Phil Alford Jr.

Phil Alford Jr., age 93 of Lewisville, Arkansas, passed away Monday, March 7, 2016 at his home. Mr. Alford was born May 24, 1922 in Hicks, Texas to Dora Jane Stubbs and Phil Alford Sr. He was a graduate of Texas A&M University and a veteran of World War II, having served as a Captain of Field Artillery with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy and earning two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. Mr. Alford was the owner/operator of Phil Alford Farms. He was a successful dairy operator in Burleson County, Texas before coming to Lafayette County, Arkansas in 1956 where he turned thousands of acres of non-productive bottom-land into quality crop and pasture land through formation of drainage ditches. He is credited with developing the first successful large scale stocker cattle operation in southwest Arkansas, regularly handling 15,000 to 20,000 head of cattle per year. In 2009, he was elected to the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame and was a founding member of the Arkansas Cattleman's Association. Known as "Mr. Phil", he was a mentor to many cattlemen. He was long involved in the Red River Valley Association, serving as Vice President for 20 years. Mr. Alford was a past chairman of the Red River PCA, Board of Directors of People's Bank and Loan, Lafayette County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Arkansas Red River Commission as well as the President and member of the Board of Southwest Arkansas Water District. Mr. Alford was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Virginia Jones Alford; and grandparents, James F. and Marella Stubbs. He is survived by wife, Dorothy J. Alford of Lewisville, Ark.; sons, Philip Alford III and wife, Glenda of Stephenville, Texas; Walter Bruce Alford and wife, Linda of Lewisville, Ark.; James Thomas Alford and wife, Vivian of Lewisville, Ark.; daughters, Carolyn Jane Coleman and late husband, John, of Jonesboro, Ark. and Susan Coleman and husband, Tom of Mountain Home, Ark.; step-son, Ted Alan Wade and wife, Angela of Red Water, Texas; eight grandsons; eight granddaughters; and many other relatives and friends. Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 11, 2016 at the Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Stamps, Ark. with Chaplin Sidney Melton officiating and assisted by Bro. Charlie Zumwalt and Jimmy Perry. Interment will follow at Wilson Cemetery in Lewisville, Ark. Pallbearers will be Zach Alford, Jeremy Alford, Bryan Russell, Brad Russell, Christopher Russell, Michael John Coleman, David Alford Coleman and Kevin Alford. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jimmy Perry and Calvin Lollis. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 10, 2016 at the Smith Funeral Home in Stamps, Ark. Online registration is available at www.aosmithfuneralhome.com.