of Bull Shoals, AR

October 13, 1936 - March 3, 2016

Carol Ann Coward, 79

Carol Ann Coward, 79, of Bull Shoals passed from this earth Thursday, March 3, 2016, at Brownwood, Texas. A funeral is set for 2 p.m. Thursday at Riverside Church of Christ in Gassville, with burial following at Baxter Memorial Gardens. Visitation is set for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Roller Funeral Home in Mountain Home.

In her blog, Carol Ann described herself as ''a restless mind and soul'' with unlimited interests and curiosity, including but not limited to fishing; dogs; photography; computers, classical, Broadway and movie musicals; operatic and religious music; reading; art; following sports, especially football; politics; religion and being a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan. She considered herself driven to fill every minute of every waking hour. She was not known for afternoon naps and usually was sick if she slept during the day.

Carol Ann was born Oct. 13, 1936, in Fort Worth, Texas. She was adopted as an infant and in 2000, was united with her biological family, after most of the family she always had known was deceased. She considered herself fortunate that her birth mother realized, no doubt with some grief, that given the circumstances, a better life for Carol Ann lay with another family. Until her death, Carol Ann maintained amiable relationships with all her relatives.

The daughter of W. Paul and E. Lucile Richardson of Brownwood, she married Shelly C. Coward, son of Wilburn and Nannie Coward of Scranton, North Carolina, on Feb. 22, 1969, at Austin Avenue Church of Christ Church in Brownwood. She also lived in Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Denton, Texas, Baltimore, Maryland; Norfolk, Virginia; Mehdia Beach, Morocco and semi-retired to Bull Shoals in 1980.

She was a graduate of the University of Texas College of Pharmacy, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and continued work toward a Masters degree. She held certificates of completion and credits in journalism, computers and photography from various colleges and universities.

Pharmacy was her primary career for 36 years, with secondary stints as an invoice audit clerk at Naval Training Command, Kenitra, Morocco, and freelance reporter for various area newspapers. Her pharmacy career ended after a bout of kidney cancer, and she spent the remainder of retirement working with various service projects, such as a small local newsletter and Bull Shoals Christmas dinner with her friend, Linda Masters, and producing a church bulletin for seven years.

She considered her crowning achievement the founding Bull Shoals TeleCare in 2004, along with Linda Masters and Jo Underhill. This free, volunteer service calls those who live alone daily, 365 days a year. She served three terms as an alderman on Bull Shoals City Council as well as serving on Bull Shoals Planning Commission, Bull Shoals City Hall Building Committee and Bull Shoals Park Commission.

Her best adventure, global learning experience and privilege was living in the third-world, Islamic country of Morocco, when her husband was stationed there with US Navy security at Sidi Yahia. They traveled extensively in Morocco and visited Gibraltar and Spain, including Alhambra in Granada, Andalusia.


Carol Ann was a Christian as defined in the Holy Scripture and described in one of her favorite hymns, ''Just a Sinner Saved by Grace.'' She frequently said her spiritual life was changed and rejuvenated when she and Shelly discovered and became members at Riverside Church of Christ.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Shelly C. Coward of Bull Shoals; her sister, Sandra S. Edgar of Brownwood; her sister-in-law, Glenda Richarson of Brownwood; half-brother, Arthur Weldon ''Deak'' Hagler; half-sister, Donnie Toal; a multitude of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews of her adopted and biological families; rescue dog Luckie; and dear friend, Linda Masters.

She was preceded in death by her parents, W. Paul and E. Lucile Richardson; brother, Stanley Richardson; birth mother, Eloise Hagler; half-brother, David Hagler; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews from her adopted and biological families; childhood friend, Myrna E.S. Lees and three beloved dogs.

Memorials may be made to Bull Shoals TeleCare, P.O. Box 671, Bull Shoals, AR 72619.

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