of Searcy, AR

September 13, 1948 - May 11, 2018

Dolores ''Dodie'' Kemper Arnold Littrell (69) went to be with the Lord on May 11, 2018. Dodie was born on September 13, 1948 to Harvey and Dorothy Kemper at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Key West, FL. She and her brother, Greg, like many children in military families attended multiple schools in their elementary years. She was her Papa Kemper's sidekick and shared a special bond that was well known to thefamily.

Upon her father's retirement from the U. S. Marine Corps and subsequent move to Arkansas where her baby sister was born, Dodie began 8th grade at Mt. Vernon Schools and graduated from MVHS in 1967.
She remembered the transition from their home in Tallahassee to the remote family farm in White County and loved to reminisce about chopping cotton and the lack of indoor plumbing in her first years at Mt. Vernon. She learned gardening and canning from her mother, and enjoyed swimming in the creek as if it was a military base pool.

Dodie worked at Arkansas Children's Colony (now AHDC) in Conway for several years caring for children with mental and physical disabilities. She loved playing Yahtzee, Scrabble, and Rook and always had a smile for everyone she met. Like her Dad, she never met a stranger, and gladly shared her love for Jesus to all.

Dodie married Jesse Alton Arnold from the Red Hill Community in November 1971 and she became a soybean farmer's wife. They did have a few cattle until moving to Rose Bud in 1980. Their home was blessed with 4 sons over the years, and she found joy in cooking for them and their friends and had a true spirit of hospitality to all who entered her home. She was known for delicious spaghetti and special sauce and her canned sweet pickles.

Dodie helped her sister, Lea, open her dental office in 1989 and served as both receptionist and dental assistant. She was a volunteer caregiver for many elderly and ailing friends who required homehealth, and always had a shoulder to cry on for those who hurt. After her husband of 33 years passed away, Dodie eventually met Gary Littrell and they were married in 2011. After moving to an independant living center in Searcy, she and Gary enjoyed time with friends, activities and games, and community. Dodie loved to crochet blankets and give as gifts.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Alton Arnold. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Gary Littrell; sons, Jesse (Jennifer) Arnold, Michael (Courtney) Arnold, Matthew Arnold, Joseph (Shea) Arnold;her grandchildren, Nicholas Arnold, Alyssa Arnold, Hayden Arnold, and Hannah Arnold; brother Greg (Debbie) Kemper, sister Lea (Ricky) Kemper-Cash, many nieces and nephews, and so many other family and friends.
There will be a memorial service on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm at Roller-Daniel Funeral Home in Searcy, AR.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Oliver Cemetery Trust at 744 Wayne Walker Rd., Romance, AR 72136.



Online guestbook: rollerdanielfuneralhomes.com/Searcy

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