An unexpected heavenly transition took place on Saturday morning August 15, 2015 at Brookridge Cove Lifecare and Rehabilitation Center, Morrilton, Arkansas.Our special loved one, Ozie Lee Erby, ""Grandpa"" as he was affectionately and lovingly called by administrators, staff, patients, their families, friends and immediate family members, was gloriously transfixed from all of the imperfections of our current existence to a new spiritual body.God called and Ozie answered. Ozie was born July 29, 1929 to John and Lillian Erby in Blackwell, Arkansas.Sixteen other children filled the house in ""the bottoms' before moving to the big house on the highway.There was Josephine, Naomi, Lula, Thomas, Mable, Ernest, Othella, Perry, Eddie Lee, John D., Brown Lee, Dorothy Mae and Deloris.Ozie found his place among his brothers and sisters playing, doing chores and walking his mother to church on meeting nights where his mother, Sister Erby, taught Sunday School and his Dad, John, served as janitor and rang the church bell when there was a death.""We all were supposed to take turns, walking mother, but most of the time, it turned out to be me,"" Ozie said.Times were hard, but this big thriving family put their trust in God and loved and cared for each other. Like his brothers and sisters, Ozie attended school in Blckwell and church at St. Matthew #3.He accepted Christ at an early age and maintained his membership there all of his life.Members picked him up by van for church until his health failed. As a young man, Ozie chopped and picked cotton until he got a job at the sawmill in Blackwell.Deciding that there must have been an easier way to make a living, Ozie decided to come to Kansas City and look for better work opportunities and better pay.He had several brothers and sisters already living in K.C. who could give him a ""hand-up"" in finding work.With his mother's and father's blessing and caution, Ozie came to K.C. where he found work at the packing houses and construction.He lived with family members while working. An intermittent health problem, epilepsy, interfered with his working, and as much as he liked the city, and better paying jobs, he returned home to Blackwell.His epileptic seizures got worse when he returned home and his aging parents and family members could not properly take care of his critical medical needs, so he entered ""Morrilton Manor Nursing Home"" on Childress St. about 1977.Medication, proper nutrition and a healthy environment contributed to his wellness and abated seizure symptoms.Ozie married his wife, the former Roxie Toombs at this site.Rev. Morris united them in marriage.Ozie joined his mother, Lillian Erby and his sister, Lula Washington at Morrilton Manor. Morrilton Manor was moved to a new site and became ""The Brookridge Lifecare and Rehabilitation Center.Ozie was one of its first original residents.For the 30 plus years he has been there, now, Brookridge Cove"", he has been a happy resident, cooperative, humble and pleasing.Throughout his stay at ""The Cove"", Ozie received many awards, plaques, ribbons, and has been recognized in the Petit Jean Headlight newspaper for his many Athletic - Olympic Honors.Family members often traveled from Kansas Cityto celebrate birthdays, holidays and just to visit with Ozie and let him know that he was ""S-P-E-C-I-A-L.""Those making the trips would be the Hersey Family "" Mattie, Janice, Clyde, Woody, Deidre and LaQuita.They would meet up at ""The Cove"" with their brother and Ozie's special nephew, caretaker and guardian, Rev. Glenn Hersey.Another niece, Lillian Erby-Trimble from Kansas City, would travel annually to Morrilton to spend two or three days with Ozie, to spend all day - every day doing whatever Ozie wanted to do from talking about old times, politics, watching sprt events while drinking cokes, taking pictures, exploraing the caged birds, sitting on the front porch, visiting his room, touring the grounds of ""The Cove"", and rehashing the past. In 1996, Ozie was able to make the trip to Kansas City, to celebrate his family's first family reunion, ""GENERATIONS.""As a special family guest, Ozie rode with other family committee members to the elegant banquet in a black, stretch limousine.Dressed, in a gray tuxedo, bow tie andboutonniere adorning his stylish attire, after the main speaker, he spoke to the young people about the ""old times: and gave them a sample of his ""jitterbug"" dance.Ozie told the group that if he had $2.00 in his pocket, he felt like a millionaire.People used to pay to see Ozie dance.He wore creased pants. Ozie was preceded in death by his parents, John and Lillian Erby; his wife, Roxie Erby; 12 siblings; Othella, who was his day-to-day help and support until her health failed; Mable , Thomas, Ernest, Naomi, Brown Lee, Lula, Perry, Eddie Lee, Josephine, John D., and Deloris.One surviving sister, Mrs. Dorothy Mae Nooner, is a patient at ""Myers Convalescent Home"", K.C. MO.Ozie is survivied by numerous loving nieces, nephews, and cousins in the Blackwell, Happy Bend, Little Rock and St. Louis areas. Funeral service for Mr. Erby will be Saturday, August 22, 2015 at St. Matthew #3 Missionary Baptist Church in Blackwell by Dr. Phillip Pointer, Eulogist. Interment will be in Rose of Sharon Cemetery in Blackwell. The body will lie in state from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. the day of the funeral at the church. Family visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. , Friday, August 21, 2015 at Wilson & Jarrett Funeral Home Chapel.