William Ray Carr

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Mr. William Ray Carr passed from this life Saturday, April 14, 2012, in Kennett, Mo. He was born Sept. 4, 1924, in St. Francis, Ark., to the late Marion and Delphia Harell Carr.

He graduated from Greenway High School and served his country as a member of the 218th Ambulance Company National Guard Unit. He was employed by the USDA Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service in the Clay County office in Corning and later in the Piggott office. His employment and cooperation with the farmers in Clay County spanned 41 years until his retirement in 1989.

Following retirement Mr. Carr volunteered for many community efforts. He was Clay County's Fair Board President and was awarded Literacy Volunteer of the Year by the American Bar Association. He also often volunteered at the local elderly care facilities, playing dominoes or reading with residents.

Mr. Carr was ordained as a deacon by the Call's Chapel General Baptist Church in 1952 where he proudly served until the time his death. He also served as deacon at the Corning General Baptist Church while living in Corning.

He was instrumental in the formation of the Corning Little League Baseball Association. He spent 10 years as manager of the Jaycee Little League, going to the state championship four times.

He was a former member of the Piggott Lions Club and was a member of National Active and Retired Federal Employee Association and Gideon's International.

He was united in marriage to Ida Velera Crowson Dec. 19, 1947. She preceded him in death July 4, 2010, after 62 years of marriage. He was also preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Marion Carr Jr. and Louis Carr.

Survivors include his daughter, Charray Rogers, and husband, Gaylon, of Blytheville;

One son, Brent Carr and wife, Brenda, of Kennett;

Five grandchildren, Brittney Mills and husband, Ricky, of Benton, Hannah Rogers of Blytheville, and Mackenzie, B.J. and Blake Carr of Kennett;

A great-grandson, Cooper Mills; and

Many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Hoggard & Sons Chapel in Piggott with James Turner and James Henry Dortch officiating. Burial will be in Mitchell Cemetery in Greenway. Pallbearers will be members of the immediate family. Hoggard & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will be from noon Wednesday until service time.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon's International. An online guestbook ia available at www.hoggardfuneralhome.com