JONESBORO — Murphy Louis Preston,
81, of Jonesboro passed from this life into eternal life on Saturday, January 2, 2021, at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, Ark. Louis was born on December 4, 1939, in Thayer, Mo., the son of Carl and Lucille (Murphy) Preston. Louis was raised in Pine Bluff, Ark., where he met and later married his wife, Myra, on December 16, 1959. Louis was 19 and Myra was 17, when they vowed to love each other for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.
Early in their marriage, Louis proudly served in the U.S. Air Force, before beginning a career as a conductor on the Southern Pacific railroad and retiring after 25 years of service. The Prestons lovingly raised and nurtured three daughters during their time in Pine Bluff.
Louis and Myra retired to Cherokee Village, Ark., and made it their home for the next 30 years. They were co-owners of The Green Rabbit gift shop in Hardy for 18 years. Louis was an active member of the Hardy Area Chamber of Commerce and served as the Chair/Organizer of the Hardy Area Arts and Crafts Show for 15 years. The Preston’s moved to Jonesboro, Ark., in 2017 to be close to family. Louis was a faithful member of the Greensboro Road church of Christ.
Louis was preceded in death by his parents, Carl F. Preston, Sr. and Lucille (Murphy) Preston; sister, Rosemary (Preston) Gross; and brother, Carl F. Preston, Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Myra Preston, of the home; daughters, Karen Kalkbrenner, Karla (Mark) Poe, and Paula (Jeff) Presley, all of Jonesboro; brother, Scott Preston, of Hot Springs Village; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be Friday from 1-2 p.m. at Greensboro Road Church of Christ in Jonesboro, Ark. Funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. with Terry Joe Kee (of Greensboro Road Church of Christ, Jonesboro, Ark.), Ivie Powell (of West Plains, Mo., and Lee Moses (of Union City, Tenn.) officiating, with singing lead by Forrest Rose (of Mammoth Spring, Ark.). Burial will follow at Jonesboro Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Bryant Sizemore, Kent Kalkbrenner, Carl Harden, Kyle Kalkbrenner, Paul Preston, Josh Rose, Kenneth Jackson, and Brandon Baxter. Honorary pallbearers are the late Kevin King, Joel King, Preston King, Cody King, Landon King, Steve Atkins, Ron Rhodes, Jason Rhodes, Jonathon Rhodes, Steve Stoker, Marvin Hedden, Bill Pace, Keith Rose, Marshall Lands, and Gregg Strobe. Services are under the direction of Heath Funeral Home. Friends and family will be required to wear a mask and practice social distancing, as recommended by the CDC.