Paul Oscar Marus Jr.

Paul Oscar Marus, Jr. passed away peacefully in his sleep, with family by his side, in the early hours of October 16, 2025 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. His health had been declining in recent years due to a combination of ailments, including dementia and congestive heart failure. A few days before his death, he indicated that he was ready to go be with his beloved Sally Boone Marus, who predeceased him almost exactly 11 years prior on October 14, 2014. He was born on November 13, 1944, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to Paul O. Marus, Sr. and Sue Spriggs Marus, who owned a succession of small family businesses. He and his younger brother Bob grew up next door to the family of their father's twin brother, including four beloved cousins who were more like siblings to them. An honors student, he graduated from Pine Bluff High School in 1963 and went on to attend Ouachita Baptist University, where he was a member of the U.S. Army ROTC and the Alpha Omega Eta fraternity. He earned a B.A. in business, graduating in 1967 with a commission as a first lieutenant and serving the Army for two years in various accounting and logistical support roles, including stints at bases in Indiana and Istanbul (where he developed a lifelong love for pistachios and baklava). On October 19, 1969 he married his college sweetheart, the former Sally Ann Boone of Forrest City, Arkansas. They remained happily married for nearly 45 years, until her death in 2014 of an aggressive form of brain cancer. He missed her every day after that, and is now happily reunited with the love of his life. Paul and Sally made their home in Little Rock, where he spent the first half of his career as a clothing buyer for a local department store chain. Later in his career, he used his purchasing and management talents working in procurement positions with various state agencies, retiring in 2017 from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Development, where he was beloved by his staff not only for being a good manager, but also for regularly bringing boxes of Community Bakery pastries and sausage rolls to the office to share. After retirement, he moved to Paragould, Arkansas, to be closer to his daughter and her family. He was a longtime member of Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock, where he served in multiple capacities over the years including as a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, a nursery volunteer, and a member of the building committee for the construction of the church's 1981 sanctuary. Paul was intelligent, thoughtful, kind, and – above all – a man of deep integrity and a profound sense of decency and justice, which he passed on to his children. He loved nothing more than his family, and in particular he delighted in making children laugh through horseplay, tickle attacks, and terrible dad jokes. He also was deeply fond of butter pecan ice cream, military history, dogs, and literally any British murder mystery show that aired on PBS, which he could watch for hours on end. Paul was predeceased by his parents, his wife, his brother, cousins Nancy Marus Sawyer and Jim Marus, and niece Kasey Marus Douglas. He is survived by his children and their spouses Rob Marus (James Adams) of Washington, DC and Catherine Marus Bell (Jerry) of Paragould; grandchildren Nicolas Bell, Louis Bell, Emma Bell, Katie Bell McNatt (Terron), Madeline Bell, Lily Bell, Jack Bell, Noah Bell, Charlotte Bell, and Sam Bell; great-grandson Wesley McNatt; beloved cousins Beth Marus Dashiell and Casey Marus; and nieces Karey Marus Broach, Allison Marus Fowler, and Carly Marus Covert. A graveside service under the direction of Phillips Funeral Home will be held on Saturday, October 18, at 12:00 p.m. at Linwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts in Paul's memory be made to Arkansas PBS (www.myarkansaspbs.org or Arkansas PBS Foundation, 350 S. Donaghey Ave., Conway, AR 72034), which provided him with decades of entertainment and enlightenment. To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.