Sharon Ackley

Sharon Brock Ackley, age 80, of Nashville, Arkansas, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2026, in Texarkana, Texas, surrounded by her family. She was born on February 21, 1946, in Nashville, Arkansas, and was the beloved daughter of Herman and Effie (Reed) Brock of Dierks, Arkansas.

Sharon is survived by her husband and the love of her life of 45 years, Rodney Ackley; their two daughters, Stephanie Ray of Nashville, Arkansas, and Susan Jackson of Nashville, Arkansas; her precious grandchildren, Mathew Myrick and wife Shelby of Nashville, Jessica Schroader and husband Brandon of Nashville, Crystal Leyva and husband Serigo of Nashville, and Ethan Ray and wife Stephanie of Elkins, Arkansas; and her 13 wonderful great-grandchildren. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, extended family members, and many loving friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Effie Brock, her sister Glenda Hogden all of Dierks, Arkansas, and her great-grandson, Jordan Myrick of Nashville, Arkansas.

Sharon worked for many years at the Briar Plant, where she taught those who worked around her the importance of a strong work ethic. She would praise you when you deserved it, but she also wasn't afraid to let you know when you needed to do better. That was a lesson her family knew well, too.

In retirement, Sharon found her greatest joy in being “Grannie.” She loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with her entire heart. Her love for them was fierce, protective, and unconditional, and there was nothing she would not do for her family. She played an irreplaceable role in helping raise many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and her influence can be seen in the lives of those she helped shape. She was a devoted wife, mother, Grannie, and great-grandmother who could always be counted on when her family needed her.

Sharon loved hummingbirds, and in years past, she made sure her feeders stayed full so she could sit and watch the many hummingbirds they attracted. She also loved to travel, and she and Rodney shared many adventures together over the years.

She was incredibly talented with her hands and enjoyed crocheting, quilting, sewing, and needlepoint. One of the most special gifts she left her family was a handmade baby blanket for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also shared her love of crocheting with her grandchildren, passing down not only a skill but something that will forever remind them of their Grannie.

Sharon was also a fiercely competitive card player, especially when playing with the Ackley family. A family card game was never just a card game when Sharon was at the table, and anyone who played with her knew she intended to win.

She was loving, giving, sassy, stubborn, and fierce. Sharon would help anyone she could, but if you made her mad, you definitely knew it. She didn't mince words, and you never had to wonder what she was thinking. You didn't ask Sharon a question unless you were prepared to hear the truth, because she was going to tell you exactly like it was.

In so many ways, Sharon was both a lover and a fighter. She loved her family with everything she had, and she fought just as fiercely for the people and things that mattered to her. That same strength carried her through the last year of her life as she fought through her illness with determination and courage.

Sharon leaves behind far more than memories. She leaves handmade blankets and treasures, family traditions, stories from travels and competitive card games, lessons taught, and a little bit of her strength and sass in the many lives she helped shape.

Her passing leaves a void in her family's hearts that can never truly be filled, but they are thankful that she is no longer in pain. They take comfort in knowing that she has been reunited with the loved ones who went before her and in the belief that they will see her again someday.

Until then, Grannie will be missed fiercely—just as fiercely as she loved.

Honoring Sharon as pall bears will be Adam Ackley, David Ackley, Randy Ganous, Sergio Leyva, Brandon Schroader, and David Wolf.