Irma Little Boyer

Irma Little Boyer, 109, of Fayetteville, Ark., passed away on December 18, 2019 after a long and well lived life. Irma, one of eight children, was born to William Alfred and Montezella Lewis Little in Abbott Ark., on Nov. 23, 1910. She graduated from Mansfield High School in 1929 and began her college education at Arkansas Tech where she met her future husband, Paul Boyer. She transferred to Arkansas Teachers College, now known as UCA, for a year and then began her long teaching career which included schools in Cherry Hill, Witcherville, Cale, and Acorn. After marrying Paul in 1937, they lived in several towns in the state including Pine Bluff where Irma started and directed the Presbyterian Weekday Kindergarten for seven years. In 1956 after the family moved to Fayetteville, Irma completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Arkansas and later earned her master's there. Irma, truly a teacher at heart, taught in Fayetteville for 20 years, before retiring in 1976. To enhance her work, she completed numerous specialty courses in several colleges, including one in Great Britain. She was well known in the educational field and was elected to Who's Who in Childhood Development Professionals in 1976. Irma had an inquisitive nature with many interests that probably led to her long life. After retirement she dove into genealogy and family history research and wrote two family books and several articles for other publications. She and Paul took up the dulcimer and became active in the Ozark Dulcimer Society. She traveled extensively, even taking a float trip down the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon at age 80. Irma was active at Central United Methodist Church, a member of the Asbury Sunday School class, Rebekah circle of UMW and worked in the children's library. She never stopped learning or volunteering. Predeceased by her husband, parents and siblings, Irma is survived by her son, William (Bill) Paul Boyer, Jr. (Martha) of Dodgeville Wis.; daughter Jane Boyer Shipley (Curtis), of Fayetteville; grandsons William Edward Boyer(Lisa) of Rockport Texas, Roger Lewis Boyer of Raleigh, N.C., David Curtis Shipley (Jamie) of Little Rock, Neil Harrison Shipley (Sally) of Fayetteville, John Boyer Fox of Brandon, Miss., and Jeffrey Doerr Fox (Suzanne) of Kansas City, Mo., and great-grandchildren Deanna, Michael, Colton and Steven Boyer, Sarah Ann, Harrison, Rhys and Braden Shipley, and Catherine and Wescott Paul Fox and a host of nieces and nephews. The family extends a special thanks to the staff of Butterfield Trail Village. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, January 10, 2020 at Butterfield Trail Village. Memorials can be made to the Paul and Irma Boyer Scholarship, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, AFLS E-202, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark., 72701; Central United Methodist Church, 6 W. Dickson, Fayetteville, 72701; or Butterfield Trail Village Foundation, 1923 E. Joyce, Fayetteville 72703. To place an online tribute visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.