Jonesboro- Herma Jean Lewallen Gipson was born, in the family home in Mobley Community, Independence County, Arkansas, on May 11, 1931, to Herman Dewey Lewallen and Edna Elizabeth Liles Lewallen.

She was a precocious child. Her father had built a one room schoolhouse on the family land, Atna School. The schoolteacher lived with the family and found an eager and apt student in young Jean and taught her to read at three. She attended and graduated from Cave City High School at the age of 16. In 1950, her father sold the family land and moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas where the family were faithful and devoted members of Bethany Baptist Church. It was there that Jean met the love of her life Hosea Gipson. They were married in 1951. Hosea built Jean a lovely home at 1304 Walnut Street where they lived happily. Jean, being an exceedingly gifted artist attended Arkansas State University and studied art, floral design, and horticulture. She joined the Dig and Dream Garden Club and went on to study Ikenobo and became a certified teacher of that floral art. She also became an accredited Flower Show Judge and a Master Flower Judge and president of the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs 1973-1975. She was also on the board of directors of the National Garden Clubs, Inc for more than 25 years. She formed the Jonesboro Garden Club and the Museum Garden Club and was a member of the Gladiolus Garden Club. In 2006 the Jonesboro Garden Club honored her community service with a 7-foot, 300-pound metal sculpture featuring a painter's palette and brushes and a vase with flowers which recognized her love of art and flowers. Because of her love for natural gifts of nature, she served on Shell Oil Company's Environmental program. She was given the Environmental Education award and the Energy Award by the National Garden Club Council. In 1996 she was honored to be invited to help decorate the White House for Christmas. She sang in First Baptist Church Choir for many years. She helped organize the Master's Touch Art Group and was an active member for 33 years.

Hosea and Jean enjoyed travel and visited several European countries, but their favorite place was Hawaii. They also took their three children, Diann, Michael, and Phillip on long car trips after school was out each summer, touring most of America instilling in them a love for the history of this amazing country which they passed on to HiHo and Nonnie's (the name given to them by their first grandchild, Amy Elizabeth Powell.) 7 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughter Diann (Dr. Ronald) Powell of West Point, MS; two sons, Michael (June) Gipson of Memphis, TN, and Phillip (Kim) Gipson of Vilonia, AR; one brother Lewis Lewallen of Jonesboro, 7 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters, Gladys Marie Lewallen Gould, Altha Mae Lewallen Hoggard, and a brother, Robert Doyle Lewallen.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at First Baptist Church, from 1-2 pm. A funeral service will follow at 2 at the church with Dr. Rodney Reeves officiating. Jean will be laid to rest in Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Powell Tabor, Barrett Tabor, Ron Powell Jr., Landon Gipson, Caiden Gipson, Blaine Mack, and Lawrence Sherman. Honorary pallbearer will be Maddox Powell.

The family is requesting lasting memorials to be sent to the First Baptist Church.