Royce Don Haigwood

Royce Haigwood, a lifelong resident of Batesville, Arkansas, died November 3, 2025. He was born in Batesville to C Franklin Haigwood and Bess Bray Haigwood. He served in the United States Navy and was stationed at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California, as a medical corpsman. Upon his discharge, he attended nursing school and enjoyed many years in the nursing profession. Later, he continued his education and became a licensed social worker, where he became involved in advocacy work for the elderly as a regional long-term care Ombudsman for White River Area Agency on Aging. Upon his retirement and for his 18 years of service with the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Division of Aging and Adult Services, Division of Aging and Adult Servies dedicated the Royce Haigwood Ombudsman Award, which is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the Ombudsman mission.

Mr. Haigwood was an Episcopalian and attended St. Paul's Church in Batesville, serving on the vestry and also having taught in church school. He was very active in church, as well as community projects, serving as a member of the board of directors of the Batesville Community Theatre, the Batesville Chapter of the American Red Cross, the White River Medical Center Home Health Ethics Committee, and a member of the League of American Wheelman, a national bicycle association.

He was a Luthier and was a member of the Arizona Violin Makers Association. He was interested in historical preservation and had restored his grandfathers 110 year old home near Batesville. He also had a great interest in genealogy and had traced his family history back to the year 1185 in Scotland and to their arrival in the new colony of Virginia in 1650. He was a very kind and caring person and will be greatly missed by his many friends and co-workers.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, a twin, Treva Hall of Batesville, Doris Handford, of Fairfield Bay, and Sharon West of Batesville. He is survived by several nieces and nephews.

The body was cremated and interred in the family plot. There will not be a funeral service.