Caroline Hope McClurkin Lester

Caroline Hope McClurkin Lester, age 94, died June 26, 2018 at Greenbrier, Arkansas. She was a graduate of Stephens High School, A&M College (Now S.A.U.) at Magnolia, and Hendrix College in Conway. She was doing graduate work in public administration at the University of Alabama when World War II ended and she married Will Jay Lester Jr., her husband of more than sixty years. She later did graduate work at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She taught in elementary school in Vernon, Texas, and in Camden High School, where she served as chairman of the English Department for a number of years. She was a Methodist and at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Camden had served as a children's Sunday School teacher and chairman of the Administrative Council, Board of Trustees, and Pastor Parish Relations Committee. She was an organizing member, vice regent, and secretary of the Tate's Bluff Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. While teaching she was a member of the American Society of University Women, Delta Kappa Gamma, A.E.A. and N.E.A. She had been president of the New Century Club in Camden. She was awarded a state award for her work with United Cerebral Palsy. After moving from Camden, she and her husband lived at the Good Shepherd retirement campus in Little Rock. In her last years she moved to Conway to live with her son and his family, and later moved to Seeds of Love Nursing Center in Greenbrier. She is survived by a daughter, Sara Jane Lester of Little Rock, a son, Harry Jay Lester and his wife Sandra Nicholes Lester of Conway, and two grandsons, Benjamin Thomas Lester of Fayetteville and Jack Gordon Lester of Conway. She was preceded in death by her husband, Will Jay Lester Jr., two infant daughters, Margaret Suzanne Lester and Jamie Louise Lester; her parents, Harry Gordon McClurkin and Margaret Drusilla "Sula" Curry McClurkin, and one sister, Margaret Louise McClurkin Smith. Memorial graveside service will be 10 a.m. at Stephens Cemetery on Monday, July 2nd under the direction of Proctor Funeral Home of Camden, Arkansas. Memorials may be made to the church or charity of your choice. To sign the online guest register, visit www.proctorfuneralhome.com.