Mary Baggett's Obituary
Mary Baggett, a lifelong resident and passionate servant of the Bentonville community, passed away peacefully at Circle of Life in Bentonville on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at the age of 94.
Born in Bentonville on March 19, 1931, to Lonas Arland and Edna Campbell Baggett, Mary lived a life marked by integrity, dedication, and service. A proud graduate of Bentonville High School’s Class of 1949, she briefly attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville before beginning a distinguished career in public service and civic involvement.
Mary’s early career included positions with Eugene Coffelt, Attorney at Law (1949–1950), Carroll Electric (1950–1952), and the Bank of Bentonville (1952–1964), where she worked her way up from utility clerk to assistant cashier. She later served the City of Bentonville (1974–1986) in various roles including assistant to the mayor, and concluded her professional journey at Bates Medical Center, where she was assistant to the administrator until her retirement in December 1995.
A trailblazer for women in local politics, Mary was the first woman elected to the Bentonville City Council in 1972, and the first woman elected to the Benton County Quorum Court in 1984. She remained an active and trusted civic leader for decades, winning re-election to the Quorum Court in 1996 and returning to serve again on the Bentonville City Council in 2000. She also served as the first woman on the Bentonville Planning Commission from approximately 1975 to 1985.
Her contributions to Bentonville’s civic life were vast. Mary was a charter member and president of the Bates Hospital Auxiliary, a charter president of the Northwest Arkansas Soroptimist Club, and vice president of the Bentonville/Bella Vista Lioness Club. She served on numerous boards, including the North Arkansas Symphony, the Peel Mansion Foundation, and the Boys and Girls Club of Bentonville/Bella Vista. She was also the first female president of the Bentonville Kiwanis Club.
Mary’s faithful devotion to her community was matched by her commitment to her church. A former member of First Baptist Church in Bentonville, she was active in the Pinnacle of Praise Choir, the Winsome Sunday School Class, and served on various church committees throughout her life and was a current member of Vaughn Presbyterian.
Her life of service was recognized with numerous honors, including:
Woman of the Year by the Bentonville Business and Professional Women’s Club (1984)
Woman of Distinction by the Soroptimist Club of Northwest Arkansas (1990)
Arthur “Rabbit” Dickerson Award from the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce (1996)
Amethyst Award from Washington Regional Medical Center (2002)
Founder's Award from the Peel House Foundation (2004)
Austin-Baggett Park in Bentonville
Mary Baggett Reading Room at the Bentonville Public Library
Mary was a woman of broad interests and boundless energy. She loved music—especially the violin and piano—as well as reading, jogging, snow skiing and gardening with an expertise in weed pulling. Her vibrant spirit, warm heart, and deep dedication to others left an indelible mark on all who knew her.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her two sisters Alice Virginia Bonds and Thelma Skaggs and a nephew Steven Skaggs.
She is survived by her daughter Susan Anglin and husband Ryan of Bentonville; her brother Carl Baggett of Rogers; her grandsons Cody Anglin and his wife Margaret of Bentonville and Casey Anglin and his wife Shelby of Bentonville; three great grandchildren Hattie, Breck and Truitt and numerous nieces, nephews and other family members.
A visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Tuesday May 20, 2025, at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home Rogers. Funeral Service will be held 2:00 pm Wednesday at Vaughn Presbyterian with burial to follow at Bentonville Cemetery.
Mary Baggett’s legacy will live on in the institutions she helped build, the community she helped shape, and the many lives she inspired through her tireless example of leadership and grace.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Circle of Life Hospice https://nwacircleoflife.com/donatesupport/ or to a charity of your choice.
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