Ann Carolyn Childress, 82, joined her husband, Buddy, in Heaven on Dec. 26, 2022. Ann was born Aug. 6, 1940 in Little Rock, AR to Farris and Reba Emerson. As a child, Ann was known for her remarkable intelligence, and school administration even requested to move her up a grade level in school. Ann was also a gifted artist.

As a young woman, she opened her own business in downtown Benton to sell her original artwork. Her business was incredibly successful and led to her building her own plant called "Delightful Dimensions." Her designs were in markets in Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and more. After many years, a company in Taiwan offered to buy her company, so she sold it and retired. Ann went on to teach art classes for patients at Birch Tree Communities in Benton. After framing their works, she priced them and sold them in a large art show. The proceeds were held in trusts to be used for the patients' needs.

In her later years, Ann enjoyed spending time with her family and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who brought her so much joy. Ann was known as the family historian and was a wealth of knowledge about the Childress family history. She will be dearly missed by all who loved her.

Ann was preceded in death by her husband and love of her life, Buddy Childress; her son, Walt Emerson Childress; her parents; and granddaughters Jennifer Childress and Amara Childress.

She is survived by her sons Allen (Brenda) Childress of DeValls Bluff and Benton Childress of Big Flat; daughter-in-law Teresa Childress; grandchildren Lucas (Carrie) Childress, Levi (Carrie) Childress, Noah Childress, Jonah Childress, Alle Childress, Kyndle Daniels, Austin Steinmetz, Jeffrey Dubose, Daniel Dubose, and Savannah Dubose; ten great-grandchildren; her sister Marilyn (FH) Lyons; and brother Kim Emerson.