Vera Faye Walters

Vera Faye Walters, a resident of Thatcher, passed from this life Saturday morning, January 7, 2023, at the Beehive Homes of Thatcher, from causes incident to age. Vera was 88.

Preceded in death are: her parents, William Alton McCarley and Joyce Baker; two brothers, Doyle and Gordon McCarley.

Faye is survived by: her daughter, Yolande Pace (JD), of Thatcher; and a son, Deveral Walters of New Mexico. She has 3 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Faye always loved living in Arkansas. No matter where she was she always thought of it as her home.

Her mother died when she was only 2 years of age. When Faye was a teen her father moved her and her 2 brothers to Quemado, New Mexico. She was voted prettiest girl of the senior class. She went on to college in Las Cruces. She loved playing girls softball there.

She moved back to Quemado and there she met her future husband, a rancher named Gerald Walters. They were married September 20, 1954. After living in New Mexico for 15 years they moved their family to Duncan, Arizona, where Gerald took on a new role of farming. Faye enjoyed it. She even learned to irrigate and start a water hose. It wasn't long before she was invited to apply at the Valley National Bank in Duncan. She loved working there. She learned fast and did very well. Soon she was transferred to the Safford Branch. Her last transfer was to the Willcox Branch, where she became assistant manager.

On September 21, 1990, Faye’s father died. Faye took an early retirement from the Bank, packed up and moved to Arkansas, to run her father’s farm. Faye’s husband died in 2006. Faye continued to live on the farm for many more years, until she was no longer able to live alone. At this time she returned to Thatcher, Arizona, to be near family. She was never happy in Arizona and wanted to return to Arkansas. With her health declining she needed her family's help.

Faye was very smart and talented. She could usually do the things she set her mind to. She was a good cook. She could sew, and made most of the family clothes as they grew up. She once did a good job upholstering a couch. She liked to ride horses. There was a time she got bucked off and received a concussion. She was very athletic and liked to run when she was younger.

Graveside services for Faye will be conducted at 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 23, 2023, at Baker Cemetery in Grannis, Arkansas.