of West Helena, AR

October 12, 1932 - April 17, 2021

Alma Laura Faust Deitz
October 12, 1932 '''' April 17, 2021

Alma Laura Faust (Deitz) passed away peacefully at her home in West Helena on April 17, 2021. She was the only daughter and youngest child of Alma Ewart Faust and Fred A. Faust, two of the founding citizens of West Helena, AR. Her father founded Faust Band Sawmill in West Helena in 1932. Her brothers, the late Fred A Faust Jr. (Ann) and the late Tom (Betty) Faust later joined their father in the family lumber business. Her mother was the first female bank vice president in the state of Arkansas, retiring from Phillips County National Bank after 50 years.

Laura graduated from Helena High School in 1948, entering college at 16. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at U of A, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, continuing service to her sorority in an alumna capacity after graduation. She joined the Helena-West Helena School District in 1966 as a speech pathologist, a position she held for 27 years. The recipient of a Rotary Foundation scholarship, Laura earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia. After leaving the school district, Laura joined Great Rivers Educational Co-operative as a speech pathologist, until her retirement at age 80. She was immensely proud of having sent two daughters to Vanderbilt, Hendrix, and Southern Methodist University on an Arkansas schoolteacher's salary. Throughout her career, she helped countless people of all ages and abilities learn to manage and overcome various speech challenges, including both genetic and injury related.

Devoted to both her church and community, she was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Helena, where she served as church librarian for many years and loved singing in the choir. She served on the Boards of the Phillips County Library Foundation, Helena Little Theatre, Delta Kappa Gamma, and the Current Topic Club. An avid reader, she enjoyed the Marvell Book Club and several bible studies groups. She was a skilled seamstress and interior designer, creating masterful pallets of color and design in her century-old home, which is on National Register of Historic Places and has been the focus of Faust family events for more than 70 years.

She nurtured her lifelong passion of travel and learning through numerous international trips with her daughters, son-in-law and grandsons to Greece, Italy, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Mexico and South Africa and domestic adventures in Alaska, New York, Connecticut, California, Idaho, Texas, and Ohio. When standing at the Oracle at Delphi at the Temple of Apollo in Greece, she often mused ''how did a girl from West Helena get here?'' Laura loved knowledge and the power of learning.

She is survived by her daughter Diane Deitz Welborn and son-in-law Larry L. Welborn of Dayton, OH; grandsons Locke (Natasha) Welborn and great-granddaughter Anna Valentina of Norwich, England; Mark Welborn of Los Angeles, CA; and daughter Laura Anne Deitz Goodsell of Austin, TX. She is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, April 24 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Helena, AR. COVID precautions must be adhered with masks and social distancing required.

Memorials may be sent to the First United Methodist Church Choir Fund, 502 Porter Street, Helena, AR 72342.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home
508 East Plaza Street
West Helena, AR  72390
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com