DUMAS — Peggy Johnson Carey,

formerly of Dumas, Ark., passed away on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, in Little Rock, Ark. Peggy was born on July 30, 1933, in Lincoln County, Ark. Peggy is preceded in death by her husband, Jack D. Carey and her parents, Derwood and Audley Johnson.

Peggy is survived by her children: Sancy (John) Courson of McGehee, Ark.; Betsy (Gary) Orr of Rogers, Ark.; John (Jill) Ogles of North Little Rock, Ark.; step-children Jack D. “Corky” Carey Jr. of Oak Ridge, La.; Mary Katherine Carey Freeman of Memphis, Tenn.; and grandchildren Brent (Jessica) Orr, Shane (Jess) Orr, Josh (Katie) Courson, Chris (Mandy) Courson, Matt Courson, William Ogles and Patrick Ogles, and step-grandchildren Nancy Lee (Stuart) Carey-McMahen, Mary Janette Carey, and great-grandchildren Anna Claire Orr, Presley Courson, Bennett Orr, Sutton Orr, Haysley Courson, Jack Courson, Millie Courson, Maeve Courson, Rose Courson, Zoey Dean and Molly Dean. She is also survived by her bonus son J. P. (Lisa) Moore of Decatur, Texas.

Peggy is a retired schoolteacher from the Dermott Public Schools. She taught English and typing at Dermott High School and adult education classes at the Adult Center. Peggy organized English as a Second Language at Dermott Baptist Church and trained the volunteers who taught the classes. She held a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. While she taught English at Dermott High School, she was the adviser for the Dermott Ram’s Tale and the high school paper. She was a treasurer of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for women educators. In 1985

Peggy was named the Edgar M. Easley Award as the outstanding adult basic education teacher of the year in North America. The City of Dermott declared April 12, 1985, “Peggy Carey Day.” She was commonly described as “Mrs. Caring.” For her work teaching English to Vietnamese refugees, in 1980, she received both the governor’s Volunteer Services Award from Governor Clinton and a national humanitarian award from the Migration and Refugee Services. Peggy was also the first woman to solo an airplane from the Dermott airport.

Graveside service will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, November 27th, at Dark Corner Cemetery, Gould, Ark., with Dr. Tandy Hanson officiating.

Memorials may be made in Peggy’s name to First United Methodist Church, 230 Court St., Dumas, Ark., 71639, Presbyterian Village, 500 Brookside Dr., Little Rock, 72205 or Carti, 8901 CARTI Way, Little Rock, Ark., 72205.

Arrangements entrusted to Griffin funeral Home, Dumas, Ark. Please sign the online guestbook: www.griffinfh.com.