Byron Cravens

Dec. 24, 1919 - Sept. 13, 2011 FORT SMITH, AR BYRON CLAY CRAVENSByron Clay Cravens was born at home on December 24, 1919, in Prairie View, Arkansas, to Earle and Gladys Cravens. He departed this life from Fort Smith, Arkansas on September 13, 2011. His father was a Methodist Minister and served the East Van Buren Church, now a part of Heritage United Methodist Church, as his first appointment after graduating from Hendrix College in 1926. Byron attended nine different public schools, before graduating from Batesville High School in 1936. He entered Hendrix College that fall, graduated, and continued his educational pursuits at Duke University School of Divinity, graduating in 1943. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Oklahoma City University in 1960. In 1943, he married Linda Lee Hunt, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T.L. Hunt, of Fort Smith, and they would have celebrated their 68th Wedding Anniversary on September 16. They have three children, Pamela Leigh Galvani of Seattle, Washington, Thomas Hunt Cravens of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Martha Ann Bonilla of Corpus Christi, Texas. They have seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, as well as one sister, Mrs. Jo Ann Deal of Little Rock, Arkansas. His professional life was divided into three segments: The first twenty years he served as a Methodist Minister in Oklahoma; First at the May Avenue Church in Oklahoma City, then the Ponca City Methodist Church and finally at the Nichols Hills Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. As Pastor, he lead in the building of the sanctuaries at May Avenue and Nichols Hills, both in Oklahoma City. For several years Byron served as Chairman of the Board of Ministerial Training for the Oklahoma Conference of the Methodist Church, which supervised the training of young ministers before their full ordination as Methodist Ministers. The second twenty years he was head of the Hunt Department Stores that had Fort Smith as its headquarters. His father-in-law, T.L. Hunt, gave his life to the store which had been founded in 1919 by his father R.T. Hunt. Hunts' sold their business in 1988. The third segment of his life saw him retire from active business leadership and enter into various community activities, highlighted by his service as a director of the Board of First National Bank since 1978, which included 15 years as Chairman of the Audit Committee and 25 years as a member of the Loan and Discount Committee. He retired from the board in 2009. Byron was a "People Person" and found places of service on the Boy Scout Westark Council, as a Trustee of St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, as a Trustee of the Methodist Nursing Home, as a member of the Parking Authority, a member of the Board of the Marvin Altman Physical Fitness Center, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Arkansas-Oklahoma Rodeo-Fair Board, and a member of the Board of Hanna Oil & Gas Company, along with various official responsibilities in the First United Methodist Church of Fort Smith. He made several extended trips to Alaska to fish for salmon. His favorite sport was quail hunting. He loved Mother Nature and found great satisfaction in breeding and raising Angus and Brangus Cattle. Memorial service will be 11:00 AM Friday, September 16, 2011, at First United Methodist Church in Fort Smith. Entombment will be at First United Methodist Church Columbarium. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home, 201 North 12th Street, Fort Smith, AR. Memorials may be made to: The First United Methodist Church, 200 North 15th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901, The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 292, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901, or to The Good Samaritan Clinic, 615 North B Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901. To place an online tribute please visit: www.edwardsfuneralhome.com