Beatrice Fern Lentz

Fern was born on September 14, 1926 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The first in her large family to attend college, she received her BS degree in Labor Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1950. While working in Madison after graduation, she met Allen W. Lentz and six months later flew alone to Bahrain to marry him on June 26, 1952. They began raising their family of three daughters in Saudi Arabia between 1952 and 1962. They then made Little Rock, Arkansas their home and became active members of the First Christian Church. She was a statistician for the State of Arkansas.

Fern was a resolutely independent thinker, had an acerbic wit and an eclectic mix of hobbies and passions. Her sense of adventure began during her first five years growing up on her grandmother’s farm near Eau Claire. She enjoyed the many travels she, Al, and her daughters made to Europe and the Middle East while living in Arabia. She also liked playing bridge, dining out, listening to alto saxophone jazz, shopping for fine clothes and jewelry, and later in life, gardening. She was especially keen on chocolate and truly enjoyed the friends she found at Shepherd’s Cove in Little Rock, especially Table N in the dining room.

Fern was preceded in death by her mother Elvina Ferguson, her father Conrad Anderson, her stepfather Earl Ferguson, and her husband of 42 years, Al. She is survived by three daughters: Deborah Lavender of New Orleans, Roberta/Becky Lentz of Montreal, Ginny Watson of Little Rock; three grandchildren: Will Lavender (Beth), Ben Lavender (Jacqui), Mallory Wyman (James); and four great-grandchildren: Roxana and Celeste Lavender, and Jackson and Davis Wyman; and several cousins.

The family would like to give special thanks to the caring staff of Arkansas Hospice, as well as three wonderful caregivers who loved her deeply in her last days, Kathy White, Glenda Dilbeck, and Angel Avant.

Visitation will be at 5-7pm, Wednesday February 13th at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth, 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock (501) 661-9111. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 14 at First Christian Church, 14411 Taylor Loop | Little Rock, AR 72223 (501.225-5656). Feel free to share your memory at www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions could be made to Arkansas Hospice, the ACLU of Arkansas, or Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals (CARE).