Dudley R. Baxter

Dudley R. Baxter, 84, passed away Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, at Saline Hospital Hospice House in Bryant. He was a retired builder and Southern Baptist minister. Mr. Baxter was a member of Hurricane Lake Baptist Church. Mr. Baxter served as pastor of churches in Eudora, Ark., Portland, Ark., and Oak Grove, La. Mr. Baxter, a veteran of the U.S. Army, is survived by his wife of 62 years, Louise Baxter; two sons, Ray Baxter of Benton and Kenneth Baxter and his wife Joannie of Eureka, Ill.; six grandchildren, Claire Brown and her husband Johnny, Andrew Baxter, J.R. Baxter, Blake Baxter, Brenna Baxter, and Bailey Baxter; and two great-grandchildren, Catherine Brown and Henry Brown. Mr. Baxter was an excellent woodworking craftsman, making priceless furniture pieces and keepsakes for his family. He was a loving husband, wonderful father, prideful grandfather and tender great-grandfather. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons and grandchildren. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren loved and cherished their PawPaw. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Victor Baxter and Tempye Carlton Baxter, and an infant son, Paul Dudley Baxter, all of Eudora. Visitation and funeral services will be Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, at Eudora Baptist Church. Visitation will be at 10:30 a.m., and funeral at 2 p.m. with the Rev. John Casey officiating. Internment will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery by Bishop Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Saline Memorial Hospital Hospice House.