Larisa Ard Jenkins, 46, of Charleston, Tennessee, died on Friday, February 24, 2017 at her home after a seven year fight against cancer.
Larisa was born on July 11, 1970 in Jacksonville, NC to Rev. Flemon J. Ard, Jr. and Gale Williford Ard. She spent numerous years on the international mission field with her parents, summers in Honduras with her paternal grandparents, Rev. F.J. and Edith Ard, and for a year lived in River Hills, FL with her uncle and aunt, Rev. James and Genie Byrd, to attend school. After graduating from Rosewood High School in Goldsboro, NC, she came to Lee University in Cleveland, TN in 1990 where she met her husband, Skip Jenkins, of 23 years. For more than a decade, Larisa worked in corporate and academic settings where she honed her giftings as a communicator, planner and decorator. Her love for entertaining, celebrating and planning events continued during their time in Cleveland where she opened her home to friends, students and strangers for events that became yearly celebrations and spiritual traditions. Homeschooling their four children, Merritt Karinne (17), Eleanor Pate (16), Eli (14) and Ava Leigh (13), through a partnership with Bradley County Home Educators (BCHE) association, became a passion that she described as the happiest and most perfect days of her life. Larisa will be remembered for her immeasurable love, compassion for others, unyielding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and joy in living. Larisa was an avid reader, student and lover of history. She passed these qualities and the Christian faith on to her children. Six years ago, Larisa and her husband established a visionary mentoring house in which a number of Lee University students live together under a common commitment of social, academic and spiritual accountability. Every Friday during this time, Larisa made soup to feed over 20 Lee students as they met to talk and pray together. This place is called the Theology House, and it still operates today.
Larisa is survived by her husband and their four children; her parents; a grandmother, Mavis Pate Williford of Goldsboro, NC; a sister, Sallie Ard Mosely, her husband Elijah and their three children, Chloe (13), Arden (11) and Leo (5) of Hickory, NC; her parents-in-law, Dan and Pam Jenkins of Canton, OH; a sister-in-law, Danelle Jenkins Hill, her husband Ken and their three children, Teagan (17), Camden (14) and Reid (14) of East Canton, OH; and her closest friend, Gayle Cobb, of Cleveland, TN.
A memorial service for Larisa Jenkins will be held at South Cleveland Church of God on Thursday, March 2 at 6 p.m.
Family members will remain at the church after the memorial service for those who wish to share personal expressions.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Royal Family Kids Camp (via South Cleveland Church of God), Larisa's favorite program benefiting foster children in Bradley County.
Companion Funeral Home and the Cody family are honored to assist the Jenkins family with her arrangements.