Neville Saylor, age 90, formerly of Arkadelphia, Arkansas passed away on Wednesday, June 12, 2013, surrounded by her family, at the Butterfly Wing of The Hospice of Baton Rouge, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ms. Saylor was born on September 2, 1922, in Helena, Arkansas, the daughter of Neville Preston and Eunice Bennett Swaim. She was an award-winning poet and a retired educator who held two Master s degrees, in English and Special Education. Known for her special sense of humor and her positive outlook on life, despite the challenge of raising five children as a widow at age 42, Neville was generous and kind to all, and she possessed an ability to put people at ease, qualities that served her well in her lengthy teaching career in several Arkansas public schools, including Morrilton, Sparkman, Hope, Prescott and Sheridan. Outside her family, teaching was her first love and vocation, and she was so good at it that she was in demand well into her golden years, finally turning down a contract as she approached 80. Neville also wrote poetry for enjoyment. She was long-time member of the Poets Roundtable of Arkansas, and in addition to contributing work to various newspapers around the country and to anthologies such as Prairie Poet Anthology, Moon Age Poets, Poetry Dial, Contemporary Poets of Arkansas, Modern Images, and Encore, she also published a book-length collection of her own poetry, The New Genesis, and a pamphlet entitled Saylor s Songs. For many years, she edited two poetry columns in The Daily Siftings Herald ( Poetry for Now ) and The Southern Standard ( Poetry Review ). She won several awards for her poetry, including the first-place John Womack Award, given at Dallas, Texas; first place, Illustrated Page Award, United Press Association; third place, North Little Rock Times Poetry Day; fourth place, Mid South Poetry Day Celebration, and the Golden Poet Award for 1986, sponsored by the World of Poetry. Her work is listed in Foremost Women in Communication, International Who s Who in Poetry, Two Thousand Women of Achievement, Contemporary Poets of Arkansas, Centro Studi e Scambi Internationali, Arkansas Poets Roundtable, Authors, Composers, and Artists Society, National Association of Poetry Societies, and Horizons: 100 Arkansas Women of Achievement. Californian poet, James Grey, invented a nationally-recognized poetry pattern called the Neville, in her honor. Ms Saylor is preceded in death by her sisters, Frances Crabtree, of Heber Springs, Arkansas, Lucille Herrington, of DeSoto, Texas, and Jeanne Davis of La Porte, Texas, and a son, Jack Preston Saylor, of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. She is survived by three daughters, Cheryll Javaherian, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Anita Hayes, of Bryant, Arkansas, Nancy Jeanne Coker, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, one son, Allen Saylor, of Pearcy, Arkansas, one brother, Col. Jack Swaim, of Webster, Texas, nine grandchildren, Deanna Davis, of Oppelo, Arkansas, Ginger Coker, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Daren Hayes, of Bryant, Arkansas, Stephanie Hickerson, of Burnsville, Minnesota, Brittany Glusac, of Grapevine, Texas, Christopher Coker, of El Paso, Texas, Rachael Javaherian, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Heather and Rocky Saylor, both of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and four great-grandchildren: Austin Davis, of Oppelo, Arkansas, Lily and Juliet Hickerson, both of Burnsville, Minnesota, and Aubriana Coker, of El Paso, Texas, Neville was a wonderful mother, grandmother, teacher and friend. She will be greatly missed. The family would like to thank friends and caregivers from The Adult Day Health Care of Livingston Parish, Feliciana Home Health, and The Baton Rouge Hospice for their compassionate care. Visitation will be held at Welch Funeral Home from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2013. Graveside services will follow at 10:30 a.m., at Rose Hill Cemetery (new edition) in Arkadelphia with Rev. Ronnie Hardin officiating. Family and friends are invited for fellowship after the services at The Mirage Bar and Grill at 104 Malvern Road in Caddo Valley, Arkansas. Final arrangements are entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia. Visit www.welchfh.net to sign the online guest book and view the video tribute. "Moon Prints" Footsteps on the moon Left in soft grey powder Echo through the years Growing louder. Shadows on the moon On the surface taller, Reach toward infinity Which grows smaller. Neville Saylor