Richard William Taber

RICHARD "RICK" WILLIAM TABER, 54, of North Little Rock passed away in Little Rock April 22, 2013, following a brief battle with cancer. He was born in Highland, Ill. to Clinton Kelley Taber and Rosemary Murphy Taber. He was preceded in death by his parents and by siblings Clinton Kelley Taber Jr., Linda Taber Poneta, Patricia Taber Morgan and Robert Taber. Prior to suffering a traumatic brain injury in 2004, Rick was an award winning newspaper and television journalist. He held many different positions in the news industry, reporting for and then editing the Press Argus-Courier in Van Buren and the Greenwood Democrat. He started as a cameraman in television news and worked in a number of technical positions before becoming a newscast producer at both KHBS in Fort Smith and KATV in Little Rock. Rick was a loving father who impressed kindness and acceptance upon his children. He was also a wonderful son, brother, uncle, and friend. He enjoyed playing guitar and listening to music. Cooking, photography, fishing, and camping were among his hobbies. He was writing a novel at the time of his brain injury. He is survived by his children, David Taber (Leah) of North Little Rock, Kaitlyn Humenchuk (Michael) of Deptford, N.J., Ashley Taber Yarbrough (Jacob Dain) of Russellville and Emilee Taber Dale of Van Buren. Also surviving are his siblings, Tom Taber (Carol) of Augusta, Ga., Kathy Humiston (Richard) of Fort Smith, Steve Taber of Kenmore, Wash., Peter Taber (Patsy) of Fayetteville, Mary Scovic (Peter) of Newnan, Ga., Susan Starr of Honolulu, Hawaii, Michael Taber of Hot Springs, and David Taber of Houston, Texas; Jorise Taber Ware, the mother of Rick's children; in-laws, Martha Taber, Jan Poneta and Ellen Taylor; grandchildren, Vivian Yarbrough, Stella Yarbrough, Ivan Yarbrough, Thomas Alexander Yarbrough, Brianna Marie Taber, Haley Rose Taber, Aidric Adam Taber, Kaiya Smith, Atticus Byram, and Rosemary Humenchuk; and a host of other family and friends. The family gives special thanks to Rick's caregivers at Timber Ridge NeuroRestorative for the many years of loving and compassionate care they provided following his brain injury. The family also thanks Baptist Medical Center ICU S staff and the staff at Hospice Home Care for the end-of-life care that Rick received from them. Services will be held on Tuesday, April 30 at 2 p.m. at Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.). Memorial donations may be made to the Brain Injury Alliance of Arkansas, P.O. 26236, Little Rock, Ark. 72221-6236. Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. Rick's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.