LOWELL — Leota Beard,

85, of Lowell, Ark., beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, stepped into Heaven on Sunday, April 26 at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. She was born Dec. 17, 1934, in Rogers, Ark., to Hugh and Izora Davis, the youngest of their seven children.

She graduated from Rogers High School in 1952 and married her one and only love, Clint Beard, on July 4, 1953, at Sunnyside Baptist Church in Rogers. She worked as a bookkeeper in Rogers for Daisy Manufacturing, Dick Barclay CPA, IGA Food Store and Immanuel Baptist Church.

She and her husband also owned and operated the Bible Book Store in Rogers, serving their customers with love until it was destroyed by fire in June 1978. They rebuilt and continued serving faithfully until they sold it in 1984.

Leota put her exceptional talents in calligraphy and pen and ink painting to good use by creating her own line of stationery, greeting cards, and decorative plaques, a line later picked up and sold nationally for years. She was lovingly known as “The Butterfly Lady,” in that every piece of her art showcased a beautiful butterfly.

She faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher, directed the Puppet Ministry at Monte Ne Baptist Church with her husband and was a member of the Adult Sunday School class and Women of Grace Women’s Ministry at Grace Baptist Church.

She is survived by her loving husband, Clint; daughters Pam Long (Eldon) of Highfill and Karen Boone (Dan) of Lowell; grandchildren Chris Long (Greta) of Lowell, Casey Reynolds (Pete) of Highfill and CeCe Malone (Sam) of Highfill. She was a loving “GiGi” to her seven great-grandchildren and loved by countless nieces, nephews, and friends.

There will be a private family service at this time and a public memorial service at Grace Baptist church, to be announced at a later date. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Epting Funeral Home in Bentonville. In lieu of flowers at this time, memorial contributions can be sent to Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. Online condolences at www.eptingfuneral home.webs.com.