Robert Shelby Stroud

Robert Shelby Stroud was born December 25, 1919 in Uno (Poinsett County) Arkansas and passed away on November 27, 2018 at his home in Desha, Arkansas, surrounded by his family. His parents were George Allen Stroud and Mary Ellen Justus Stroud. He was preceded in death by them and his brothers J.B. Stroud and Theodore Albert Stroud, and his beloved wife Betty Lester Stroud. He is survived by his son Robert Desha Stroud (Deborah Lytle) of Desha, Mary Carolyn Stroud Vandiver (Hal) of Desha, grandchildren, Mary Katherine Vandiver of Batesville, Virginia Ellen Stroud of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Benjamin Desha Stroud (Nicole Glover) of Batesville, and Anna Desha Vandiver Hines (Rodger) of Saint Joseph, Missouri, and great-grandchildren, Caroline Desha Graham, Sarah Leslie Graham, Sophia Jane Graham, Julian Desha Stroud, Elizabeth Shelby Desha Hines and Ruby Simone Stroud. For the last three decades, his life was deeply enriched by the special companionship of Mary Lee Thessen. Robert was a member of First United Methodist Church in Batesville, a Mason and a supporter of many groups which upheld his interests in local history and customs. He and Betty were founding members of the Independence County Historical Society and until his death he remained involved in supporting the Ozark Folk Center through the Committee of One Hundred on which Betty, daughter Mary and granddaughter, Mary Katherine all served. For 80 years he was involved in actively managing farming interests in and around Desha, his adopted home. Robert was a collector, with a fondness for coins, knives, primitive furniture and anything that "caught his eye". But mostly he collected relationships and friends. His engaging personality, warmth and wry, quick wit will be sorely missed by all of them. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 615 E. Main St., Batesville, Old Independence Regional Museum, 380 S. Ninth Street, Batesville, and the Committee of One Hundred, P.O. Box 2111, Mountain View, 72560. After a private burial ceremony, a memorial service will be held at First Methodist Church in Batesville at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, followed by visitation with the family at the Church. Arrangements by Roller-Crouch Funeral Home, Batesville. www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/batesville.