Ruth Arlene Douglas

Ruth Arlene Taylor Douglas was born August 7, 1925, in Little Rock  to the late Roy William Taylor, Sr. and Ruth Huddleston Taylor.  She was the first of their two children.  She graduated from St. Bartholomew Catholic School.  She received a degree in Home Economics from Prairie View College at Prairie View, Texas, and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

She married Augustus Watts in 1949. From that union, one child was born.  In 1964, she married Lawrence Douglas and they raised eight children.  After raising their children, she and Lawrence gave several foster children a stable and loving home.

She was a Master Teacher. She taught first, second and third grades in the North Little Rock School District for 39 years. She loved first graders best. She delighted in watching the light of understanding dawn in children’s eyes.  Even after retiring, she did not stop teaching.  She organized an after school tutoring program, The Learning Club, at St. Bartholomew to help struggling students in the community.

When not caring for family or teaching she was involved in many other activities.  She belonged to two bridge clubs, was a member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and served on the St. Bartholomew parish council.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Roy W. Taylor, Sr. and Ruth Huddleston Taylor, two brothers, Earnest H. Taylor and Roy W. Taylor, Jr., her husband Lawrence Ford Douglas, and two daughters Sherry Hudson and Josephine Overton.

She is survived by seven children Roy Katheryn Watts, Lanita Irene Douglas,  Lawrence Ford Douglas, Jr.(Doris), Roger Douglas(Margaret), Henry Douglas(Debbie), Maurice Douglas(Stephanie), Sean E. Douglas(Peggy), 19 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and two very special nieces.