BARBARA CURTIS WOODYEAR,

87, of North Little Rock passed from this life on September 26, 2021. She was born February 14, 1934, in North Little Rock, Arkansas to the late Thomas D. and Elaine (McCaslin) Curtis. Barbara was a 1952 graduate of North Little Rock High School. In 1955 Barbara married Carl E. Woodyear. Together they spent the next 57 years creating a life of love and memories.

Barbara obtained her bachelor’s degree in education from UCA. She taught 2nd grade for many years and was a reading specialist as well. During this time, she fought and won a battle with breast cancer and never missed a day of teaching while going through her chemo and radiation treatments. She eventually went back to UCA and graduated with a master’s degree in counseling in 1977 as well as obtaining her specialist degree. Her years as a teacher and a school counselor brought her great joy and fulfillment.

Barbara was a long-time member of Park Hill Presbyterian Church. Her hobbies included shopping, traveling, and genealogy research. Barbara also enjoyed her dance classes at the gym where she was often surrounded by women half her age. She was politically active and supported many organizations that promoted causes she believed in. She closely followed current events and never held back from sharing her opinion on such matters. She loved spending time with her lifelong friends, the Jolly Girls, as well as The Group, with which she and Carl enjoyed many themed dinner parties. Her friends were very important to her, but she was always happiest spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. Family reunions were very important to her. She wanted her children to stay close and her grandchildren to know each other and be good friends. She succeeded with these goals.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Carl E. Woodyear; siblings, Tom Curtis, and Polly Norrell.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Mark (Elaine) Woodyear of West Virginia, Marianne (Mike) Poore of Little Rock; grandchildren, Curtis (Maggie) Woodyear of Arizona, Melinda (Al) Walsh of Louisiana, Carli Woodyear of Virginia, Patrick Smith of Bentonville, and Olivia (Joshua) Dean of Louisiana. Other survivors include great-grandchildren Madeline and Charlotte Woodyear; nephews, Johnny (Loretta) Norrell of Little Rock, Gordon Norrell of Texas, Neal (Carolyn) White of Texas; great-nephew, Michael John Norrell of Little Rock; along with many extended family and friends.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, October 1, 2021, at Park Hill Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m., Thursday, September 30, 2021, at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home. Barbara will be laid to rest next to her husband at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at 1 p.m. on Monday, October 11, 2021. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Park Hill Presbyterian Church, 3520 John F Kennedy Blvd, North Little Rock, Ark. 72116 or the MDS Foundation at www.mds-foundation.org.

Arrangements entrusted to Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main Street, North Little Rock, Ark. 72114, (501) 7581170. Online guestbook: www.smithfamilycares.com