Biography: Myra Lee Jones, 75, of Little Rock, died February 20, 2012, surrounded by her family, after suffering a brain hemorrhage a week earlier. She was the first woman elected to a full term on the Little Rock City Board of Directors where she served from 1977 to 1984 including four years as Vice-Mayor. She served seven terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1985 through 1998 becoming the first woman to chair a standing committee, the City, County and Local Government Committee. She owned her own business, ?The Hunter?, was a licensed realtor and worked as a local government affairs consultant for the Little Rock REALTORS Association since 2001 and served on the board of Noram Energy (formerly ArkLa) for seventeen years becoming one of the first women from Arkansas to serve on a Fortune 500 Board. Her father, Ernest Gutsche, and her mother, Edith Anderson, preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Melissa (Missy) Bowen and husband, Stephen of Maumelle; her son, Michael Jones and wife, Tonia of Greenville, Texas; four grandsons, Drew and Ethan Bowen and Patrick and Jacob Jones. She also leaves a legion of devoted friends and colleagues. Myra was raised on a ranch north of Rapid City, South Dakota, where she was active in 4-H, training and showing cattle. One of her feeder steers named Sparky won a Grand Champion award at the Rapid City Livestock Show. She learned to drive a tractor at age eight and attributed her strong work ethic to her experiences growing up on a working ranch. She was an accomplished musician and received a scholarship to attend the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio. After graduation she taught music in the Des Moines, Iowa public schools becoming a consultant for teaching music on television to students in six counties. While teaching in Des Moines, Myra earned a Master?s degree in music education at Drake University. She was also a graduate of the Executive Education Program at Harvard Business School. Myra joined the Belle Fourche Cowboy Band as a high school senior. The band (complete with white chaps, white hats, and red shirts) was reconstituted in 1980 and Myra traveled to South Dakota each summer to play clarinet in the band for the Black Hills Rodeo in Belle Fourche, march in the Fourth of July parade, and perform concerts in the area. After moving to Little Rock, Myra was co-owner and manager of Dairy Queen restaurants in Little Rock and Jacksonville. She became interested in local government while serving as president of the Pleasant Valley Property Owners Association. In addition to her service on the Little Rock City Board and in the Arkansas Legislature, Myra served as chair of the Commerce and Communications Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures, a member of the Local and State Government Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission, and a member of the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities. Myra was a proud member of the Arkansas Women?s Political Caucus, where she wrote and performed in this group?s Barefoot and Pregnant Awards. She served on the platform committee for the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Myra was a member of the Arkansas Travelers working in Bill Clinton?s campaign for President and also was a Traveler for Hillary Clinton?s presidential bid. The Little Rock Rotary Club made her a Paul Harris Fellow in 2001 and named her Rotarian of the Year for 2002-2003. She received the Arkansas Spirit Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners in 2001. She was selected one of the ?Top 100 Women in Arkansas? by Arkansas Business Publishing Group for four years, and was named Representative of the Year by the Arkansas Municipal League in 1997 and received their Person of the Year award in 1989. Myra was a current board member of the Little Rock Rotary Club, a member of the Aesthetic Club, founding member of the Women?s Foundation of Arkansas and the Heights Neighborhood Association, former president of the Women?s Leadership Forum, and a member and former chair of St. Vincent Women?s Health Advisory Board. She was a founding board member and former chair of Junior Achievement of Arkansas, the board of directors of the Quapaw Area Boy Scouts Council, the executive committee and board of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the board of the UALR Foundation Fund. She previously served on the State Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission and the Governor?s Mansion Advisory Committee. Myra always said how proud she was that she was able to serve her state, her neighborhood, and her constituents, but that her proudest accomplishments were her children and grandchildren and her most important titles were Mom and Mimi. Her friends summed her up like this: ?Myra was caring and compassionate, a true friend, with super organizational skills, and the ability to multitask and run on never ending energy, always working with you and for you. She will be sorely missed.? Funeral services will be Thursday, February 23rd at 3:00 P.M. at Christ Episcopal Church (5th and Scott) conducted by Bishop Larry Benfield with a reception immediately following in Bowen Hall. The family requests memorials be made to Heifer International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202 and the Arkansas Symphony 2417 North Tyler Street, Little Rock, AR 72207. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home. Online guestbook and condolences can be found at www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.