Christopher "Chris" Wade

1945 - 2025

Christopher ''Chris'' Wade, 79, of Bull Shoals, Ark., passed away on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Mountain Home, Ark., close by the family he loved so dearly.

Born on Dec. 26, 1945, in Gainesville, Texas, to Milton and Eloise (Oden) Wade, Chris lived a life filled with curiosity, adventure and a deep commitment to the people around him. He graduated from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and proudly served as president of his fraternity, Kappa Alpha, a role that reflected his natural ability to lead, connect and inspire.

Chris began his real-estate career at the remarkable age of 17, becoming one of the youngest real estate brokers in the state of Arkansas. He poured his heart into his community from the very beginning. Chris was a founding member of the Mountain Home MLS (Multi List Service) and was honored as Realtor of the Year in 1974. He was also a founding member of Citizens Bank in Flippin, Ark.

His love of exploration led him to map caves for the National Speleological Society. A visionary and a builder in every sense, he helped establish the Flippin Airshow, served on the Airport Commission and the Flippin Rural Water Extension and was a past president of the Flippin Chamber of Commerce. He also treasured the friendships and laughter he shared with the Marion County Bourbon Club.

More than his accomplishments, Chris will be remembered for the way he lived. He loved to travel and found peace and joy in the outdoors, especially anywhere near the water. He delighted in building things with his hands, approaching each new project with creativity, patience and pride. Chris was always surrounded by critters, both wild and domestic, and he cared for them with the same steady kindness he showed everyone he met. He was a man who loved deeply, worked wholeheartedly and walked through life on his own adventurous path.

Left to carry his memory forward are his loving wife, Diane (Di) Wade; his daughter, Telicia Wade-Perry and her husband, Richard; his sons, Chris Wade Jr., Aaron Wade (Christina Freeze); his stepsons, Stephen Campbell and Timothy Campbell and his wife, Christina; his grandchildren, Landon Perry, Logan Perry, Emma Wade and Alex Wade, Kingston Campbell, Jayden Campbell and Christian Campbell; his niece, Margaret Ott and her husband, Greg, and their children, Chance (Danielle) and Lacie (Tim); and his former spouse and mother of his children, Rosalee Wade. Each of them holds a piece of his spirit, his humor, his determination and his boundless love.

Chris was preceded in death by his parents and his two sisters, Jackie Mutz and Daisy Elkins, with whom he now shares eternal peace.

A funeral service honoring Chris' life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Roller Burns Funeral Home, 725 N. Panther Ave., Yellville, with interment to follow at Flippin Cemetery.

Those who knew Chris will remember a man who never stopped exploring, who loved without hesitation and who left his community and the world, better than he found it.

Visit www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/yellville to sign an online guestbook