Walter Mearl "Mearl" Taffar

1933 - 2022

Walter "Mearl" Taffar, 88, of Ravenden, Ark., passed away Thursday, May 19, 2022, at St. Bernard's Five Rivers Medical Center in Pocahontas, Ark.
Walter Mearl was born July 2, 1933, in Caulfield, Mo., to the late William Walter and Lina Leora Bennett Taffar, and grew up in West Plains, Mo. He married Betty Jean Sanders Dec. 12, 1952, served in the United States Army for four years, then moved to Ravenden in 1955 where he raised his family and worked as a log cutter until opening his own business, Taffar's Saw Shop and Feed Store in 1968, and continued to work there until his passing. He was an avid coon hunter, breeder of Walker coonhounds, developed a special feed for coonhounds which he named after his granddaughter Crystal, enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Ravenden Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by his parents William Walter and Lina Leora Bennett Taffar; brothers William Ray Dean Taffar and Bearl Taffar; sisters Mary Jewell Whitener, Sybil Josephine Hallmark, Vivian Faye Upton and Shirley Pauline Upton; and granddaughter Jennifer Lee Taffar Smith.
Survivors include his loving wife of 69 years, Betty Jean Sanders Taffar of the home; three daughters Mearline Taffar Norman and husband Jim of Tampa, Fla., Ina Leora Taffar Cohn and husband Rick of Monette, Ark., and Juanita Loraine Taffar Comstock of Ravenden, Ark.; one son Henry Mearl Lee Taffar and wife Retha of Branson, Mo.; five grandsons Billy Joe Comstock of Ravenden, Josh Longmire of Jonesboro, Lane Cohn of Jonesboro, Ashton Raney of Myrtle, Mo., and Terry Wayne Hall of West Memphis, Ark.; three granddaughters Crystal Masters of Pocahontas, Ark., Christal Jean Taffar Haueter of Lebanon, Mo., and Tahya Taffar Rose of Branson, Mo.; 16 great-grandchildren, Jackson Longmire, Dakota, Devon, Shelby and Dylan Comstock, Jaxon, Neveah and Zaiden Smith, Andrew and Noah Clark, Tyler and Chase Hall, Paige Hall, Tyson Masters, Ryan Raney and Trenton Houltzhouser; brother Vearl Gene Taffar of Peoria, Ill.; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 23, 2022, in the chapel of McNabb Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at Ravenden Church of Christ with Joshua Dement officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at 3 p.m. at Fowler Cemetery near Caulfield.
Pallbearers will be Henry Taffar, Josh Longmire, Lane Cohn, Terry Wayne Hall, Billy Ray Taffar, Rick Cohn and Jim Norman. Honorary pallbearers will be Billy Joe Comstock, Jaxon Smith, Dakota Comstock, Devon Comstock, Andrew Clark, Noah Clark, Tyler Hall, Chase Hall, Jackson Longmire and Trenton Houltzhouser.