Lola Belle Carpenter

Lola Belle Lockard Carpenter, on Monday evening, November 21, 2011, passed peacefully from this earthly life into her eternal home in heaven. She was the middle child born to Berry L. Lockard and Carrie Mae Thomas Lockard in Sulphur Rock, Arkansas in 1913. She was raised in this tiny community where, at a young age, she gave her heart and life to Jesus and was baptized in a creek near the small Baptist Church she attended. After her graduation from Sulphur Rock High School in 1930, her family moved to Batesville, Arkansas, where she began her adult life. She married Cecil Compton Carpenter in 1936 and had her first child, Cecil Don Carpenter in 1937. After living in Batesville for a few years, they moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where her second child, Carolyn, was born, and here was where she made her home and spent the rest of her adult life. She was employed for many years by Pfeifers of Arkansas where she enjoyed working in the ladies' sportswear department. She retired from Central Arkansas Water Company where she worked in customer service. A faithful member of Immanuel Baptist Church since July 28, 1946, she was a lifelong member of the Ruth Bible Class until recently when some of its remaining members joined the Phebean Sunday School Class. In earlier years she was active in WMU and other church activities and worked for a time in Mother's Day Out, where she enjoyed working with two year olds, particularly Andy and Ashley Wilson, who were children of friends and who became like grandchildren to her. She was a member of the Grace Singers, which, for a time, was a choir of senior adults that on occasion would present special music for a church service. She loved her church and, during this last year, was saddened when she was no longer able to attend regularly. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil C. Carpenter; her parents, Berry and Carrie Lockard; her son, Don Carpenter; her sister, Valerie Wren; her brother, Don Lockard; and having been blessed with such a long life, she was also preceded in death by a host of other relatives and friends. She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Parson, and son-in-law, David Parson; daughter-in-law, Peggy Carpenter; grandchildren, Scot, Rick, and Stuart Carpenter, and Cheri Armitage; eight great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; and special nieces Jo Ann Nations, Melissa Rittenhouse and her daughters, Catherine and Caroline, Mimi Wren: and a sister-in-law, Jewel Lockard. Special thank yous go to Jo Ann, Mimi, friend Vida Day, and Arkansas Hospice for their special loving care of her during these last weeks of her life. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:25. In recent weeks when asked what she thought heaven would be like, she responded, "What a question. It'll be perfect!" Visitation will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday at the chapel of Immanuel Baptist Church followed at 10 a.m. by a memorial service officiated by Pastor Gary Hollingsworth. Burial will be at Oaklawn Cemetery in Batesville, Arkansas at 12:45 p.m. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church, 501 North Shackleford Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211, Samaritan's Purse, Post Office Box 3000, Boone, North Carolina 28607, or a charity of your choice. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.