Virginia “Miss Marion” Sherrod

Virginia Marion Hanna Sherrod, 82, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, passed peacefully at home on October 10, 2025, surrounded by those who loved her.

Miss Marion was born May 24, 1943, to Marcus and Marion Hanna. She graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a degree in education and devoted more than 50 years to teaching. Miss Marion spent 39 years as a pioneering 5th-grade science teacher in Greenwood, Arkansas, where she brought curiosity and wonder to learning. Long before hands-on, outdoor learning became a recognized educational movement, Miss Marion was teaching lessons beneath the sky — planting seeds, observing ecosystems, and turning the world outside the schoolroom into an expansive laboratory. Her “outdoor classroom” became her hallmark; generations of students remember mud-stained knees, triumphant discoveries, and a teacher who made science feel alive and reachable.

After her years in Greenwood, Miss Marion continued her commitment to teacher preparation at the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith, where she spent the remainder of her career, including a decade dedicated to mentoring and teaching student teachers. Her work with new educators helped shape teaching practices across the region, many former students and novice teachers credit Miss Marion’s guidance with their success. Whether in elementary classrooms or university programs, Miss Marion modeled creativity, patience, and high standards.

Miss Marion’s colleagues and students knew her as vivacious and, by her own admission, “ornery.” She never did anything halfway. Her personality sparkled in a constellation of beloved “Marion-isms” that she used to prod, comfort, and cajole: “I don’t miss much,” “Try it! You’ll like it,” and most famously, “Roll on!” Those phrases threaded through her teaching, her friendships, and her faith — a call to action, to perseverance, and to joy. She counseled countless young people through difficult choices, mentored new teachers in the art of classroom life, and modeled a life guided by compassion and conviction.

An accomplished Master Gardener, Miss Marion’s love of plants and the outdoors extended beyond the classroom. She tended vibrant gardens, shared gardening knowledge freely with neighbors and students, and took particular delight in farmer’s market outings with Vui and Vence.

Miss Marion’s life extended far beyond the classroom. She served faithfully at The Current Church in Van Buren, where she was known as a humble and tireless servant of Christ — organizing and stocking the pantry, reaching out to neighbors, and bringing practical help and spiritual comfort to many. Her commitment to community also included service as a board member for the Fort Smith Teachers Credit Union, where Miss Marion advocated for educators and their families.

Family was central to Miss Marion’s heart. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marcus and Marion Hanna; her sister, Ann Bramucci; her nephew, Mark Bramucci; her son, Chris Lee Fields; and her husband, Courtney Sherrod. She is survived by her son, Scott Fields; nephews Shawn Bramucci and Greg Bramucci; and two cherished “adopted children,” Dalton Lee Smith and Vui Nguyen Beeler. Miss Marion delighted in attending sporting events with Scott (baseball games held a special place), listening to Dalton lead worship wherever he performed, and wandering the farmer’s market with Vui and Vence, savoring community and conversation.

Miss Marion’s life was filled with small, steadfast acts that left an enormous imprint. She was the first to offer a listening ear, a meal, or a ride; she counseled those in crisis with wisdom and warmth; and she rejoiced in others’ successes with genuine enthusiasm. Her influence reached far beyond bloodlines: students who once nervously presented science projects grew into professionals who carried forward the intellectual curiosity she fostered; colleagues found in Miss Marion a model of resilience and creativity; and friends counted on her frank counsel and irrepressible laughter.

The family remembers Miss Marion as someone who embodied servant leadership. She was unafraid to speak plainly, to demand her best from those she loved, and to love them fiercely in return. You never knew what she would say, and that candor endeared her to many. Yet Miss Marion’s sharp wit was balanced by tenderness; she celebrated life’s simple pleasures — music, fresh produce at the market, a well-played baseball game — and her joy was contagious.

Visitation will be held at Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith on Thursday from 5–7 p.m. The funeral service will be held at The Current Church — North Campus in Van Buren on Friday at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at Forest Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Current Church pantry or to a scholarship fund supporting teachers or students, a fitting tribute to a woman who devoted her life to learning and service.

Miss Marion’s legacy is carried in the countless lives she shaped, the classrooms she transformed, and the faith she lived by. She leaves behind many dear friends, devoted family, and a community forever changed by her encouragement, her “Marion-isms,” and the example of a life lived fully. As Miss Marion would say, “It’s time to ROLL ON!”