of Eureka Springs, AR

September 16, 1938 - March 18, 2025

Carrol Janis Hinkle Howard, 86, of Prairie Grove, Arkansas was a devoted Christian of the Catholic Church, a journalist, a lyricist, an activist for life and peace, and above all else, a dedicated mother. She passed away on March 18, 2025 after a lengthy illness at Prairie Grove Health & Rehab in Prairie Grove. She was born on September 16, 1938 in Bell City, Missouri to Charles M. and Prattie A. Hinkle, both of whom preceded her in death. Her husband of 35 years, Kenneth J. Howard, Sr. also preceded her in death.

Carrol graduated from Roxana Senior High School, Roxana, IL in 1956 and attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. An accomplished journalist, she served as society page editor for the Alton Telegraph in the late 1950s and as a columnist and special features editor for the North Little Rock Times in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Carrol was also a lyricist who collaborated with her lifelong best friend, Elizabeth Wisnasky, authoring more than two dozen songs. Determined to live beyond disabilities and barriers, Carrol was active as a self-help advocate for those facing mental and emotional disorders. She was a volunteer leader for many years with Recovery, International, a mental health organization based on cognitive-behavioral, peer-to-peer, self-help principles.

Carrol also embraced a passion for life, justice and peace. She was an active volunteer for Peace Links, a women's volunteer movement that worked for a safer world. Carrol lived out her faith and commitment to life by volunteering through Catholic Charities of Arkansas as an infant foster care provider in the 1980s. Her devotion as a loving mother to her five children has been her life's greatest work.

Carrol is survived by four children, Kenneth Howard, Jr. of Eureka Springs, AR, Mary Howard of Little Rock, AR, James Howard of Webster Groves, MO and Carol Morris of Farmington, AR as well as seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and her husband, Carrol is preceded in death by her son, Michael Howard and by her sister, Mary Hinkle Meyer.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2025 from 4 6 p.m. at the Roller-Chenal Funeral Home in Little Rock. A Catholic Funeral Mass will be conducted at St. Andrew's Cathedral in downtown Little Rock at 1:30 pm Monday, March 24th. Graveside services will be Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at TBD, at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto, Ill. Honorary pallbearers include Jameson Howard, Nicholas Scoles, River Morris and Gregory Morris.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Carrol's memory, may be made to Recovery, International; Hesychia House of Prayer or St. Joseph's Indian School.

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