Carolyn Masopust

I was born in Hot Springs on February 18, 1947, at St Joseph’s Hospital. My parents, Robert Earl Smith (1928-2008) and Betty Jo Bibb (1928-2015) had married in 1946. I was born into Tigert Memorial Methodist Church and am still an active member of that congregation.

My father was a salesman and avid fisherman, his entire life. He worked for many wholesalers over the years, but eventually bought the Joe Paulk Company Wholesale out of Russellville, AR. The children worked for dad. My mother managed the household, raised children and fished, of course! They were married for 62 years.

I am the oldest of three children. My brother David E Smith was in the Hot Springs High School class of 1966. He was a University of Arkansas graduate, and an attorney. David died in 2005. My sister, Deborah (Debbie), married young instead of finishing high school. Deb worked for Joe Paulk Company. She had two children Lara Salmon, Hot Springs High School graduate and Jordan Smith. Debbie died in 2008.

After graduating in ‘65, my friends and I attend Henderson State Teacher's College. I graduated in 1969 with a BSE in Elementary Education. I began teaching at Lake Hamilton in the fall of 1969. I moved to Marianna to teach where I met and married Donald Masopust in 1970. Divorced in 1994. We had three children Kelly, Kerrie, and Kevin Masopust, all Hot Springs High School graduates. I began teaching in Hot Springs in 1981. Taught at Jones School, Langston, and Gardner Magnet. Retired in 2015 from Hot Springs Intermediate School.

I have five granddaughters, two grandsons, and 5 great grandsons. A great granddaughter and another great grandson are on the way. My oldest granddaughter is a 2012 Trojan graduate. She has a degree from Pulaski Technical and is currently attending Henderson State University and raising a 7-year-old and a 1-year-old. My two grandsons are college graduates. One is in the air Force with wife and three sons, the other is preparing to take his teaching exam.

In my family, church, school, working for Dad as teens and fishing, of course, were all important in our character building. I thank them for that! And, oh, those friends from HSHS that went to college together, are still lifelong friends. Some are no longer here with us, but forever in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to one of our Mother's favorite causes: The Humane Society, Hot Springs Library, your local Library, or a local blessing box.