Dr. Charles F. Ainley

Dr. Charles Fauver "Chick" Ainley of Paragould joined The Lord Jesus Christ in glory on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Born on November 27, 1926, in Palatka, Arkansas, he was the son of Manuel Baxter Ainley and Helen Mary Johnson Ainley. He worked in his father's grocery store in Corning until 1944, when he graduated from Corning High School. He then enlisted in the Merchant Marines and after his tour of duty he was drafted into the US Army in 1946, where he served as an Intercept Operator for the Signal Corps, intercepting Russian code. Following his honorable discharge in 1947, he became the first member of his family to attend college, working various jobs to support his academic pursuits until he graduated from Memphis State College with degrees in chemistry and biology in 1952. Upon his graduation he worked as a chemist for Dupont in Memphis before enrolling in the University of Tennessee School of Dentistry, from which he graduated in 1956. After briefly practicing under an established dentist in Dexter, Missouri, he moved to Paragould, where he practiced from 1957 until his retirement in 1996. He was generous with his time and his talents and served his profession and his community in many ways. He was a member of the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the International College of Dentists and the Federation Dentaire Internationale. He was a school board member for the Paragould School District for thirteen years. He served terms as president for the Arkansas State Dental Society, the Paragould Chamber of Commerce and the Paragould chapter of the Kiwanis Club, where he was recognized with such honors as Kiwanian of the Year and the George W. Hixon fellow award, and where he recently earned the fifty-year perfect attendance pin. He served on the Board of Trustees for Arkansas Baptist Child Care Services, sat as a district chairman for the Boy Scouts of America, and served on the Arkansas Appraisal Board by appointment of Governor Mike Huckabee. At the age of forty he earned his pilot's license. His love of people went beyond his family to not only his dental patients of all ages, but to his children's friends who he took camping and skiing at Lake Norfork. He helped a lot of young people start their dental careers either giving them a job or writing a letter of recommendation for dental school application. One of his great loves was to go to one of his farms, talk to farmers, ride the combine or tractor and watch the crops grow. After his retirement from dentistry, he could be found at the convenience store every weekday morning making pizza or sweeping the sidewalk. His greatest devotion was reserved for his Lord and his family. He is survived by the former Wyona Hartwig, whom he married on June 16, 1954, and their four children and spouses, Alan and Jan Ainley of Paragould, Neal Ainley of Paragould, Lauren and Kevin Heffelman of Ashland City, Tennessee, and Carol and Soren Bjorn of Soquel, California, as well as 10 grandchildren: Meredith Ainley, Madison Ainley, Myles Ainley, Caitlin Ainley, Casey Ainley, Alexander Ainley, Claire Heffelman, Alexander Bjorn, Nicholas Bjorn and Daniel Bjorn, nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by brothers M.B. Ainley, Jr., William Joseph Ainley, and sisters Reva Goggio and Maxine Fulgham. One sister survives him, Edna Hopkins of Paris, Tennessee. He and wife Wyona were baptized together in 1957 upon their profession of faith in Jesus Christ. He served the Lord through the years as a missionary with a medical team to Brazil, a Sunday School teacher, a choir member and a deacon, and he was a charter member of Grace Baptist Church. He was, and remains, treasured by his many friends and church family not only for his faithful service, but also for his generous spirit, warm fellowship and quiet leadership. The family will receive visitors at Heath Funeral Home from 6:00 to 9:00, on Tuesday, and services will be held at 2:00 P.M Wednesday with Pastor Gerald James and Curtis Hitt officiating. Burial will follow in Linwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jared Risner, Mike Moss, David Hobbs, Brent Slatton, Kenny Harris, Mike Ring. Honorary Pallbearers are Paragould Kiwanis Club Members, Bob Myer, Bill Fisher, Bill Walls, Ted Greenway,James Walker, Kelmer Johnson, C. P. Butler and Gregory Lane. The family has requested that memorials be sent to Arkansas Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2222, Little Rock, AR 72203; UAMS, 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205, AMMC, P.O. Box 339, Paragould, AR 72451 or the charity of the givers choice. Sign online register at www.heathfuneralhome.com