Bobby Armistead

1935 - 2018

Bobby Armistead
Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, Bobby Armistead, of Greenwood, went to be with the Lord. He was born Sept. 1, 1935, to Gladys and Lois Armistead of Fort Smith. He was a graduate of Fort Smith High School and attended what was then Fort Smith Junior College. Mr. Armistead entered the U.S. Army and served in an artillery unit as a fire direction officer in Korea.
After the war in Korea was over, Bobby Armistead returned to this area and married the former Sara Ruth Edwards and began a 35-year career in engineering with Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. He regularly officiated football and basketball games, was an avid bird hunter and a cattle rancher. Throughout those years, Mr. Armistead served in the Arkansas Army National Guard from whence he retired as a colonel in August of 1991. He served his country with distinction a total of 31 years, setting records for fire direction accuracy in artillery as a brigade commander, records that remain unmatched. During the years he was employed by Southwestern Bell and served in the National Guard, Bobby and Sara Armistead raised beef cattle owning and operated Pine Valley Ranch, near Mansfield.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Clifford Armistead.
Bobby Armistead is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sara Edwards Armistead of Greenwood; one sister, Betty Armistead Griffin and her husband Ron of Greenwood; one brother, Jim Armistead and his wife Sandra of Lavaca; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral service is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, at Lewis Roberts Funeral Chapel on Kelley Highway in Fort Smith and burial will follow at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith with military honors.
Arrangements are under the direction of Lewis-Roberts Funeral Home with Arkansas National Guardsmen serving as honorary pallbearers.
Visitation with the family will be 5-6:30 p.m Wednesday at the chapel.