William Joseph Kueter

JONESBORO - William Joseph Kueter passed peacefully into the hands of the Lord and returned to the loving companionship of his wife, Mildred Margaret Kueter on Jan. 28, 2026. He was 91 years old. He was a great man.

Bill was born on Oct. 27, 1934, in Paragould, to Theodore "Dick" and Gertrude Weyer Kueter in the throes of the Great Depression. Some would say that he was born in poverty, but he would have called it clean country living. He was premature and was placed in a baking pan in the oven to keep warm. Bill was the first born of nine children. In strict adherence to birth order theory, he was responsible, respectful, and mature beyond his years. He was a kind, generous, and loving brother to his siblings and an outstanding son to his parents.

After high school, Bill joined the railroad as a locomotive mechanic. A few years later he was drafted into the Army with his brothers. They served overseas in Germany during the Cold War. He protected our country and also watched over his younger brothers, especially during the frigid German winters. Bill was very proud to have served his country and took that responsibility seriously.

After his military service, he returned to his civilian mechanic duties on the railroad. He used his left handed body and his right brain creativity to become an ace at fixing anything on planet Earth. It was stated that he could go to sleep and dream up a solution to any problem.

Bill met Millie on a blind date in 1967. It was arranged by his brother and Millie's cousin. The sparks flew hotter than a locomotive engine with no oil, and they married 17 months later, on Sept. 1, 1968. In 1971 their marriage transitioned from a couple to a family as they welcomed Joseph Charles Kueter. The shoal enlarged in 1973 with Beth Theresa Kueter, 1974 with Daniel Baltz Kueter, and finally in 1976 with Will Andrew Kueter. Four fingerlings in five years!! The Kueter Catfish Fam was complete.

Bill embarked on his second career shortly after marriage when he enrolled in Pharmacy school. With his characteristic diligence and responsibility, he graduated from UAMS with honors and subsequently practiced at St. Bernard's in Jonesboro for over 30 years. While working at the pharmacy, he was a trusted colleague and sounding post. He was a good listener. He knew the gossip about everybody, but he never took part in it himself. To our recollection, the most salacious thing Bill ever said about anyone would have been something along the lines of "He's had his fair share of troubles."

His third career was that of Catfish farmer and mechanic at the Kueter Fish Company. He worked there every Wednesday and every other weekend for his entire life. Essentially, he didn't have a day off for 40 plus years. He utilized his well-honed mechanic skills to resurrect dead tractors and create, among other things, a homemade catfish electrocution box. (Please don't tell OSHA) Nothing was ever beyond repair.

Although he had many careers, the one he was most devoted to was caregiver for Millie through her many health trials. He lovingly supported her emotionally, physically, with his medical knowledge, and financially. It was his goal to keep her happy and comfortable and he succeeded tremendously. When she passed away a few years ago, he pronounced that his work here was done.

Some of Bill's greatest traits were as follows:

Bill was frugal. He did not waste food, money, old lawnmower parts, or anything else. He could take two junk bicycles from the trash heap and turn them into a slick new ride. He would not leave even a single molecule of protein on a chicken bone. Expired medications at the pharmacy meant free Tylenol at the house. Paper towels could be used at least three times before disintegrating.

Bill believed in paying his bills and taxes. He did not like debt. He did not like the stock market. He believed that there was no shortcut to prosperity. He believed that the best way to get ahead in life was to spend less than you make. He sacrificed his own comforts to advance the cause of his family.

Bill was a firm believer in the book of Genesis, when God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Bill was a catfish farmer, a barbecue cooker, and a lover of meat. He designed and built multiple massive rotisserie cookers (from abandoned diesel tanks, no less) and literally cooked hundreds of tons of meat through his lifetime, mostly in conjunction with his beloved Knights of Columbus and Blessed Sacrament Church. He was a Fourth Degree Knight and served as their treasurer for approximately 30 years. In that time, he never made a mathematical mistake.

Bill liked to help others. He would gladly work into the wee small hours in order to complete a project. He believed in putting forth your absolute best effort and that your work was a reflection of yourself. One of his many sayings was "quality work takes time." He was a perfectionist in his craft. He expected excellence out of his children and himself.

Bill believed in the rule of law, social decorum, and decency. He was a part of America's "silent majority" and a shining example of the middle class. He would have aspired to drive a Buick, but would have been embarrassed to own a Cadillac. He never said a single curse word his entire life. He obeyed every law (whether he agreed with it or not) and voted in every election. He would always do the right thing, even when no one was watching. He believed in the glory of America, but might have also admitted that Japanese cars ran better in the 1980s.

Bill believed in the speed limit. He believed in keeping your nose clean and staying out of trouble. He believed in Murphy's Law. He believed in oil changes every 3,000 miles. He believed people should be given the benefit of the doubt. The exception to this was when dealing with his three rambunctious sons, who were usually presumed guilty until proven innocent.

Bill managed to keep a good head of hair, even into his 90s. This was despite the fact that he believed in worrying, and was considered by many to be an expert in the field. He believed in big hugs and firm handshakes. He believed in an occasional glass of Ancient Age, and he believed in Notre Dame football. He believed in the value of a good education. He believed that there was nothing better than your own bedroom and your own bathroom.

Bill would have liked a little humor in his obituary, but in the end he would want to be recognized as a hard worker who was devoted to his family, his principles, and his fellow man. He was solid. He was stable. He was a provider. He was not much on poetry, but I told him several years ago that this excerpt from Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet" was perfect for him and that I would include it someday when I wrote about him:"You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."

Bill is our bow of stability. And through him, we fly. (But never faster than the speed limit)

Bill is survived by his children, Dr. Joseph Kueter (Diane) of Jonesboro, Beth Suminski (Dr. Michael) of Jonesboro, Dr. Daniel Kueter of Chattanooga, and Dr. Will Kueter (Michelle) of Jonesboro. He is the proud grandfather to seven grandchildren, Derek Steven Kueter (Jonesboro), Abigail Grace Kueter (San Diego), Andrew Joseph Kueter (Jonesboro), Matthew Charles Kueter (Jonesboro), Soleigh Margaret Kueter (Chattanooga), Miles Winston Kueter (Chattanooga), and Logan Michael Suminski (Jonesboro). He is also survived by his siblings Ted Kueter, Carolyn Boling, Barbara Deroe, Janet Kueter Kendrick, and Susie Woolridge.

Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Margaret Baltz Kueter; his parents, Theodore "Dick" Kueter and Gertrude Weyer Kueter; as well as his siblings Tom Kueter, Larry Kueter, and Marilyn Kueter.

Donations in memory of Bill may be made to Blessed Sacrament Church or any of its many worthwhile causes.

Visitation will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Tuesday, Feb. 3, beginning at 6:30 p.m., with a Rosary to follow at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Online registry: www. emersonfuneralhome.com