C Edward Wooten

C. Edward Wooten, 85, died June 13, 2016. He is survived by his son, Dr. E. Wrenn Wooten of Plano, Texas, daughter-in-law Kimberly Ann Hopkins Wooten and four grandchildren. Predeceasing him was his wife of 51 years, the former Elizabeth Going Boykin. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Wooten was the son of Charles Keller Wooten and Katie Mae Wrenn Wooten. He received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and a master's from the Harvard Business School. He had resided in Little Rock since 1969 and until his retirement was Managing Director of The Charles E. Wooten Company, a family-owned firm primarily engaged in management consulting for small businesses. Its manufacturing division designed custom chandeliers, which may be found in churches, public buildings, and homes nationwide. He was an active Episcopalian, a longtime member of St. Mark's Church in Little Rock, where he was the parish's first verger. Before that he was a congregant at Trinity Cathedral. He had been a layreader, licensed to conduct public worship, in several dioceses. Earlier in his business career, he had been in commercial television broadcasting, managing a television station in Louisiana and a national syndication company based in Atlanta, which created a number of popular programs. He then became involved in public broadcasting. There he produced the documentaries, Excedrin Headache #800: Getting into College and Must it be College? among others. In association with the U.S. Department of State, he was producer and host of the nationally televised series, Matters of State. Using a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, he also produced and directed the four part series, The Fold Music of Arkansas He was involved in various capacities in the founding of Public Broadcasting, and represented stations in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the formation of the Southeastern Educational Communications Association. Still earlier, he served as an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve, on active duty in Korea during the Korean Conflict and as CIC Officer of the USS Agerholm (DD826), and later as Commanding officer of a Naval Reserve Unit in Louisiana. He was also an active Rotarian there. A supporter of the Arkansas Symphony, he had also served as sometime classical music critic for the Arkansas Times. A graveside service will be held at the historic Oak Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama on June 17, 2016 at 10 a.m. A memorial service may be held at a later date in Little Rock. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to St. Mark's Crisis Assistance Fund, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, or to the charity of the donor's choice. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.