Jay Winters Sr.

Jay B. Winters Sr., age 67, of Dover, departed this life on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. He was born Feb. 16, 1954, in Chicago, Ill., to the late Clyde Clarence and Audrey Mildred (McClain) Winters.

Jay was a wonderful loving husband, daddy, PaPa and committed child of God.

He was a 1972 Dover High School graduate, and upon graduation entered the U.S. Army, in which he served during the Vietnam era, 1972-75. He was an active member of the Russellville First Assembly of God Church where he served as Sunday School teacher, Deacon, and was later honored as an honorary Deacon.

He also played the character of "Jarius" in the twenty-plus year Easter production of "He's Alive, the Passion Play of Jesus."

Jay's law enforcement journey began shortly after his military service. He was employed by the Russellville Police Department and then with Pope County Sheriff's Office. Jay's tenure of 18 years made him the longest serving Sheriff of Pope County. He deemed it an honor to have served as past president of the Arkansas Sheriff's Association.

After his retirement as Sheriff, he was employed by Governors Beebe and Hutchinson as the Director of the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

Jay truly had a "servant's heart." He was a member of Russellville Kiwanis Club and served as a volunteer of the River Valley Christian Clinic.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Frank Jones and Bertie (Clay) Winters White and Ernest (E.L.) Lee and Beulah Victoria (Gregg) McClain; and nephew, Lt. Kevin Clyde Mainhart.

Survivors include his wife, Sheena (Standridge) Winters; daughter, Amber (Winters) and husband, Ryan Morgan of Nanaimo, Vancouver, Canada; son, Jay B Jr. and his wife, Jennifer Winters of Hot Springs; sisters, Betty (Winters) Levey of Dardanelle and Evelyn (Winters) Mainhart and her husband, Ron of Russellville; brother, Danny Winters and his wife, Evelyn of Snowball; six grandchildren, Kyleigh, Maycie and Andrew Jay (AJ) Morgan of Nanaimo, Vancouver, Canada, and Harrison Jay, Henry and Harper Winters of Hot Springs; uncle, Curtis Doyle McClain of Midland, Texas; an aunt, Lois (McClain) Ellis of Jonesboro; brothers-in-law, Frank Standridge of Clarksville, Steve Standridge of Dardanelle and Fred and Tracy Standridge of Dover; sister-in-law, Frances Zerwas of Dover; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Open viewing will be held from 10 to 6 p.m. today at Russellville First Assembly of God, with the family receiving friends in the fellowship hall from 4 to 6 p.m.

Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Russellville First Assembly of God in Russellville, with the Pastor Ronnie Morris officiating.

Burial will be at North New Hope Cemetery in Dover, with military honors provided by the United States Army and police honors provided by the Arkansas Sheriffs Association and the Arkansas State Police, and under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville.

Pallbearers are Ben Cross, T.J. Curtis, Jamie Jackson, Kyle Drown, Blake Wilson, Freddie Williams, Gerry Whorton and Shane Jones.

Honorary pallbearers are the Pope County Honor Guard, Arkansas Sheriff's Association, Arkansas State Police, Army National Guard, all State of Arkansas Law Enforcement agents, Arkansas State Police Troop J of Clarksville; employees of the Arkansas Crime Information Center; employees and former employees of the Pope County Sheriff's Office; Retired Johnson County Sheriff, Wes Kendrick, Charles (Chuck) Lange, his "Capitol Roundtable" coffee buddies; and golfing buddies, Ronnie Morris, Aaron Duvall, Curtis Jackson and Greg Ennis.

The family requests in lieu of flowers and plants that you consider a donation be made to one of the following of which were dear to Jay's heart: Russellville First Assembly of God Missions, Russellville First Assembly of God Youth, 124 E G St, Russellville, AR 72801; C.O.P.S., P.O. Box 3199 Camdenton, MO 65020 or to The Wounded Warriors, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.

"A very special "THANK YOU" to T.J. Curtis, Jamie Jackson and Pastor Ronnie Morris for being with us from the beginning to the end of this journey. You have truly shown your "servant's" heart to us and our children. Then to all our friends and family who also prayed, texted, called, ran errands for us, etc., thank you. You all had a very special part in helping me care for my sweetheart, more than you can ever know. And, thank you to Misti Chansley and the AM CARE staff for all the support and especially the love you have shown to both Jay and myself. You have been truly a blessing to us." – Sheena.

Online guestbook and condolences available at www.shinnfunreal.com

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