Martha Thompson

Martha Elizabeth Thompson, 82, of Little Rock, passed away August 22, 2013. She was born in Little Rock to Carl C. and Ida Phillips Jones and was a member and elder of First Christian Church. In 1951, she graduated from Arkansas State Teachers College (now UCA) and taught in elementary schools in El Dorado for several years. She then graduated from Butler Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana and was ordained as a minister in the Christian Church. Thereafter, she worked in the field of Christian Education in St. Louis, Missouri and Fort Wayne, Indiana; she then worked for many years as a curriculum editor for the Cokesbury United Methodist Publishing House in Nashville, Tennessee. Following that she worked for six years as manager of the Cokesbury Bookstore in Memphis, Tennessee. Martha belonged to the Audubon Society and was a Master Gardener. She loved gardening, birdwatching, reading, working puzzles and traveling.
Preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Rev. Ervin L. Thompson; step-sister, Sandra Majick, step-granddaughter, Elizabeth Thompson, she is survived by her brother, Carl Jones, Jr. of Conway; stepson, Larry Thompson (Margaret) of St. Joseph, Missouri; first cousins, James Phillips of Sun City, Arizona, John Phillips (Kathy) of Elkins, Louise Gooden of Alexandria, Virginia, Bob Parette (Pat) of Little Rock, Jane Churchill (Roland) of Modesto, California, Mary Williams (D.L.) of Markleeville, California, Norma Phillips of Concord, California, Diana Albin (Tim) of Torrance, California and Harry Clerget (Mary) of Little Rock; step-granddaughters, Marla Daugherty (Ben) and Jennifer Clark (Alan), both of St. Joseph, Missouri and step-grandson, Thomas Thompson (Angela) of Lawrence, Kansas, all with children too numerous to mention by name; and a host of other family members and friends.
A service celebrating Martha's life will be held on Saturday, October 5 at 11:00 a.m. at First Christian Church, officiated by Rev. Kevin Robbins, followed by interment at Caney Cemetery in Conway. Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 1500 N. Mississippi, Little Rock, AR 72207 or to the Arkansas Food Bank, 4301 W. 65th St., Little Rock, AR 72209.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., (501)224-2200. Martha's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.