Bobby Earl Keeling

BOBBY EARL KEELING Bobby Earl Keeling, age 93, of the Zion Hill community in northern Pope County, died peacefully surrounded by his family on December 7, 2025. Bobby was born on March 30, 1932, in St. Joe, Arkansas, the oldest of four children born to Robert Hosea and Lona May Tilley Keeling. He is predeceased by his parents, his wife of 59 years, W. Lois Witt Keeling, sisters JoBeda Cheney and O'Leta Melinda Dahlan, brothers Leon Lewis Keeling and Jerry McKee, and brother-in-law Cletis Witt. He is survived by his four children: Karen Lawson of Leslie, Kay (Jeffrey) Montgomery of Belleville, Karla (Harold) Carr of Hector, and David (April) Keeling of Zion Hill. Surviving grandchildren are Sarah (Corey) Paullin of Alread, Daniel (Valerie) Lawson of Leslie, Ethan (Rachel) Dutram of Juddville, Jason Carr of Hector, Michael Carr of Appleton, Amanda (Daniel) Casto of Tilley, Mason (Madison) Keeling of Praairie Grove, Tanner Keeling, Landon Keeling, and Aliza Keeling all of Zion Hill. Surviving great-grandchildren are Kalen Horton of Quitman, Ana (Trenton) Burton of Conway, Nate Carr and Emma Carr of Russellville, Jacob (Willow) Casto, Brent (Arabella) Casto, and four great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by brother-in-law Clell Witt and special friend Diane Canterbury. Bobby attended schools in St. Joe, Arkansas, and Yakima, Washington. He learned to farm with his father as a boy. As a young man, Bobby worked with his father picking apples in the Yakima Valley. While continuing to work in an apple warehouse, Bobby enrolled in a carpenter apprenticeship program, attended night classes, and graduated as a journeyman carpenter. Bobby joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1952 and served as a machinist mate in the Korean conflict. After his discharge, Bobby resumed working as a carpenter in Oakland, California. He met and married W. Lois Witt of the Zion Hill community in 1954. After the birth of two of their children, Bobby and Lois moved from California back to Arkansas to raise their family and developed a beef cow/calf operation. Bobby continued working as a carpenter through the Carpenters Union Local 1836 in Russellville. In 1969, Bobby became an instructor for an apprenticeship and journeyman program in Russellville. He served as the president of the Arkansas State Council of Carpenters from 1970 to 1974. From 1972-74, Bobby was the Carpentry Coordinator at Cass CCC, and afterward returned to farming. Bobby worked in the community serving on the Alread school board, spearheading the obtaining of phone service for residents in northern Pope County and the paving of Highway 16 west from Rupert. In addition to farming, Bobby worked in the timber industry, cutting and hauling logs, and was the owner/operator of a sawmill and a country store. In his 70s, he was employed as a Landman for Western Land Services. Bobby was a Mason and a member of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist church. Visitation will be on Tuesday, December 16, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at Roller McNutt Funeral Home in Clinton. Funeral services will be at the Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church on Wednesday, December 17, at 11:00 a.m., followed by burial in Zion Hill Cemetery. To express condolences online, please visit www.rollerfuneralhomes.com. Pallbearers are Jason Carr, Michael Carr, Daniel Lawson, Ethan Dutram, Mason Keeling, Tanner Keeling, and Landon Keeling.