Carl Baxter

JONESBORO - Carl Evans Baxter, 88, of Jonesboro, died Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. He was born on March 25, 1937, the son of Austin and Ida (Roach) Baxter.

Carl was born in a house in the "V" that separated the Sandtown Road and the Pine Hill Road near Cushman. His family moved to Lawrence County in Oct. 1937, and farmed at Route 3, Walnut Ridge. After graduating from Egypt High School in 1955, Carl did various jobs, such as working on a Detroit automobile assembly line and surveying for the U.S. Geodetic Survey. He joined the Air Force in 1958 and married Gail Boyd of Cash in 1960. During his military service of 26 years, he worked in chapel management, recruiting, and personnel. He retired in 1984 and moved back to Arkansas, living in North Little Rock and Sherwood. He then worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs before retiring in 2000. He and Gail moved to Jonesboro in 2002 to be close to family. Prior to the 2020 tornado, Carl enjoyed getting up in the mornings to head to the mall to walk and hang out with his mall buddies. He tried his hand at writing three novels, of which two took place in Northeast Arkansas. He wrote a few editorials for the Jonesboro Sun, some that raised eyebrows. He enjoyed reading, particularly nonfiction and military history, but later in life, he started reading mysteries. PBS British dramas and mysteries were his primary entertainment, as was Cardinals baseball. He also played the guitar, having learned to play by ear.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Gail, of 59 years. He is survived by his daughter Carmen Baxter of the home; son and daughter-in-law William and Tracy Baxter of Cabot; grandson Aidan Baxter of Cabot; brother and sister-in-law Warren and Karen Baxter of Jonesboro, as well as several nieces and nephews and their families.

There will be a visitation at Emerson Funeral Home today, Feb. 17, from 9 to 11 a.m. There will be no services. Private burial will be held at a later time at Johnson Cemetery in Cash.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Johnson Cemetery, P.O. Box 147, Cash, Ark., 72421, or the charity of your choice.

Online registry: www. emersonfuneralhome.com