Mary Belle Ervin, age 93, of Charleston, Arkansas, joined her heavenly Father, Monday, March 27, 2023. She was born on May 13, 1929, in the front bedroom of her grandparent's home of the Auburn Community near Charleston, to the late Charles Clarence Delaney and Agnes Bain Thornton Delaney.

Mary Belle was an active member of the community having graduated from Charleston High School in 1946. After graduation, she completed her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Elementary Education at the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville. She married the love of her life, Delbert D. Ervin, June 11, 1950.  Mary Belle worked as a second grade teacher for many years for the Charleston Public Schools before completing her Specialist of Education degree in Library Media Science, at the University of Arkansas, while commuting and working, to become the  Charleston High School Librarian. As a passionate educator, she completed a remarkable career of 52 years before her retirement but continued to coordinate annual Alumni Weekends, which she founded to promote continued fellowship. She also coordinated "Presence of the Past" field-trip experiences to historical sites for Charleston students, both during and after her career, and gave history lessons at the Belle Museum, along with her volunteers.

Mary  Belle was a faithful attendee of the Marietta Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She was a long-standing member the Order of the Eastern Star, VFW Women's Auxillary, and Sons and Daughters of the Old West (historical reenactment) for many years.  She and her husband, Delbert, co-founded the historical Belle Museum and Chapel in Charleston, a labor of love and dedicated effort to preserve community history.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, April 3rd at Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home Chapel in Charleston and burial will follow at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith, Arkansas, under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home and Flower Shop in Charleston. Her beloved pastors, Reverend Vondal Davenport and Reverend Bill Wise will officiate at the service.

Left to cherish her memory is her brother, Sam Delaney and wife Pat Delaney of Chapin, South Carolina; one daughter, Mary Delaney Quigley and husband Tom Quigley of Maramec, Oklahoma; one son, David Del Ervin and his wife Gina Caperton Ervin of Fayetteville; two granddaughters, Lacey Ervin Jennen and husband Aaron Jennen of Fayetteville and Rachel Alewine Kelly of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two grandsons, John Alewine of Kansas City, Kansas, and Jeremy Ervin and his wife Barbara De Leon Ervin of Springdale; two great-grandsons, David Paul Bright and Aiden Ervin; and five great-granddaughters, Sabrina, Parker, and London Jennen, Delaney Rose Bright, and Sophia Ervin; and numerous nieces and nephews she dearly loved.

Pallbearers will be Aaron Jennen, Jeremy Ervin, Paul David Gramlich, Joe Huck, Justin Newhart, and Jeff Stubblefield.

Honorary pallbearers will be the staff of Charleston Public Schools and volunteers of the Belle Museum.

The family will receive friends 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 2nd at Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home in Charleston.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Belle Museum and Chapel Trust, P.O. Box 261, Charleston, AR 72933, the Marietta Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the Heart of Hospice, or another charity of choice.

To place an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.