Gary D. Elliott

Dr. Gary D. Elliott, 81, departed this life on Wednesday September 13, 2022. He was born October 10, 1940, in Chickasha, Okla., to the late Merle and Anita Elliott. After living in Oklahoma until he graduated from high school, he moved with his parents and siblings to Searcy, Arkansas where he enrolled in Harding College. After earning a BA at Harding in 1962 and PhD from Kansas State in 1971, Gary returned to Harding as an English Professor and chairman of the English Department from 1973-1981. He then moved his family to Portland, Ore., to serve as Dean and eventually President of Columbia Christian College from 1982-1991. His career as a teacher, department chair, and administrator circled back to the Harding English Department by way of Pepperdine University in 1994 and retired in 2007. Gary was a member of the Church of Christ and spent decades as a pulpit minister for various small churches, but mostly remembered by his service to the Church of Christ in Beedeville, Ark. Gary loved his family, Christian education, literature, grandkids, raising cattle, Harding sports, fishing, hunting, and traveling. More recently he enjoyed Jenks high school football, bird watching, smoking a pipe, and occasionally quietly calling the Hogs while living the past year in Northwest Arkansas. Gary is survived by his devoted wife Cheryl of 59 years, his son Douglas, daughter, Heather, and her husband Darren Barber. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Madison and her husband Tim Schlenger, Davis Elliott, Haydn Elliott, and Myles Barber. He is also survived by his sister Judy Outlaw and brother Phillip Elliott and wife Jamie. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Gary was preceded in death by his parents Merle and Anita Elliott. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at the College Church of Christ in Searcy. Visitation is Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., at the church. Interment will be at Gum Springs Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made to the Harding Track and Women's Basketball programs. Arrangements by Jackson's Newport Funeral Home. www.jacksonsfh.com.