Mary Edna Cravens

Mary Edna Cravens, 93, of Fayetteville, Ark. and formerly of Emporia, Kan. died Wednesday, June 23, 2010. She was born July 14, 1916 near Scranton, Ark. (Logan County), the daughter of Edgar Brown Cravens and Loura Adelia Towry Cravens. She was preceded in death by sisters, Ola Ewing, Gladys Mabry, Eula Westbrook and Lorene McFerran; a brother, Ralph N. Cravens; and an infant sister, Beulah. Mary is survived by numerous relatives and friends including her long-time friend Helen McElree, her brother-in-law Joe McFerran, and many nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces. Mary grew up on the family farm in the McKendree Methodist Church Community and attended local schools. She did undergraduate work at Arkansas Tech and the University of the Ozarks and received her B.S.E. degree from the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville). She earned her Masters degree from Emporia State University in Kansas. Mary was a professor at Emporia State University for 22 years. She was nationally recognized as a master teacher specializing in the teaching of reading and social sciences. She conducted workshops in Kansas and published on her technique of individualized guided instruction in reading. One of her most memorable professional experiences was giving mathematics workshops on the island of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands at the invitation of the U. S. Government. Mary was a member of the International Reading Association, the Association of Supervision of Currriculum Development, the PEO, and the ESU Faculty Women. She served as faculty advisor of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority at ESU. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 29 at Roller-Cox Funeral Home in Paris, Ark. under the direction of Moore's Chapel of Fayetteville, Ark. Burial will be in McKendree Cemetery near Scranton, Ark. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Scholarship Fund of the University of the Ozarks (Clarksville, Ark.) or the Scholarship Fund of the Butterfield Trail Village Foundation (Fayetteville, Ark.).