Verllin Lynn Anthony

May 11, 1938 - February 3, 2021

Verlin Lynn Anthony, 82, joined The Church Triumphant at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. He fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith (2 Tim.4:7). Born at home in Aline, Oklahoma on May 11, 1938, he grew up on a small farm without electricity or indoor plumbing. After finishing High School in Cleo Springs, OK, he enrolled at Bethany Nazarene College in Bethany OK. He got a job as a janitor at the college and worked summers on the wheat harvest to finance his Bachelor’s degree. Verlin met his sweetheart Karen Watson there and following his graduation they were married. While working full time, he took night classes to complete his Master’s degree at Oklahoma University and his Doctorate of Educational Psychology at Oklahoma State University. He moved his growing family to Hot Springs, AR in 1972 to accept a position at Community Counseling Services, where he was employed until 1998. In 2000 Verlin began working at Hot Springs Rehabilitation and retired in May of 2013 when he turned 75. He taught a Sunday School Class for many years at the First Nazarene Church and played first baseman on their church softball team. Family float trips on the Ouachita and Caddo rivers were highlights of the summers during that time. Verlin’s life was characterized by kindness, compassion and generosity. He contributed to numerous charities and volunteered at Samaritan’s Ministry, The Caring Place and the Stephen’s ministry at First United Methodist Church. Verlin loved his family, took great pride in his kids and enjoyed playing with his grandkids, teaching them to how to shoot bows and ride bikes. He liked hunting and fishing with friends, vegetable gardening and stoking the fire in winter with wood he had cut and split. His faith in Christ was Verlin’s guiding principle and he influenced countless others in both his personal and professional life. He faced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis with courage and grace, confident in the resurrection as he gradually surrendered the things of this life. In the last months of his illness Verlin often expressed a desire to go home, he is now reunited with his parents Ernest and Myrle Anthony. He leaves behind his loving wife of 60 years Karen, their children Carroll Anthony, Spencer (Melody) Anthony and Keri (Shawn) Cochran and grandchildren Silas, Sam, and Sara Cochran. He is survived by his sister Marilyn Anderson, brother Elvin (Marsha) Anthony, sister Carol (Alan) Gering and nieces and nephews. The family would like to recognize Dzung and Chi Nguyen for their many years of loyal friendship. We also acknowledge our gratitude to Dr. Timothy English and the staff at Arkansas Hospice. Verlin’s wish to be a donor to the Genesis Whole Body Donation Foundation has been honored and no memorial service is planned at this time. The family requests in lieu of flowers donations be made to Open Arms Ministry at Hot Springs First United Methodist Church.