Tuleet Ester Edwards

Tuleet Ester Edwards, 93, a long time resident of Jonesboro, died Tuesday morning, December 25, at a Houston, Texas hospital. Born in the Oil Trough area in 1914, she taught school in Evening Shade during the 1930s and 1940s until she and her husband John moved to Jonesboro in 1946. In 1996 she moved to Houston, Texas, to live with her son Richard and his family.

She retired from the Arkansas State Book Store after twenty years of service and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years John Richard Edwards. Survivors include Richard Wayne Edwards of Houston, two grand daughters Erica Edwards of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Jill Edwards of Houston, Texas, and one sister Vida Hardin of Mishowaka, Indiana.

She was preceded in death by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Albert Tarpley, five brothers, A. R. Tarpley of Durango, Colorado, Udell Tarpley of El Paso, Texas, Homer Tarpley, Vernie Tarpley, and Lynn Tarpley of Oil Trough, Arkansas, and two sisters, Genevia Shaw and Naomi McGhehey of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning at the First Methodist Church Chapel of Jonesboro, Arkansas with Rev. Scott Gallimore officiating. Graveside services and burial will be at the Oaklawn Cemetery of Batesville at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Arrangements are by the Emerson Funeral Home of Jonesboro.

Memorials may be made to the Saint Bernard Hospital Cancer Research Program, the American Heart Association, or the University of Arkansas Alumni Scholarship Fund.