Irene Dalton Ferrell

Irene Dalton Ferrell was born on January 7, 1953 to the late Charles and Ethel Louise Sloan in Des Arc, Arkansas. She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Leon Sloan and Vernon "Butch" Sloan; and nephew, Dwayne Sloan.
She was born with passion and purpose as she grew up in rural Arkansas, accepting challenges and using every opportunity as a step forward to her dreams. As a child, she valued education as well as learning the art of agriculture, gardening and taking care of Mother nature. Her intellect and thirst for knowledge resonated as she was an avid reader who enjoyed new adventures and experiences. Irene was driven by an inner desire to reach beyond boundaries and becoming an amazing woman, mother, wife, grandmother, sister and friend.
Her most valuable accomplishment was the birth of her daughter, Mrs. Amanda Cathleen Morris of Little Rock, Arkansas. She instilled into Amanda the importance of being kind, respectful and showing love to all mankind. As her role model, Irene demonstrated the value of hard work, determination and was the best example of "girl power". She was a visionary and understood the value of having a plan, following the rules, and not giving up on her dreams no matter what.
Matriculating through life, she found the love of her life, Lonnie, as they crossed paths at Van Huesen Shirt Factory. She was dedicated to her husband for 36 years of marriage. During their years together, they understood the power of sacrifice, support, and working together for the common goal. Each had their time to support the other for personal aspirations. As a couple, they were the epitome of entrepreneurship as they built from scratch a successful quail farm. Together, they enjoyed extensive home renovations as she utilized her design knowledge gained by watching every episode on Home and Garden television and Lonnie's ability to see her vision and bring it to light with his extensive carpentry skills. They were quite the team.
Irene never stopped learning as she became a nontraditional student with her best friend, Gail, her youngest sister. Together, they made beautiful memories pursing a career in physical therapy. Irene and Gail were study buddies, attending classes at UCA, serving as lab partners and gaining their degrees and licenses as Physical Therapy Assistants. After graduating, they moved on to the next step entering the workforce together helping patients get back to their best self physically. Yet, the burn of entrepreneurship continued in Irene as she and her sister embarked on building and managing their hand-crafted physical therapy company together. Now, that is true "girl power".
She was a true perfectionist at heart. She saw value keeping a tidy home and being organized. Her meticulous ways and stringent rules sometimes made those around her a little uncomfortable, but those who truly knew her, loved her idiosyncrasies and appreciated her uniqueness.
Irene cherished the memories with her true treasure, her daughter, son in law, Chris Morris and grandchildren Ethan, Laura and Christian. They have fond memories of her being a kid at heart, roller skating throughout the house, cheering at their sporting events, listening to their concerts, and capturing the special moments with pictures. Vacations, holidays and family gatherings were the magic of Irene's life. Her family knew she did not enjoy cooking, yet she was an extraordinary baker who was known for her chocolate cake, ooey gooey cake, and the unforgettable carrot cake from scratch.
Left to cherish Irene's memory are her husband, Lonnie Ferrell; daughter, Amanda (Chris) Morris; grandchildren, Ethan, Laura, and Christian; Sister, Susan Gail Lugo; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Irene made a lasting mark on this universe. Her spark will be carried on through her family as she left a legacy of vision, hope and the ability to make the most out of every opportunity even to the very end.