Ethelene Kersten

Ethelene Kersten, 86, of Little Rock, Arkansas passed away Monday, March 12, 2018. She was born March 15, 1931 in Conway County, Arkansas to Ernest and Ava Roper Harvill. She attended and graduated from Atkins High School where she met her future husband doing carpentry at the school. They married in June 1949 and moved to California where they lived for two years. They returned to Arkansas where they raised their children at 1601 West 15th St., North Little Rock, near Vestal Ballpark.
She was a devout Catholic, attending St. Mary's Catholic Church and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Ethelene retired from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, but her most important role was as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She was an accomplished seamstress, even making wedding gowns for her daughters and quilts for every family member. She enjoyed working in her flower beds, fishing and crossword puzzles. She and her husband enjoyed dancing throughout their marriage. Her smile lit up a room, even after diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Joseph B. Kersten; siblings, Elouise Brashears and Louise Brock and her son-in-law, Patrick Doolittle.
Ethelene is survived by her children, Linda Kersten Doolittle (Patrick-deceased), Robert Kersten (Wanda), Randy Kersten (Becky), Sheryall Kersten Paris of Weimar, Texas; siblings, Wanda Sue Witcher, Betty Morrison and William Harvill; grandchildren, Timothy Doolittle (Heather), Christopher Doolittle (Heidi), Jason Kersten, Monica McGehee (Chris), April Kersten Torres (Arturo), Jacob Kersten (Heather), Michael Kersten, Alan Pledger (Sarah), Crystal Brown (Mike); twenty great-grandchildren, multiple nieces and nephews and extended family.
We would like to thank all the staff of Clarity Pointe Memory Care Assisted Living Neighborhood, especially JoAnne and Janice, who cared for her like a family member.
A visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 14, 2018 followed by a rosary at 7:00 p.m., at Smith - North Little Rock Funeral Home Chapel. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, March 15, 2018 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial will be in Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Arkansas Alzheimer's Association.