Carolyn Lincoln

Caroline Ruth Myers Lincoln of Little Rock died September 17, 2009, two weeks before her 112th birthday. At the time of her death, she was the oldest person in Arkansas, the 14th oldest in the USA and the thirtieth oldest person of 6.7 billion people in the world.
The daughter of the late Lizzie Ireton and George McClellan Myers, Ruth was born September 30, 1897 on a farm 10 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. She was a home economics education graduate of Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) where she was a charter member of Kappa Delta sorority and taught teacher training after completing her degree.
In 1924, she married Ben Lincoln and moved to Arkansas. As a result of Ben's work with both the Veterans Administration and Agricultural Extension Service, the Lincolns lived in Paragould, Batesville and Little Rock. Besides having four children, Ruth was very active in civic and philanthropic causes especially when it involved the rights of women and children. In 1960 Ben retired from the VA and they moved to Ben's boyhood hometown, Van Buren, Arkansas.
They soon discovered there was no county Library there, so they led a successful effort to get a millage passed to build one. This endeavor stimulated the establishment of several other libraries between Van Buren and Fayetteville. Ruth was chairman of the Regional Library Board for many years.
The Lincolns were active in the First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Smith where Ruth taught Sunday school, was president of the Women of the Church and was the first woman to be elected an Elder. She continued her leadership in Church Women United and the American Association of University Women.
Ruth was selected the Arkansas Mother of the year in 1961 and traveled to New York to represent the state of Arkansas at the Waldorf Astoria. She kept up with current events and followed the achievements of her granddaughter-in-law, Senator Blanche Lincoln, with great interest and pride. Ruth was an avid bridge player, and played four times weekly with her friends at Parkway Heights where she resided for the past twelve years.
After reaching age 90, her birthdays became festive family events with Ruth choosing new adventures for each year. For her 111th birthday she flew over Little Rock in a helicopter and walked on the Junction Bridge. At 110, she walked on the Big Dam Bridge and took a buggy ride around Parkway Village with family and friends. The buggy reminded her of the one she rode to town in order to attend high school in Oklahoma City in the early part of the 20th century. At age 109, Ruth spoke at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service as part of its distinguished lecture series. Her presentation can be seen at www.clintonschoolspeakers.com In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Lincoln and a grandson, Chris Kingsborough. She is survived by Rowena (Loren) Hardinger, Ruth Hardinger/ (C.Michael Norton), Jon (Joanne) Hardinger, Rachel Hardinger, Maria (Dave) LaMarche, Violet Ruth, Calvin LaMarche, Jay (Molly) Hardinger, David (Mary Kay) Hardinger, Christy (Don) Agee, Mark (Crystal); Ben (Pollye) Lincoln, Deen (Carol) Lincoln, Benjamin Lincoln, Mark (Susan) Lincoln, Jacqueline, Samuel Lincoln, Steve (Blanche) Lincoln, Reece, Bennett Lincoln; Lucy Abraham, Dana Abraham /(Danny Deislinger), Alexis Best, Jarod Deislinger, James (Patty Bates) Abraham, Joseph, Nathaniel, Benjamin Abraham, Robert Lucien (Ashley) Abraham, Lillian, Richard Lucien Abraham; Lydia (Paul) Kingsborough, Scott (Jill) Kingsborough, Cole Kingsborough, Carol (Angelo) DiFelice, Jacqueline, Christopher, Caroline, Nicholas DiFelice; and niece, Sara Lincoln. Burial will be Monday,September 21 at 1:00 p.m. at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren, Arkansas under the direction of Little Rock Funeral Home & Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday following the burial at First Presbyterian Church, 116 North 12th Street, Ft. Smith, and on Tuesday, September 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock. Memorials may be made to the Ben and Ruth Lincoln Trust at the Arkansas Community Foundation, 1400 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72201 for scholarships to Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center; or Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home & Family Services; or Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, AR 72227; or a charity of your choice.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.), Little Rock, (501)224-2200. Visit Mrs. Lincoln's online guestbook at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.