of North Little Rock, AR

November 15, 1934 - February 17, 2021

Wilma Jo Sewell Stevens, 86, of North Little Rock, Arkansas passed away at 2:03 pm on February 17, 2021. She was born on November 15, 1934 in White County, Arkansas to the late Thomas Ivy Sewell and his wife Nellie Elizabeth Wiggs Sewell.

Wilma came from a long line of American pioneers including a 6th great-grandmother Elizabeth Boone, sister of the frontiersman Daniel Boone. Wilma grew up in the shadow of Mount Pisgah (pronounced Pizgee) in rural White County. She had three younger brothers and her father was a farmer and school bus driver. When she was old enough for high school, Wilma moved to the big city of Searcy where she lived with her grandmother and worked to help support her family.

After graduating, she moved to Little Rock to attend Draughon's School of Business. She met Charles Stevens and soon they were married. Wilma worked as a secretary for an insurance company and the couple began attending the Church of Christ located at 6th and Izard Streets. In 1969, a new preacher was coming to town and he needed a new secretary. Wilma was hired and continued her dedication to the Lord and the church in this new capacity for over forty years. In addition to her full-time job, she also helped produce a children's television show that aired every Saturday morning called ''A Nook and a Book''. The aim of the show was to teach children about God and the Bible. Wilma worked tirelessly behind the scenes, often late into the evening, designing and creating amazing visual backdrops that went along with each week's lesson.

In her spare time, Wilma helped to develop an entire Bible Curriculum for nursery and preschool age children and taught young children's Bible classes for over forty years. She traveled to several surrounding states teaching ladies how to educate young children about God. She also taught these lessons at Arkansas' own ''Training for Service Series''. Once she traveled to the other side of the globe where she had the opportunity to use her amazing skills to train Bible class teachers in Greece and Italy.

Wilma was a servant and did many things behind the scenes that no one ever saw. She was compassionate and tender-hearted, always helping those less fortunate.

In her personal life, Wilma was a daily Bible reader and a woman of prayer. She was an amazing mother and grandmother. She was heavily involved in the lives of her grandchildren. She was humble and kind and never spoke a harsh word about anyone. She loved helping others and even when she had health problems she never complained. Wilma was known for her generosity always giving lots of gifts at Christmas time to everyone she knew. She loved to take her daughter and grand-daughters shopping. One character trait she had perfected was the ability to keep a secret. Wilma would never share any information that was told to her in confidence. She was always smiling and remained a faithful Christian until her death.

Wilma is survived by her brother, Wayne Sewell (Margie) of Texarkana, Arkansas; her daughter, Sara Stevens Carter (Mike) of North Little Rock; and grandchildren, Jessie Carter of North Little Rock and Michaela Carter Johnson (Zach) of Dadeville, Missouri; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Wilma was proceeded in death by her husband, Charles Stevens; their infant daughter, Jo Beth; and two brothers, James Sewell and Tommy Sewell.

Visitation will be held at Roller-Owens Funeral Home on JFK in North Little Rock on Tuesday, February 23rd from 5-7 pm.

Funeral services will be at the Windsong Church of Christ on Wednesday, February 24th at 11:00 am.

Graveside service and Interment will be at White County Memorial Gardens in Searcy, Arkansas at 2:00 pm.

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