Merl Dean Widener Eoff was born in Conway, Arkansas, on May 25, 1947. She was the daughter of Floyd Newton Widener JR. and Elva Dean Bonds Widener. Her maternal grandparents were Joe Jackson Bonds and Myrtha Arizona Lee Bonds, and her paternal grandparents were Floyd N. Widener, SR. and Bessie Iona Bressels Widener. Merl learned the ethics of working, cooking, and helping others from her grandparents. 

Merl attended the majority of her school years in Clinton, Arkansas. She graduated from Conway High School in 1965. She also attended Jones Beauty School. She kept books at Ward Body Works and Conway Concrete Company until she married Bill Eoff on December 31, 1966. They worked at Eoff Furniture company until 1977 when they opened The Furniture Mart until 2000. From 1982-2020 her and Bill sold McGhee Monuments. Merl was elected Clinton Recorder/Treasurer, where she served for over 11 years. 

Merl will always be remembered for many reasons: her undying loyalty, her strength, her love for family, and her cooking. She was named 1983 Arkansas Chicken Cooking Queen for her Stupendous Lemon Pepper Chicken, and then won 1984 Silver Anniversary Chicken Cooking Queen against all the previous years’ winners. She then published her cookbook Scratch and Mix It that contains many of her own recipes, along with friends and family members’. Merl loved her community and loved helping others. She served on many service boards, such as the Van Buren County Library Board, Clinton PTA, Red Cross, and Van Buren County Swimming Pool. The last two boards were especially dear to her heart as she believed everyone should be able to swim and have access to an education. Merl also hosted numerous baby and wedding showers for people in the community as well as assisting/catering at weddings.

Bill and Merl have three daughters and six grandchildren: Erika Smith (Terry and their sons Braxton and Brock), Myra Grantham (Steve and her sons Kase and Kody Shock), and Monica Lieblong (Jason and their daughters Mary Alex and Karly Rae).

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