Cathren Melville McCartney

Cathren Melville McCartney, 98, of Newport died Wednesday, August 3, 2011. She was born May 9, 1913 in Jackson County, the daughter of John Andrew and Julia Cathren Cynthia (Lashlee) Melville. She married Rhew Whitt McCartney on August 6, 1932, and they were married sixty-five years when he passed away on November 20, 1997. Cathren McCartney began her first college classes to become a teacher in the early 1940's. She first took correspondence classes, then Saturday classes. The school district provided a school bus for teachers to ride to the colleges. She began at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, then transferred to what is now Arkansas Central University in Conway, receiving her degree in summer 1955. One of her daughter, Julia's, earliest memories is of her mother studying by the stove with a kerosene lamp. Mrs. McCartney's first teaching assignments for Newport were in local community schools, Algoa, Paradise, Stegall, Harper, summer school at the old Walnut Street School, then finally a permanent position in the Remmel community, where she lived. In 1952, she and her husband Rhew moved into Newport, and she began teaching in the old East Newport School in the very same room where she herself had begun first grade in 1918. She taught at one time or another first grade through eighth grade, and ended her teaching career in the last 25 years or so all in first grade at the "Doughnut" school, the Castleberry School in Newport. Any child that passed through Ms. "Cathren's" door became "HER" kid, no matter what direction their lives took from that day forward. She taught more than one could learn with a chalkboard and chalk, and said she learned many lessons from her students. She was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She was responsible for getting the hot lunchroom program at Remmel School, and introducing grapefruit into school diet. As a result, she received State of Arkansas Outstanding Teacher Recognition and was featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Mrs. McCartney loved books, crossword puzzles and cryptaquotes. After retirement, Cathren McCartney began bowling in a league, winning several trophies, and volunteered with mentally and physically challenged children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Rhew Whitt McCartney; her parents; five brothers, Leeman, Adler, Gus, Cecil, and Oscar Melville; and five sisters, Maude Melville O'Neal Byrd, Melisa Melville Clark, Mae Melville Bowker, Rachel Melville Johnston, and Rosemary Melville Williams. Mrs. McCartney is survived by one daughter, Julia McCartney Huey and husband Bobby of Newport; two grandchildren, Rebecca Dee Taylor Cartwright and husband Greg of Lubbock, Texas and McCartney Melville Taylor and wife Laura of Austin, Texas; three great-grandchildren, Sean Matheson Cartwright, Trevor Brandon Cartwright, and Landon Taylor Cartwright; two step-grandchildren, David Huey and wife Janis of Maumelle, and Ann Liddle and husband Steve of Minneapolis, Minnesota; three step-great-grandchildren, Ben, Jake, and Sarah Jane Liddle; several nieces and nephews. Funeral services are 10 a.m., Saturday at Jackson's Newport Funeral Home Chapel with interment in Walnut Grove Cemetery. Those honored to serve as pallbearers are McCartney Melville Taylor, Bill McCartney, Gene Sweat, Jimmy Heatherly, David Huey, and Junior Hinkle. Serving as Honorary Pallbearers are all retired teachers, and all former students of Mrs. McCartney. Memorials may be made to Jackson County Library, 213 Walnut, Newport, Ark. 72112, the Jackson County Learning Center, P.O. Box 785, Newport, Ark. 72112, any scholarship fund or charity of your choice. Arrangements: Jackson's Newport Funeral Home. www.jacksonsfh.com.