Fouke, Arkansas
Mr. Julius Elmo (Smokey) Crabtree, age 88, of Fouke, Arkansas, died Saturday, January 16, 2016, in a local hospital.
Mr. Crabtree was born April 22, 1927, in Fouke, Arkansas, and had been a lifetime resident of Fouke. He was a Nazarene, a retired welder, contractor, publisher, and had owned the Big Stop Grocery Store in Fouke. He served our country as a Merchant Marine, was a member of the Masonic Lodge, VFW, and Pipeliners Union 798. He had also been a boxer and Golden Gloves Champion. He was preceded in death by two sons, Tommy Crabtree and Lynn Crabtree, and a grandson, Jeremy Knight.
Survivors include his wife, Fran Crabtree of Fouke, Arkansas, two sons and daughters-in-law, Travis and Mary Crabtree of Mt. Dora, Florida, and Jay and Toni Crabtree of Texarkana, Arkansas, one daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and John Knight of Sparkman, Arkansas, ten grandchildren, and a number of great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 P. M. Saturday at the Texarkana Funeral Home, Arkansas Chapel, with Frank McFerrin officiating. Burial will be at Independence Cemetery in Fouke, Arkansas.
My name is Joel Wilkey and I use to call and talk to smokey from California and he sent me a signed copy of his book. He was a very nice gentleman and it was always a pleasure to talk with him . Godspeed smokey rest in peace .
Joel Wilkey
July 19, 2025 | Lakeside, CA | Acquaintance
I,.and my husband and daughter met Smokey years ago and had a nice visit. I was so sorry to learn about his death. He was so interesting and nice. Rest in peace,Smokey
Stephanie Griffin
February 08, 2025 | Paris, TX | Acquaintance
Like some others here, I am saddened to just now learn about Mr Crabtree’s passing. I had the chance to talk on the phone with him at length, when I had planned to come visit Fouke and explore the wilderness there. I had hoped I might purchase a signed copy of his book whilst there, but alas, I had to change plans and was not able to make the trip. I thank him for his service to the country and to the local region, and for his legendary ability to tell his story.
Jackson Yandell
September 13, 2021 | Fort Worth, TX
I met him when he was a welder with 798 up on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. I was a Physician Assistant at the Franklin Bluffs Camp and he came in to see me complaining of respiratory
congestion. What a nice guy. By the time he left, he had told me all about the Fouke Monster and his family. Next morning at 6AM
he was knocking on my door with a signed copy of his book. It's ironic in that today I was telling my son about him when later on the news, I saw another 798er named Crabtree...
Bruce Williams-Burden
January 29, 2021 | Freeland, WA | Coworker
I feel awful that I'm years late knowing about Mr. Smokey's passing, but I met him when I was very, very young, and the memory of how kind and vibrant he was has always stuck with me. After a miserably cold trip to the Crater of Diamonds, my uncle, who has always instilled in my cousin and I a huge love and appreciation for the macabre, the mystical, and the otherworldly, suggested that we swing by Fouke to visit the man who saw the Fouke monster.
Being that my cousin and I were a...
Auden Crane
October 05, 2020 | Searcy, AR | Friend
Wonderful man,met him and Melba years ago at family gathering.
Christopher Houston Askew
July 11, 2020 | Shreveport, LA | Friend
I ordered his book Smokey and The Fouke Monster in 2005. He signed my book and wished me and my family well. I wish I could have met him in person. A kind and generous man. Rest in Peace.
J. C. Jones
June 28, 2019 | Bossier CIty, LA | Acquaintance
Rest in Peace Mr.Crabtree
The Major
November 29, 2016 | Centralia, PA
I met Smokey when I was 10 years old at the Monster City Jamboree in Fouke I believe it was around 1990. I had always been fascinated with unknown things in the wild that couldn't be explained. Always loved the outdoors but obviously not near as much as Smokey. Read all the books and watched the movie I know it word for word. You will be missed very much. I hope one day to meet some of your family and share some wonderful stories. God bless!
B.J. Kyle
April 27, 2016 | McNeil, AR