Mary Sue Tarter

Mary Sue (West) Tarter, 89, of Russellville (formerly Carlisle), Arkansas, entered into the Kingdom of Heaven on December 11, 2024. 

She was a long-time resident of Carlisle where she and the love of her life, David Gayle Tarter, raised their three daughters. She was employed many years at Carlisle Methodist Church, where she enjoyed working with six different pastors who were appointed there throughout the years - helping them get to know the wonderful congregation she so cherished. She took great joy in serving the Lord faithfully by representing the church through creating the weekly bulletin, her professionalism with pastoral care relations and coordinating yearly stewardship campaigns. She loved greeting all who came to the church office and assisting them every way she could. Upon retiring from this role, she was able to spend more time with her grandchildren she so dearly loved. After the death of her beloved husband, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and although the disease changed her in many ways, it never changed her sweet spirit. Up until her death, she still radiated the joy of our Lord as witnessed by us and so many of her caregivers who told us story after story of the ways she loved on them. The Lord worked through our beautiful mom the rest of her life as His love in a broken world. We are blessed by her life and testimony. 

She is remembered for her faithfulness to the Lord, her deep love for her family, her delightful laugh and her impeccable sense of grace and style. 

She is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, David Gayle Tarter; her daughter, Susan Tarter Ward; her son-in-law, Jim Lenderman; her parents, Harry and Addie West; her brothers, Earl, Charlie, Dennis, Woodrow, Bill and Harry Lee West: and her sisters, Ruth Silcott and Ruby Lambertson. 

She is survived by her daughters, Dianne Tarter Briggs (Jay) of Pottsville, Arkansas and Beth Tarter Lenderman (Jim) of Fort Worth, Texas. She is also survived by grandsons, David Ward, Leighton Satterfield (Taylor), Logan Satterfield (Lauren), Lawson Satterfield, Hayden Lenderman, Jordan Lenderman (Mary Kinsey) and granddaughter, Elisabeth Ward; great-grandchildren, Mitchell Ward, Chloe Ward, Gage Ward (Hope), Gunner Ward, Lucy Satterfield, Ellie Satterfield and Molly Satterfield. 

A special thank you to Legacy Heights Nursing and Rehab in Russellville, Arkansas, for the gracious care they took of our mother over the past 10 years. She loved all her caregivers. 

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Carlisle Methodist Church in Carlisle, Arkansas. Visitation will be held one hour before the service at 10:00 a.m.

Graveside services will follow going to Carlisle Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Carlisle Methodist Church.