Henry Joseph Udouj Jr.

Dr. Henry Joseph Udouj Jr., 72, of Fort Smith, passed into the loving arms of God September 18, 2017 in Fort Smith. He was born October 3, 1944, in Pawtucket, R.I. to Henry Joseph Sr. and Ida Genevieve Kinzle Udouj. He was co-owner of Udouj Orthodontics, a Veteran of the U.S. Army, a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Fort Smith Dental Association, the American Association of Orthodontists, and the Southwest Orthodontic Association. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta at the University of Arkansas, Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental National Honor Society, and Delta Sigma Delta at St. Louis University. Dr. Udouj received many awards over his lifetime for his charity and goodwill including the Spirit of the Frontier Award, the Governor's Arts Patrons Award, the Barbara Broyles Alzheimer's Award, and the Ronald McDonald Charities Lily Award. He is survived by his wife, Linda Udouj of Fort Smith; one daughter, Heidi Udouj Falconer and husband Bill of Birmingham, Ala.; one son, Dr. Henry J. Udouj III "Nubbin" and wife Melissa of Fort Smith; two sisters, Celeste and husband Stefan Brokas of Keystone Heights, Fla. and Jennifer and husband Pat Gavigan of Oviedo, Fla.; three brothers, Gary Sr. and wife Julie Udouj, of Fort Smith, Reginald Sr. and wife Jenny Udouj of Memphis, Tenn., and Chris Sr. and wife Mary Udouj, of Chicago, Ill.; and four grandchildren, Isabella Udouj and Joseph Udouj both of Fort Smith, and Liam Falconer and Molly James Falconer, both of Birmingham, Ala. Rosary will be Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 6 p.m. in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel and Mass will be Friday, September 22, 2017 at 10 a.m. in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Services and cremation are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Honorary pallbearers will be the Lake Ouachita Wilderness Club, the Men of Faith from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Rick Haggard, Ron Dee Wright, Dr. David Harper, Dr. Daniel Mackey, Bebo Slates, Bill Cooper, Dick Udouj, John Scholtens, Roy Lloyd, Butch Edwards, Dr. Ray Burd, and the Fort Smith Dental Association. The family will greet friends at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday from 5 p.m. until Rosary. Memorials may be sent to the Ronald McDonald Family Room of Fort Smith, P.O. Box 10053 Fort Smith, Ark. 72917, Fort Smith Public School Foundation, 3205 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 72901, Immaculate Conception Church and school, 22 North 13th St., Fort Smith, Ark. 72901, and Trinity Jr. High School, 1205 South Albert Pike Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 72903. To sign an online guestbook visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.