Dr. Tommy J. Carney, Sr.

Dr. Tommy J. Carney, Sr., 82, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at home surrounded by loving family. He was born in Blytheville on Sept. 29, 1938, to Herman Leonard and Jessie Lee Moody Carney. He was a local business owner of Carney Funeral Home & Cemetery and Carney Farms & Rentals.

Dr. Carney was a graduate of Blytheville Senior High; Southern Baptist College; Arkansas State University; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Bethany Theological Seminary; and attended Oxford University, Regent’s Park College, Oxford, England.

Dr. Carney wrote the introduction and the outline for the book of Hosea in the Christian Life Bible, published by the Thomas Nelson Publishing Company, 1985. He has hosted several trips to the Holy Land, the Middle East and parts of Europe. He was instrumental in founding two churches, West Sherman Baptist, Sherman, Texas, and Mountain Home Baptist, Mountain Home, Ark. He ministered in churches all across this country, whether through revival services or as a pastor. As a minister in Springfield, Mo., he had a daily radio program and a weekly TV ministry. He also taught Old Testament literature, New Testament literature, and Introduction to Philosophy at Arkansas Northeastern College.

He served on many state denominational committees. He served on the board of trustees and was an adjunct professor at Southwest Baptist University at Bolivar, Mo.

Dr. Carney was the coroner of Mississippi County for three terms and continued as a deputy coroner since his retirement. He’s been a volunteer chaplain at the Great River Medical Center and chaplain of Blytheville Fire Department. He was also a member of The Grand Lodge of Arkansas, F&AM, Chickasaw #135, Master Mason.

He enjoyed fishing, playing golf, eating and visiting with his friends, watching ballgames, reading and studying his Bible, and being with family. He really enjoyed being at home with his sweetheart of 65 years, and his two dogs, Sissy and Jack. He had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. He loved his community and Blytheville has always been home to him.

He was preceded in death by his son, Mississippi County Judge Randy L. Carney; his mother, Jesse Lee Goodman; his father, Herman Carney; and his stepfather, Herbert Goodman.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dr. Mabelee Lunsford Carney, of the home; his children, Joe (Vickie) Carney of Thayer, Mo., Rick (Teresa) Carney of Sadler, Texas, Susan (Ronnie) Myers of Blytheville, Alan (Beverly) Carney of Mountain Home, and Allen Merritt of Las Vegas, Nev.; 16 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Lana Carney; sister-in-law, Margaret (Jonathan) Abbott; niece, Johnnie Abbott (Scott) Copeland; and many other family members and friends that will miss him dearly