Biography: Carolyn Dill Whetstone, known as “Lil C” to her family due to her 4’11” stature, was born in Harrisburg, Arkansas 101 years ago. An only child, she grew up in Little Rock and spent her adult life in El Dorado and Little Rock. She was married for 62 years to Bernard Whetstone, had five children, the late Ruth Whetstone Wagner; Bud Whetstone, BK Whetstone Smith, Martha Whetstone, and Becky Whetstone Cheairs; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She had numerous cherished friends at Woodland Heights Retirement Community where she lived for almost 20 years and reigned as the oldest resident for several years. Her 100th birthday party there was one of the highlights of her life, a story retold 100s of times.

Although Lil C did not enjoy cooking, she won a blue ribbon at the Union County Fair for her famous brownies which the family still eats often. Her chicken spaghetti was and is a holiday must-have. She hung up her frying pan finally when she almost burned down the Woodland Heights building due to stashing clutter in her oven and forgetting about it. Although she was a lifelong proud liberal Democrat, she kept it secret from most of her friends. She had been waiting for Biden’s Presidential victory, and only learned he had won a couple of hours before she passed. She smiled and laughed when she heard the news.

The family would tell you she was like a little girl in many ways. She loved to talk and did so often – most sentences ending with the words …“I guess.” Lil C loved shopping and was a clothes horse, though she always claimed to have nothing to wear. Woodland Heights friends have said she never wore the same outfit twice to their evening happy hours and sit-down dinners. Her favorite activity was playing Bingo twice a week, and she was so competitive she was known to hide her favorite Bingo Card so no one else could have it. After her death, we found it in a little bag on her doorknob.

Due to COVID-19, we will have a family-only memorial service. If you’d like to contact the family please email beckywhetstone@gmail.com.