Anna Marcelle Raper

Anna Marcelle Raper, 84, died Wednesday, August 17, 2011, at Salem Place in Conway. Mrs. Raper was born July 21, 1927, in the Center Point community near Hazen, Arkansas, to Roy and Florence Dawson. She married Elmer Lynn Raper November 25, 1953, and in 1962 they moved to Stuttgart. Following his death in 1972, Marcelle began her employment with the Stuttgart Public School retiring in 1993 as manager of the Julia Shannon Elementary School cafeteria. She enjoyed one year of retirement before her next role began with the birth of her granddaughter Reagan, who she affectionately cared for every day. She was a member of Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. Besides her parents and husband, Marcelle was preceded in death by one sister, Modean Kee; two brothers, Charles Dawson and Raymond Dawson; sister-in-law, Janie Dawson; and two brothers-in-law, Gene Vail and Kenneth Floyd. Survivors are son, Dudley Raper and wife Renee of Stuttgart; daughter, Norma Brewer and husband Paul of Conway; grandchildren, Reagan Merritt Raper, Beverly Bush (Morgan Frizzell) and son, Collier and Amy and Brent Saunders and children Jack and Sophie, all of Stuttgart, TaLisa and Sean Sebourn of New Orleans and Torren Brewer of Conway; two sisters, Margie Vail and Joyce Floyd of Stuttgart; sister-in-law, Sue Dawson of Lonoke; and several nieces and nephews and their families. Funeral services are 2 p.m., Saturday at Center Point Missionary Baptist Church near Hazen with burial following in Center Point Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m., Friday at Turpin Funeral Home in Stuttgart. Memorials may be made to Park Avenue MBC building fund, Box 983, Stuttgart, AR 72160; Center Point Cemetery Association, c/o Gail Wallace, 2826 Hwy. 249, Hazen, Ark. 72064; or Stuttgart Senior Center, 811 S. Buerkle, Stuttgart, Ark. 72160. Her family would like to offer special thanks to Dr. Chris Morgan, Stuttgart Senior Center staff and Salem Place staff.