Rose Felton

Rose Natalie Churchwell Felton, age 98, of Lonoke, Arkansas, entered her Heavenly home on Monday, May 22, 2023.  Rose was born on January 22, 1925, to the late Eddie and Minnie Churchwell. She grew up in the Snake Island Community, outside of Carlisle, Arkansas.

Rose Churchwell and Dennis Felton married on December 6, 1946. They lived in Carlisle and North Little Rock, Arkansas before finally putting down roots in Lonoke in 1972, where they both lived until their deaths.

Rose was a strong and often sassy woman.  That strength allowed her 98 years on this Earth as she dealt with failing health the last several years.  She lived life on her own terms but her heart belong to the Lord and she was ready to be reunited with her family who had gone before her.  Even at 98, she remained in the family home, placed orders from her shopping catalogs, participated in the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes, balanced her checkbook, and created her specific grocery list to ensure Jimmy and Dorothy always got exactly what she wanted.  She loved her family and nothing gave her more joy than a visit or a phone call from them.  When it was time to leave after a visit, she always made sure you left with something.  Sometimes you left with an item she baked and sometimes it was something out of her craft room.

Rose enjoyed crafting, cooking, and canning the vegetables she grew in the garden she shared with her husband, Dennis.  She loved her jewelry collection and always had to wear something with a little extra sparkle.

Rose worked for the Jacksonville School District for 30 years as the Director of Food Services.  She made many friends there, several of which still called or came by to check on her.  After retiring from the Jacksonville School District, she went to work for the Lonoke Exceptional School, now known as Building Bridges Developmental and Community Services, Inc., where she worked for 5 years as the Director of Food Services.

Rose is survived by her younger sister, Betty (Eddie) Colclasure of Arkadelphia.  Also surviving her is her loving and devoted son, Jimmy (Dorothy) Felton of Lonoke and son-in-law Joel Rye of Baker, FL; her grandchildren Randy (Paula) Smith of Benton, AR, Rodger Smith of Houston, TX, Joe (Anna) Rye of Ward, Ricky (Elen) Smith of Lonoke, AR, Staci Rye (Sean) Cardow of Fort Walton Beach, FL, Tamra James Kirkland of Cabot, AR, Raymond Smith, Jimmy (Kristy) Felton of Sherwood, and Kelly Felton (David) Straessle of Lonoke, AR; her great grandchildren Daniel Smith of Illinois, Jessica Smith of Benton, AR, Rodger Wayne (Lindsey) Smith of Benton, AR, Rebecca Patterson of Alexander City, AL, Anthony (Hannah) Rye of Ward, Emily Smith (Drew) Southerland of Lonoke, AR, Christopher Smith of Lonoke, AR, Carli and Daisy Cardow of Fort Walton Beach, FL, Shila Kirkland of Jacksonville, AR, Kara Powell Felton of Benton; Jacob Felton of Sherwood, and Caroline & Kendall Flynt of Lonoke; her great great grandchildren Wyatt Smith, Tanner and Wyatt Patterson, Charlotte and Grace Smith, Kayden Powell Felton, Ariel Southerland, A’Brielle Fountain, Willow Hadley, and Tyrone Pope, Jr., Collin Payer, Korie and Waylon Rye; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Proceeding her in death was her loving husband, Dennis C. Felton; her daughters Charlotte Smith, Faye Rye, and Kaye Nickles; her siblings Maude Isbell, Christine Jennings, Marie Isbell, Jewel Calvert, Ethel Buie, Garnet Turnbo, JW Churchwell, and Floyd Churchwell; granddaughter Angela James.

Please join us as we celebrate her life Saturday, May 27, 2023, with an 11:00am graveside service at Concord Cemetery, 150 Concord Church Rd, Lonoke, AR. A visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 10:00am at the pavilion at the cemetery. Pallbearers are Ricky Smith, Joe Rye, Staci Rye Cardow, Tamra James Kirkland, Jimmy Felton, and Kelly Felton Straessle.

A special thank you to Dr. Les Anderson for providing many years compassionate care to Rose.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed way. Revelation 21:4.  Our family finds comfort in these words as we know we will be reunited with her in Heaven.