Senator Gary Don Stubblefield

Arkansas State Senator Gary Don Stubblefield, who resided near Branch, Arkansas, passed away Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at UAMS in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was born on February 28, 1951, at Bollinger Hospital in Charleston, Arkansas, to the late H.T. "Tottie" Stubblefield and Beulah Mae (Mantooth) Stubblefield. He was 74 years old. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ronnie Stubblefield.

The journey for Senator Gary Stubblefield began on Mill Creek Mountain on February 28, 1951. He came from a small family farm of chickens, a berry patch, a two bedroom house with a wash tub for baths, and water hauled into the house and heated up on a wood stove. He had a humble beginning that mapped out the rest of his life. He cared for all people from all walks of life, but his family was his treasure. He graduated from the small country school County Line, but before that he attended a one room school house in Cecil, Arkansas. The family moved from Mill Creek Mountain to the valley farm in Branch that his parents bought, which included 120 acres of wooded land that they cleared by hand. Later they bought a few Holstein milk cows and refurbished the old milk barn that was on the farm. When he was 11 years old, he milked before and after school each day. The cows increased in numbers, and so did the work load. He played basketball in junior high and senior high. He would milk the cows, then ride his bicycle two miles one way from the farm to Highway 22 by the sale barn to catch the bus. He would ditch his bike when the bus stopped, and this is how he got to his games. Rain or shine, this is how he got to school and games.

After graduating from County Line High School, Gary went to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He was determined to make the Arkansas Razorback football squad, even though he'd never played football. He came from a school that didn't have a football program. At tryouts, he was the last one out of the locker room because, not having a football background, he didn't know how to put his pads on to suit up. He made the team and became a very special player with his coaches. He went on to play in the Liberty Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. He was on special teams and was cornerback. After a football injury, he continued college, majoring in animal science. In 1969, Gary pledged to Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) and Farmhouse. During that time, he met the love of his life, Kathi, and they married in 1974. He then took over his parents' dairy farm, milking 80 cows. Raising a daughter, Amber, and his son, Joshua, on the farm became his life. He served on the County Line School Board, as Justice of the Peace, and on the Arkansas Milk Stabilization Board, appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee. He was an SFA Farmers Co-op Board member and a member of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. He was also an active member of the Convention of States. In 2011, Gary spent one term in the Arkansas House of Representatives from House District 67th before being elected to the Arkansas State Senate in 2013 to present.

Of all the things in his life he treasured, his love for the Lord was the greatest. When he was 16 years old, he invited Jesus into his life to save him, and he served Him diligently since. He became a member of the First Baptist Church in Branch in 1976, where he served as a deacon, Sunday school youth boys' teacher for 34 years, and was Sunday school superintendent. A sweet memory we are reminded of often is from the youth he taught throughout his life. They loved the warm homemade cookies and sweet drinks he brought every Sunday morning. He was up at 2:30 a.m. milking cows and would make it back in to the house by 8:30 a.m. with just enough time to bake cookies for "his boys." So many of them say they didn't realize what all they were being fed. Besides the cookies and treats, they were being fed the living Word and that was his legacy.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 13th at Charleston High School Gymnasium. Burial will follow, with honors provided by the Arkansas State Police, at Lowes Creek Cemetery, located in the Peter Pender Community in Franklin County, under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home and Flower Shop in Charleston.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Kathi (Colley) Stubblefield; his children, Amber Sullivan and husband Jordan and Joshua Stubblefield and wife Brittany, all of Branch; a sister, Marilyn Sutherland of Hot Springs; a brother, Jimmy Stubblefield and wife Melinda of Cecil; (10) grandchildren, Marshall Speer and wife Kaitlynn, Mylee Scott and husband Daymon, Deacon Stubblefield, Denton Stubblefield, Delsey Stubblefield, Delta Stubblefield, Declan Stubblefield, Jhett Sullivan, Delise Stubblefield, and Dexton Stubblefield; and (4) great-grandchildren, Sage Scott, Revel Scott, J.R. Speer, and Lincoln Speer.

Pallbearers are Joshua Stubblefield, Marshall Speer, Daymon Scott, Jordan Sullivan, Deacon Stubblefield, and Denton Stubblefield.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Dunn, Kelly Boyd, and the Arkansas General Assembly.

The body of Senator Stubblefield will lie in state on Thursday, September 11th from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Arkansas State Capitol rotunda in Little Rock. On Friday, September 12th, the body of Senator Stubblefield will lie in state from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Brotherton Funeral Home Chapel in Charleston.

To place an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.

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