Robert Howard "Bob" Gladden

Robert Howard ("Bob") Gladden, 88, of Little Rock, Arkansas, died on Monday, April 4, 2016. Bob was born in Caddo Gap, Arkansas, and lived there until his family moved to Arkadelphia in order for his four brothers and his sister to attend college. Bob graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 1948. At Ouachita, he played on the varsity basketball team along with his brother Tom. Bob made the Arkansas All-State college basketball team in 1947. In 1975, Bob was honored by OBU with a Distinguished Alumni Award along with his wife, Alla B. Gladden. She predeceased him in 1997 after 48 years of marriage. After college he served in the Army, then worked for Reynolds Metals Company in Bauxite, Arkansas, for 30 years. He next worked for the Pulaski County School District as Assistant Superintendent for Finance. In 1986 he became the CFO of Coulson Oil Company in North Little Rock, later becoming its Senior Executive Advisor. He was still working at the time of his death, in his 30th year of service to the company. Bob also took pride in serving on the board of Delta Dental of Arkansas for many years. When Bob and Alla B. moved to Little Rock in 1950, they joined Immanuel Baptist Church, where he was a member for more than 65 years. As a faithful member of the church, Bob served as a Trustee and a Deacon, as chairman of the budget and finance committees, and as a Sunday School director to many groups of young married adults. Bob loved to travel the world with his family, visiting 117 countries and every continent. He cherished each trip as "the trip of a lifetime." While traveling he would joke about his birthplace, "We're a long way from the Gap!" Known to all as an optimist, Bob loved the motto "The harder I work the luckier I get" and his favorite Bible verse "Let all things be done decently and in order.", I Corinthians 14:40. Above all, he loved his family. Bob devoted his entire life to his family, his church, and his work. He is survived by two daughters, Gay (Joe) Pappin of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Beth (Mike) Coulson of Little Rock; two grandchildren, Gladden (Jeanette) Pappin of South Bend, Indiana, and Margie Pappin of Mexico, Missouri; two great-grandchildren, Marie-Therese and Clement Pappin of South Bend, Indiana. Also surviving is one brother, Larry (Beth) Gladden of Flower Mound, Texas; one sister, Jessie West of Dumas; two sisters-in-law, Linda Gladden of Little Rock, and Grace Gladden of Georgetown, Texas; and many nieces and nephews who loved him very much. Memorial Service will be at Immanuel Baptist Church at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 7, 2016 with Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth and Dr. Rex M. Horne Jr., participating. Visitation will follow in the Gathering Hall at Immanuel. Funeral arrangements by Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211 (501) 224-8300. Private burial will be at Pinecrest Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church, 501 N. Shackleford Rd., Little Rock, Ark. 72211, or to the Ouachita Baptist University Annual Fund, Ouachita Development Office, OBU Box 3754, Arkadelphia, Ark. 71998. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.