Gordon Earl Maroney Jr.

Gordon Earl Maroney Jr., 94 of Arkadelphia, formerly of Smackover, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on November 22, 2013. Gordon was born October 10, 1919, to the late Gordon Earl Maroney Sr. and Minnie Louise (Sehon) Maroney in Huttig, Arkansas. He was a long standing member of First Baptist Church of Smackover, where he served many years as a Deacon, Sunday School superintendent, on the building and grounds committee and was a member of the J.O.Y. Club. He was a very loving husband and father. He and his wife enjoyed serving the Lord as well as fishing and spending time with their two boys. He and his brother, "Charlie", enjoyed playing country music together and were known as Pecos Pete and the Cowboy Serenaders. He played the fiddle while his brother played the guitar and was the lead singer. He also loved the sport of baseball and played in the semi-pros until he joined the service. He was raised in Huttig and graduated from Huttig High School in 1938. Shortly after graduation, Gordon entered the Army Air Corps at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, Ark. and then completed basic training at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. He completed the Academy of Aeronautics in December, 1941, at LaGuardia Field in New York and later reported to Gunter Field Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. where he was a PFC aircraft mechanic. He met and then married the love of his life, Myrtle Waldrop on October 26, 1944, in Montgomery, Ala. He graduated from C-54 Transport School in California in 1945. Gordon discharged from the Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base as a Tech Sgt. in Shreveport, La. in 1945. After serving in the Air Corps during WWII, he began his career in the line department at AP&L in 1946 in El Dorado, Ark. He was later assigned to service crews in Strong and Smackover for several years before going to the control room in 1978 as a dispatcher. He retired after 38 years of service to AP&L in 1984. He also belonged to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and served as president of the local union for several years. He is preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Myrtle W. Maroney; an infant sister, Mary Virginia Maroney; two brothers, Woodrow W. (Beau) Maroney and Charles T. Maroney; and his sister, Patty Sue McVicker. He leaves to cherish his memory a sister, Norma Gene Howell of Magnolia; and his two sons, Rev. Gordon E. Maroney III of Smackover and Michael R. Maroney and his wife Lora (Hendrix) Maroney of Arkadelphia. Services will begin on Friday morning, November 29, 2013, with family visitation from 9-10 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Smackover at 201 W. 7th to be followed with services officiated by Raymond Wells at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Harper Springs Cemetery in Huttig. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Smackover, the Plaza at Twin Rivers in Arkadelphia, or a charity of your choice in the name of Gordon E. Maroney Jr. Family and friends are encouraged to send their messages of comfort, support, and encouragement to his online guestbook at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.