Hattie Mae Castleberry, age 97, of Crossett passed away on November 21, 2017 at Ashley County Medical Center.  She was born on January 16, 1920 in Crossett, AR to her late parents, Samuel Spencer Jarvis and Lottie Bell Deal Jarvis.  Mrs. Castleberry was a kindergarten teacher for  52 years and a member of First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School for many years. She began her teaching career at Murphy School before later founding Castleberry Kindergarten in 1950 in her backyard. She was a former Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star.  Hattie Mae was a regular visitor at the nursing home where she loved to play the piano for the residents.  She enjoyed playing golf, cards and bowling.  She wrote an article for the local News Observer for many years called Memory Lane.  She was preceded in death by her husband , Walter Neil Castleberry, Sr., a daughter, Nancy Josephine Harris and her sister, Lucile White.

Survivors include: her son, Walter Neil Castleberry, Jr. (Alice Teague) of Longview, WA; two grandchildren, Karie Ann Taylor (Ken) of Renton, WA and Bill Watson of Savannah, GA;  seven great grandchildren, Emma Mae Rathke, Nicholas and Andrew Taylor, Connor, Haley, Turner and Caroline Watson, a niece, Mary Pat Stanley, a nephew, Hubert J. White and special caregiver, Kassi Nason.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday at First Baptist Church with Bro. Jamie Staley officiating.  Interment will follow at Pinewood Memorial Park under the direction of Jones Funeral Home of Crossett, AR (www.jonesservice.com)

Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. , Friday at Jones Funeral Home Chapel and 1:00p.m. to 2:00 p.m. , Saturday before the service begins at the First Baptist Church.