Cecil Cupp

Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas lost one of their most dedicated advocates, business leaders and true gentlemen with the death of Cecil Watson Cupp Jr of Hot Springs on May 11, 2016. The son of Hazel and Cecil Cupp Sr. Mr. Cupp grew up in Arkadelphia where his father was in the theater business in the 1920s. He attended Arkadelphia high school where he was student body president. A good athlete in his high school days, he ran track and played basketball. After the start of World War II, he briefly attended what was then Henderson State Teachers College. He then served in the U.S. Navy, and was a quartermaster on the fleet oiler USS Mascoma in the Western Pacific. He was always proud of the fact that his ship was one of those present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender was signed. After the war, he attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he obtained a degree in business and was a dedicated member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. On Lake Hamilton in his early twenties, Cecil was introduced to his beloved wife during a chance meeting teaching Gwendolyn Stuckey of Lepanto Arkansas to waterski. They married in 1949. Although he had an opportunity to attend the graduate school of business at Stanford University, he elected to return to his hometown of Arkadelphia and join with his father in business at the Citizens First National Bank. He served as vice president and president there until the early 1960s when he and his father bought controlling interest in the Arkansas Bank and Trust Company of Hot Springs. At ABT, he served as vice president, president and chairman of the board until his retirement in 1995 and remained a director and advisory director until 2005. He served as a director of First Commercial Corporation of Little Rock from 1989 to 1998. Involved in numerous banking, business and civic organizations, he served as a director of the Federal Reserve bank of St. Louis in the early 1970s, was president of the Arkansas Bankers Association, and two term president of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce. He was on the board of trustees of Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City. Cecil was an active member of Rotary International throughout his business career and served as district Governor. Interestingly, he may have been the only non-Frenchman to attend the Rotary International conventions held in Nice, France in 1937, 1967, and 1995. An Eagle Scout, he was active throughout his life in Scouting and was a Silver Beaver award recipient. His proudest achievement was the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs. He worked tirelessly with the project from its inception in the mid 1960's and was chairman of the Arkansas State Museum commission. Through philanthropic efforts, he and Gwen were strong supporters of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and Garvin Woodland Gardens of Hot Springs. He was a faithful, lifelong Methodist. Cecil was an active fisherman, skier, sometimes hunter but most of all traveler. With Gwen as his traveling companion, few interesting places around the globe were not on his itinerary, from 1980 China to the remote Australian outback. He had a wealth of information to share about many places. Cecil's kind humble heart and genuine interest and love for all people, and distinguished worldview made an impact on all he met. He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Gwendolyn Stuckey Cupp. He is survived by his children, Celia Cupp Baker of Little Rock and Cecil (Mary Anne) Watson Cupp III of Hot Springs; four grandchildren, Wendy (Shannon) Martin of Memphis, Caroline (Ian) Mensik of Little Rock, Lauren (Jason) Feilke of Little Rock and Catherine (Kenan) Lucas of Birmingham, Ala.; and seven great-grandchildren, Spencer and Emma Martin, Annika Mensik, Annabelle and Eloise Feilke, Kenan Holmes Jr. and Malcom Lucas. The family would like to thank Sandra Thompson, Julie Underwood, Holly Graham and Christine Blackman as loving, dedicated caregivers; also the staff of Arkansas Hospice, Drs. Bill Cole and Marty Koehn as well as Lacy Swazye. Special thanks go to caretakers John and Arlene Moore. Memorials can be made to the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business, Garvan Woodland Gardens or First United Methodist Church of Hot Springs. Family visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m., Tuesday in the chapel of Gross Funeral Home. We will celebrate his life at 2 p.m., Wednesday May 18, 2016 in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, with Revs. Michael Mattox and David Wilson officiating. A reception will follow the service in the Cupp Hall of First United Methodist Church. The online obituary, guestbook, and memorial tribute are available at www.GrossFuneralHome.com.