Robert H. "Bob" Wilmoth

Robert H. "Bob" Wilmoth, 90, of Lepanto, Ark., died suddenly Monday evening in Little Rock, while visiting family. Born on June 27, 1923, in Etowah, Arkansas, he was the first child and eldest son of Myrtle Harrison and Robert Henry Wilmoth, Sr., early settlers in southern Mississippi County. His mother had been a postmistress, and his father, who began working in Mississippi County in the "log woods" for Chapman and Dewey at age 18, was a merchant, farmer, and ginner. One of Mr. Wilmoth's earliest memories was of being confined to play on the front porch during the Great Flood of 1927. His mother forbade him to venture any further as snakes had been driven to the higher ground in the settlement. It was torture for the four-year-old boy. A boy during the Depression, he gained a great practical education as well as an extraordinary exposure to the human condition while helping his father in the sawmill, at the store, and on the farm. At age 12, he was driving his father's Model A to deliver groceries, transport workers to fields, deliver messages, and pick up freight. Mr. Wilmoth was educated in local schools and graduated from Keiser High School in 1941. He attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and was recruited into the early specialized training program to become a pilot during WWII. To his great disappointment, he learned that he was too color-blind to become a pilot, so he enlisted in the regular Army in 1943. His expert use of a slide rule was noted and he was assigned to the field artillery of the 103rd Army. He became a forward artillery spotter, scouting out and calling in coordinates for the artillery to target. He first saw combat in northern France during the terrible winter of 1944-45. His unit was among the earliest to cross the Rhine into Germany, where they helped liberate the Landsberg Concentration Camp, and crossed the Brenner Pass in the Alps to meet up with the 5th Army advancing from Italy. His experiences during WWII were profound and lasting. Even as he witnessed devastation and death all around him, the inquisitive country boy from Arkansas reveled in the sights and culture of Europe. Mr. Wilmoth came home to Arkansas and enrolled at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro where he studied agriculture. These were among some of the happiest, most care-free years of his life. He helped charter and became president of the Sigma Pi fraternity where he made life-long friendships that he treasured. He met and married his wife, Imogene Russell, of Pine Bluff, a campus beauty, there. His first work after graduation was with the Cooperative Extension Service in the Marked Tree area, teaching farmers how to modernize and better manage their land and crops. He and his young wife were especially popular with the farm families in the area. Although he had taken a position with Allied Chemicals in Paducah, Ky., during the early 50's, Mr. Wilmoth was one of those Arkies who never reach escape velocity. He moved back to Etowah and assumed responsibility for his father's farming operation in 1954. He developed the farm from one that was still using mules to work the ground, to a modern, mechanized family farm. An educated and careful planner, keen observer, and hard worker, he was a first-rate farmer and steward of the family land. Long after he retired from farming, he still exulted in the sight of a "pretty stand" of cotton, a clean field laid out in straight rows, and well- maintained ditches and turnrows. Mr. Wilmoth loved his community and contributed to it in a variety of ways, from serving on the school board and water board, helping start the Garden Point Cemetery Association, and in other local political, church, farm, and civic affairs. He was particularly generous and tender-hearted in helping local people who were less fortunate and needy. In 1991, he and Mrs. Wilmoth fulfilled a dream when they took their five children and their spouses to Europe for four weeks. The Wilmoth Family Tour visited places he had been in France, Germany, and Austria, with side-trips to Prague, Vienna, and Florence. He traveled abroad two more times with various family members, and in 2009 he joined three daughters and their spouses for a cruise to Alaska. Above all, Mr. Wilmoth was a devoted husband and father. Married for more than fifty years, he was an attentive and loving care-giver to his wife during her long illness before she died. Together they had developed the farm, worked for the betterment of their community, and reared and educated their children. Mr. Wilmoth insisted that all of his children spend time working in the fields. He felt summers spent hoeing cotton or hauling wheat was a sure-fire way to ensure that all of them would want to go to college. He reared his four daughters and son to be competent, resourceful, and responsible. He instilled the virtues of honesty, integrity, and hard work through example. Woe to any passenger who was not alert and well-braced as Mr. Wilmoth drove his truck around the farm inspecting crops. Even in his 80's he would often spy a weed far down a long row of cotton, abruptly slam on the brakes, grab a hoe from the truck bed and start his long march down the field to dispatch it. Mr. Wilmoth had a long and happy life. He loved jazz, an occasional cold beer, and cornbread. He was a Baptist and read his Bible daily, pondering the significance of the scriptures. He also enjoyed reading his daily paper and was always up-to-date on the markets and international news. He lived frugally, choosing to share what he had with his family and friends. He loved the people in his community and they embraced him in return. The kindness and affection that he received from his neighbors, friends, and the people he encountered daily at the post office, bank, and grocery store helped him achieve his goal of living independently until he died. He often remarked that he had been blessed. One of nine siblings, he is survived by four sisters: Catherine Kroepfl of Sherwood, Bettye Webb of Tupelo, Miss., Sally McMechen of Marion, and Carolyn Kincaid of Las Vegas. His sisters Jane Anderson, Sue Brothers, Jean Martin, and only brother, Andy, have died. He is also survived by his children: Judy Wilmoth White (Ray), Cynthia Howington (Edward), and Suzanne Wilmoth (Phil Hooper) all of Little Rock, Jan Langston (Rev. Ron) of Nairobi, Kenya, and Rob Wilmoth (Carol Jean) of Steamboat Springs, Colo. Grandchildren are: Neil Langston of Jonesboro; James Langston of Sinazongwe, Zambia; Callie White of Aberdeen, Wash.; Claire Howington of Abbeville, La.; and Douglas White, Andrew Howington, and Maddie and Hannah Hooper of Little Rock. Mr. Wilmoth had four great-grandchildren. The family wishes to especially thank Julie Rosamund, Betty Mason, Nancy Franks, Bo McCollum, and Darryl Allen for the care and friendship they gave to our father in his final years. Visitation is at Murphy Funeral Home in Lepanto from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday. Funeral services are at Etowah Baptist Church at 2 p.m. with burial afterwards at Garden Point Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to The Professor Tom O'Connor Jazz Scholarship at Arkansas State University, P.O.B. 1990, State University, Ark. 72467 or to a charity of the donor's choice.