Mary Odessa Carter - Leachville

Friday, April 4, 2003

Mary Odessa Carter, 96, of Leachville died Saturday, March 29, 2003, at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Blytheville. Born at Ravenden Springs, she was the daughter of the late Robert Lee and Ella Marriott Higginbotham and had been a Leachville resident since 1929. She was the widow of the late LeRoy Carter who was a prominent land owner and also owned the L.G. Carter Gin Co. He preceded her in death in 1998. She was very involved in many charitable organizations in her community including the Red Cross. In 1948 she and her husband founded the Melody Theater in Leachville. She was a longtime member of the Leachville First Baptist Church where she taught a Sunday School Class until her late 80's. She was active in the Church Choir and other church functions. She was a charter member of the Leachville Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. She was a graduate of the Jonesboro Baptist College and had taught in the Jonesboro School System in the early 1920's.

She is survived by two sons, Bill Carter, of Helena, and Dr. Jerry Carter, of Little Rock; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Will Carter.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. today (Tuesday) at the Leachville First Baptist Church with Rev. Doug Applegate officiating. Burial will follow in the Oaklawn Cemetery in Jonesboro under the direction of Howard Funeral Service of Leachville.

Active pallbearers will be Snowden Hawkins, Leon Swihart, Wilburn Lovelady, Jerry Lee Carter, Jr., Brent Carter and Jared Zeiser. Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons of the Leachville First Baptist Church.