Biography:

Carol Ann (Lackey) Patterson passed away on April 21, 2026. She was 90. She was born in Little Rock on February 4, 1936, to her parents, Guy Hendrix Lackey Sr. and Frances Govan Lackey. The youngest of four children, she was raised in Mountain View, Arkansas until 1942 when the family moved to Little Rock where she attended school until 1949 when the family returned to Mountain View.
In 1953, she graduated from Mountain View High School and enrolled at the University of Arkansas that fall. While at the University, she proudly served as President of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. After graduation she taught business subjects at Little Rock Central High School during the Central High Crisis.
In January of 1959, she married Joseph Robert Patterson of Bald Knob, Arkansas who she met while at the University. They were married until his death in 2003. Together they had three sons, Joseph Robert Jr., William Lawrence (Larry), and John Christopher (Chris). Raising her three boys was her greatest joy in life.
In 1980, she returned to work for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service as a Management Specialist in Human Resources. In 1992, she returned to school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock earning a master’s degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. In 1998, she retired after eighteen years of service.
A longtime member of Trinity United Methodist Church, she sang in the choir for nearly thirty years. She was also a member of the Tuesday Morning Bible Study Group and Earthen Vessel Sunday School Class. She was a member of the Little Rock Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae, a sustaining member of the Little Rock Junior League, and an associate member of Children’s Hospital Auxiliary. In recent years, she became a member of Highland Valley Methodist Church where she sang in the choir and was a member of Ben Miller Sunday School Class and the Women’s Bible Study group.
She is preceded in death by her husband Joseph R. Patterson; her parents; sisters Jean Reynolds of Texarkana, and Mary (Maisie) Manning of Newport; and brother Guy (Buddy) Lackey of Little Rock.
She is survived her children, Joe Patterson, Jr. (Marilyn) of Houston, Texas; Larry Patterson (Marie) of Mayflower; and Chris Patterson (Eve) of Houston, Texas; Grandsons Brandon and Carter Patterson of Mayflower. Also surviving are nephews Ed Barham and Guy Lackey, and nieces Beth Barham, Lesa Doan, Sarah Rausch, and Leigh Anne Barham.
She also leaves behind many special friends at Highland Valley Methodist Church and the Summit who she cherished.

There will be a visitation from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1 at Ruebel Funeral Home in Little Rock. A church service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 at Highland Valley United Methodist Church in Little Rock. A graveside service will follow at Roselawn Cemetery in Little Rock.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Gamma Nu Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, or Highland Valley Methodist Church. Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com