Lillie M. Craig Sowell, 82, of Conway died Sunday, March 7, 2004.

She was born Aug. 22, 1921, in Holland to the late Hugh L. Craig and Lillie Ann Parker Craig.

She was the widow of Walter Elmer Sowell, to whom she was married for 62 years until his death on Oct. 24, 2003.

She was a member of the Retired Teacher's Association and a FHA advisor. Mrs. Sowell, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, retired from teaching as the home economics teacher at Piggott after a long teaching career.

Prior to her illness, Mrs. Sowell was an active member of the Methodist churches in Piggott and Searcy, which is where she had moved after her retirement.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Opal Hoggard and Nora Ellen Suttle; and five brothers, Parker, Homer, Tom, Paul and Willie Craig.

She is survived by her daughter, Alice Ann Carlton and son-in-law, Jerry Carlton, of Conway; three grandchildren, Teresa Blakley of Austin, Texas, Angela Elsass of Fayetteville and Dale Carlton of Fayetteville; three great-grandchildren, Amanda Blakley of Austin, Texas, and Andrew and Matthew Elsass of Fayetteville; and three sisters, Jimmie Ford of Bald Knob, Eva J. Langford and Hazel Walther, both of Conway.

Graveside services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, 2004, at Vilonia Cemetery with Dale Carlton officiating.

Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Conway was in charge of the arrangements.