there for three years. She graduated in 1950 and joined the Chicago Hebrew Mission in Chicago, IL in 1950 and worked there for four years. While living in Chicago she attended A.W. Tozer’s church for several years. Harriett and Cliff met while they both worked for this mission. They married on September 11, 1954. Cliff took a job at Moody Press and after the birth of their three children, they moved to Harrison, AR in 1974 where Harriett and Cliff started New Leaf Press.

Harriett’s joy in her faith and her family kept her working at the Press until about three weeks ago and shortly after her 94th birthday. She loved being able to hug three grandchildren and two of her children every time she went to work. Harriett commonly opened her home to missionaries, Bible studies, or whoever needed a bed or a meal. She participated in jail ministry for many years in Carroll County. She was an integral part of an organization called Higher Ground and she attended Church on the Hill in Berryville for decades. Harriett’s family jokes that her prayers were a direct line to the ear of Jesus. We continue to believe this, as her deepest desire in life was to see those she loved love the Lord their God with all their heart.

Her favorite piece of scripture comes from Philippians 4: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” She leaves behind a beautiful legacy built on faith, trust, and true reliance on Christ.

Visitation will be held 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at Charles M. Nelson Memorial Chapel. The funeral will be held at Church on the Hill in Berryville, 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 13, 2023. Harriett will be buried at Zion Hill Cemetery in Green Forest, AR, alongside her husband. Arrangements under the direction of Nelson Funeral Service. Online condolences may be sent to nelsonfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Ethnos360 (previously New Tribes Mission) via one of the below options. Please ensure you mention “Harriett Dudley” when making the donation: Check by mail to 312 W. First St., Sanford, FL 32771; Phone: 866-5472460; Website: https://ethnos360. org