Lora Swindle

SEARCY - Lora Lou Swindle, aged 78, passed from this life on April 30 at Unity Health in Searcy.

She was born in Paragould, July 17, 1946, to Louie and Ernestine Short. She was a 1964 graduate of Crowley's Ridge Academy, attended Crowley's Ridge College, and graduated from Harding University in 1971 with a degree in Social Science. She taught one year for the Williford School District.

In June of 1971, she met her future husband Phillip on homecoming day at the Pine Knot Church of Christ. They dated that summer and fall and were married December 24, 1971.

From 1972 to 1982, she and Phillip taught school at Leachville High School.

Since that time she spent the rest of her career teaching at the Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis, Buffalo Island Central Schools, and then retired in 2008 after ten years as junior high librarian at Greene County Tech.

From the age of fifteen, Lora was actively involved in teaching children's classes in Sunday school. Over a period of time spanning a half-century, she taught children in small churches while her husband Phillip ministered to those churches in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri.

She was a devout member of the church of Christ for over 65 years.

In 2012, Lora and Phillip moved to Searcy to be near their children and grandchildren. She adored her family. They were her whole life.

She was preceded in death by her beloved grandparents Mamie and Joel Alva Baine, her mother Ernestine Spillman, and step-father Donald Gene Spillman, and cherished Aunt Doris Short.

Lora leaves behind her husband Phillip of the home, her sons Devin (Rachel) of Searcy and Matthew (Taren) of Sherwood.

She is also survived by grandchildren Isaac (Libby) of Portland, Ore., Elijah, Samuel, Josiah, Eli, and Jeremiah all of Searcy, and great granddaughter Ada Grace of Portland. She leaves behind special friends Dan and Barbara Newsom and a host of relatives and friends.

With her remaining breaths of life, she prayed for God to relieve her suffering and take her home to heaven.

Memorials may be made to the Pine Knot Cemetery Fund, Children's Homes of Paragould or The Kerusso Experience of Harding University.

Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m., at Highway Church of Christ in Judsonia. Visitation will precede the service, beginning at 9:30 a.m. A graveside service will be held at 3:30 p.m. at Pine Knot Cemetery near Paragould. Those serving as pallbearers will be her sons and grandsons. Honorary pallbearers include Dr. Lee Woodruff, Dr. Wayne Bruffett, Dr. Reid Thomas, and The Shepherds of Highway Church of Christ.

Arrangements are entrusted to Powell Funeral Home of Searcy. www. powellfuneralhome.net