Wilma Paynter

Wilma Bogan Paynter was called home to the Lord on July 7th 2008. She was born in Paragould, AR on March 6th. 1928. Wilma grew up in Greene County and attended Paragould High School. At PHS she was a standout basketball player for Mrs. Helen Stuart’s Bulldogs. She led them to the regional finals making All-State in her Senior year. Wilma graduated PHS in 1947. After graduation she attended Sunflower Junior College in Moorhead, Mississippi where she played basketball for one year. After that year, she joined former Redhead player Mrs. Hazel Walker’s first Arkansas Travelers Professional Women’s team. In 1949 during a barnstorming tour of the United States, she played an exhibition game in Johnson City, Tennessee where she met her soon to be husband. She and Dr. Robert H. Paynter were married one year later on August 27th. 1950. She moved with Bob to Johnson City, Tennessee where she became the coach of the East Tennessee State University High School’s women team for the 1951-52 season. After a year of coaching, Wilma began working for the Tennessee Traveling Library where she drove a bookmobile through the hills of Tennessee delivering books to home bound and underprivileged persons. She continued that work, while supporting her husband’s coaching career until the birth of their son Todd in 1967. In 1968 Bob and Wilma moved to Martin, Tennessee where Bob was soon to become the Head Coach and Athletic Director at the University of Tennessee at Martin. During that time Wilma was an active sponsor of a sorority at UTM. Also, she was very active in her son’s life as a member of the PTO helping improve the elementary schools by leading construction projects to build new playgrounds. In 1980 Bob and Wilma moved back to her home town of Paragould where Bob became the head coach at Paragould High School. Once again Wilma was rooting for her beloved Bulldogs, but this time from the sidelines. During the early 1980s, she supervised many high school events until Todd graduated from High School. In 1985 Wilma went to work for Ima’s Fashions in Paragould until she retired in the early 1990s. Back in Paragould she continued life as a coach’s wife suffering through wins and losses with the Bulldogs and later the Rams. Also, she was active in supper club. Mostly, she was happy to be back home to spend time with her parents and many brothers and sisters. Wilma is survived by her husband Robert of the home. Additionally, one son Todd, his wife Holly and their two children Matthew and Sarah. She is also survived by two sisters Colleen Wisnieski of Waverly, Tennessee and Montez Cole of Little Rock, Arkansas; also two brothers Charles Bogan and Mike Bogan both of Paragould and 5 nieces. She was proceeded in death by her parents Humphry and Claudia Bogan and two sisters Louise Bogan and Lee Burr. Visitation will be Wednesday night at the Heath Funeral Home from 6-8. Services will be Thursday morning at 11 at the First Methodist Church in Paragould with a graveside service to follow at Linwood Cemetery. Donations can be made to the First Methodist Church in Paragould. To register online go to www.heathfuneralhome.com.