of Marion, AR

April 8, 1933 - February 23, 2023

Edna Mae Roeder Leaptrot, of Marion, AR went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at the age of 89.

Edna was born on April 8, 1933 to Elmer James Roeder and Ada Mae Risner Roeder. She was the sixth of nine children. She was the first in her large family to be born in a hospital and the last sibling to pass away.

She grew up in Earle, AR and was very involved with school activities. She played basketball, was a cheerleader, was a member of Glee Club and as a Senior Maid was voted as Halloween Carnival Queen. She graduated from Earle High School in 1952.

A few months later, she married her sweetheart, our Dad, William Leaptrot. They lived a full and happy life together for 34 years before he passed away in 1986 at the age of 53. She was a widow for 36 years and never wanted to remarry because she would never find another man like Billy.

She had a few jobs in her life. As a young person she worked at a potato chip factory in Memphis and then Ed's Camera Shop. After raising her family she worked at the BX at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska as Cashier Manager. In her later years, because she wanted to get out of the house and loved talking to people, she worked as a demo lady for Walmart in Jacksonville, AR.

Not long after they married, Billy joined the United State Air Force. Edna was concerned about leaving her family and Arkansas because it was all she had ever known but said it was the best thing that ever happened to them. The military took them to several states through the years the longest stay being in Anchorage, Alaska for over 9 years. They retired in 1979 and moved to Jacksonville, AR and built a home.

Edna loved her family deeply. She was an ''in the floor'' kind of Grandma. She was fun and she was funny. We are all so blessed that so many generations were touched by her and that even the younger ones will remember her.

She loved sports especially Razorback football and basketball. She was their most loyal fan and was also their loudest. It was always so much fun watching games with her. She also loved playing sports. In her 50's and 60's she would play basketball with teenage boys showing them how it is done and played racquetball doubles with her daughter competitively against the GIs and often won. She also would walk 5-10 miles in the mornings and Dad would ride his bike alongside her to make sure she was alright.

Edna loved Jesus. She read her Bible every day, enjoyed watching Charles Stanley and wanted to make sure you were saved. She attended First Baptist Church in Marion. Her faith was obvious to all who knew her and it brings her family great peace knowing she is living with her Savior today. She would want us to share this verse:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William S. Leaptrot Jr., and her siblings Lillie Mae, Myrtle, Dorothy, Juanita, Harvey ''Bull'', Elmer Lee, Floyd and Bobby.

Surviving her are her children Mike (Sara) Leaptrot of Marion, AR, Karen (Jeffrey) Dula of Collierville, TN, her grandchildren Billy Joe (Casey) Leaptrot of Panama, OK, Mickey Leaptrot of Marion, AR, Jessica (Kendall) Luttrell of Collierville, TN, Jenna Dula of Collierville, TN, Scott (Shawna) Brewer of West Memphis, AR as well as her great grandchildren Cole Leaptrot, Tucker Leaptrot, Remy Luttrell, Paige Markley and Cameron Brewer.

Edna was the matriarch and heartbeat of her family. She is already missed so much.

Services will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Crittenden Memorial Park Pavilion at 1:00 PM. Roller-Citizens in West Memphis has charge.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in her honor to In Touch Ministries, The American Diabetes Association or St. Jude Children's Hospital.

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