Clarice Russell Keith

Clarice Russell Keith, 99, died peacefully on December 6, 2014, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Clarice was known for her soft-spoken calm, her kindness, and her giving nature. She was a wise and loving mother.

Clarice was born on May 5, 1915, in El Dorado, Arkansas, to Gertrude (Woolley) and Clarence Isham Russell. She graduated from Hendrix College in 1938 where she lettered in basketball and majored in math. After teaching school and coaching softball for a few years in Union county, she took a position with Williams Brothers and was transferred to Atlanta, Georgia. There, she met William David Keith, the nephew of her landlady, and they married in 1946. The couple moved to El Dorado to raise their family and later Clarice returned to work for the El Dorado Public Schools as a librarian.

Clarice was an active and dedicated member of the First United Methodist Church in El Dorado where she taught the 4-year-old class for many years and participated in the Fellowship of the Sent and Wednesday Workers. One of her favorite church activities was the exercise class which she attended well into her 90s. She volunteered at the Salvation Army and spent many hours making handmade items for the Christmas Bazaar. Clarice also received much joy from her precious kitties that she adopted from local shelters.

Clarice was preceded in death by her husband, William David Keith, her sister, Gertie Russell, and her brother Thomas Ardis Russell.

Clarice is survived by her daughters, Virginia (Ginger) Jentsch and husband Mike of Arlington, Texas; Damaris (Macy) Purtle and husband Larry of North Little Rock, Arkansas; 4 grandchildren, Erin Hill Stephenson and husband Andy of Prosper, Texas; Grady Keith Purtle of Los Angeles, California; Katherine Claire Purtle of Chicago, Illinois; and Erik Hill and wife Amanda of Waco, Texas; and 4 great grandchildren: Alek, Kyle, and Kaitlyn Stephenson, and Reed Hill.

She is also survived by nieces and nephews: Clarice Ann (Russell) Huffman and husband Jerry of El Dorado, Arkansas; Elizabeth Anne Heard Mallonee and husband John of Fort Pierce, Florida; Margaret Young Woerner and husband Dave of Chiefland, Florida; Sylvia Sloane Raiford of Decatur, Georgia; Elaine Wiles Bowles and Connie Kay Wiles of Richmond, Virginia; Lynn Wiles Chandler of Hampton, Virginia; and Kerry Fouche of West Palm Beach, Florida.

A visitation is scheduled for 6 - 8 p.m. Friday, December 12, at Young’s Funeral Home in El Dorado. The funeral will be held on Saturday, December 13, at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church Chapel. Rev. Keith Dodson will officiate the ceremony and a graveside service will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Clarice’s life.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Union County Animal Protection Society (UCAPS) Cat House at 1000 Sunset Rd – P.O. Box 204, El Dorado, AR 71730.

The family would like to thank her church family for their love and support, and the caregivers at Comfort Keepers in El Dorado and Fox Ridge in North Little Rock for helping us let Clarice keep her independence as she completed her journey on this earth.