Margaret Ellen (Dildy) Beasley, M.D.

Dr. Margaret Ellen Dildy Beasley of Conway, Arkansas, peacefully entered eternal life on June 7, 2026, in Conway at the age of 81.

Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on June 13, 1944, Margaret was the only child of Joseph Louis Dildy and Mary Ellen Lindvall Dildy. In 1953, the family settled in Little Rock, where she attended Little Rock public schools and graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1962.

Margaret continued her education at the University of Arkansas, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1966. She was a proud member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and a devoted Razorback fan. In 1970, Margaret graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and interned at “the old Baptist Hospital” in Little Rock. She completed her residency in anesthesiology in 1973.

On January 23, 1970, Margaret married her medical school classmate, Dr. Thomas Oran Beasley of Heber Springs. They moved to Conway in 1973 to begin their medical practices and raise their children. Dr. Margaret Beasley was the first anesthesiologist at Conway Memorial Hospital, now Conway Regional Health System. After 12 years, she left briefly to serve as Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at UAMS while advancing her own expertise in the field. In 1989, she returned to establish Anesthesia Associates of Conway along with Dan West, CRNA. The organization has continued to grow over the years and remains the exclusive anesthesia provider for the patients of Conway Regional.

A respected physician and leader, Margaret was deeply committed to advancing healthcare in Faulkner County. She served in numerous leadership roles, including Chief of Medical Staff and Chairman of the Board of Conway Regional Health System, and Chairman of the Board of the Conway Regional Health Foundation – being the first woman to serve in all three of these prestigious roles.

Margaret retired in 2001, at the age of 57, leaving the growing Anesthesia Associates of Conway in the capable hands of her succeeding anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists. She and Tom moved to the country and built their dream home on their beloved ranch near Greenbrier. While Tom tended to his cattle, Margaret stayed busy becoming a Master Gardener, sewing, knitting, creating jewelry, reading, and perfecting her famous Shrimp & Grits in the kitchen. Margaret and Tom were active members of Centerville United Methodist Church and very much enjoyed hosting “Worship at the Farm,” an annual outdoor service.

Throughout her life, Margaret demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience. She was a longtime survivor of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, diagnosed in 1969, and breast cancer, diagnosed in 1995. Her strength, determination, and grace in the face of adversity served as an inspiration to all who knew her.

Margaret will be remembered for her intelligence, generosity, unwavering dedication to her colleagues and patients, and deep love for her family. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the medical community she helped build, and the family she cherished.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Mary Ellen Dildy.

She will be greatly missed by her husband of 56 years, Dr. Thomas Oran Beasley; her son, Thomas Matthew Beasley of McKinney, TX; her daughter, Mary Susan Beasley of Conway; and her three grandchildren, Thomas Joseph Beasley and Frances Elaine Beasley of McKinney, TX, and Charles Benjamin Filmore Little of Conway. She also leaves behind her extended family: her sisters-in-law Jo Thomason of Conway and Myra Finch of Memphis, TN; a host of cousins; and many dear friends.

A memorial service will be held at Greene Chapel on the Hendrix College campus in Conway on June 13, at 10:00am. A celebration of life will immediately follow in Trieschmann Fine Arts Building next to Greene Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of her favorite charities:

- The Dr. Margaret Dildy Beasley Scholarship Fund at Conway Regional Health Foundation, 2302 College Ave., Conway, AR 72034 (conwayregional.org/give);

- ACCESS, 10618 Breckenridge Dr, Little Rock, AR 72211 (accessgroupinc.org), in her memory

- Centerville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1216, Greenbrier, Arkansas 72058, in her memory

Arrangements by Arkansas Cremation, 10515 W Markham St, Suite B1, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205. If you would like to leave a message of condolence to the family, you may do so using the Guestbook section.

www.arkansascremation.com