David "Dave" James Dible

David James Dible, 77, of Rogers, Arkansas, entered eternal rest on May 6, 2025 at Mercy Hospital in Rogers, after a valiant battle against cancer. Dave was a man of few words, strong but gentle, patient and warm; he loved people well. His kind spirit, unwavering generosity, and deep loyalty to family and friends have left an indelible mark and are a tremendous loss to those who knew him.

Dave is survived by his loving wife of fifty-seven years, Gloria (Wark) Dible, sons Shawn Dible (Andrea) and Bradley Dible (Toby), and five beautiful grandchildren—Nina, Finley, Cooper, Caden and Rowan—all of whom reside in Rogers and were his greatest pride and joy. He is also survived by one sister, Deresa Hampton (Richard), of Independence, Missouri, whom he adored, and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Eulah (Wingo) Dible.

Dave grew up in the small farming town of Rexford, Kansas where he learned firsthand the values of a strong work ethic, self-reliance, frugality, a positive attitude, and a deep connection to the land and community. He was baptized at the Rexford Community Church and was a man of quiet faith throughout his lifetime. Dave graduated from Rexford High School in 1965 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science from Fort Hays State University in 1969.

After serving two years in the United States Army, Dave began his thirty-five-year career with Walmart. A hard-working and humble man, Dave was esteemed by all those who worked with him, and he personified Mr. Sam’s core values of respect for the individual, service to customers, striving for excellence, and acting with integrity. Dave began his Walmart career as a Department Manager and retired in 2006 as Executive Vice President, Specialty Group. He successfully oversaw Walmart’s acquisition and assimilation of ASDA in the United Kingdom in 1999 and, though he never sought praise, was the recipient of innumerable awards and accolades, including the Sam M. Walton “HERO” Award.

Dave supported various philanthropies including Children’s Miracle Network, Special Olympics, Community United Ways, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Northwest Arkansas Crisis Intervention Center, and Youth Center Recreational Activities.

For all his professional success, Dave’s crowning achievement and greatest delight in life was his family. In 1968, Dave married his childhood friend and the love of his life, Gloria Dible, and together they grew their family and raised their sons on a strong foundation of family values, adventure, laughter and love. Dave and Gloria’s marriage is an inspiration to all who witnessed it, and Gloria’s devotion to Dave was unwavering, especially as she tended to him in his final days with tenderness, strength, and hope. Theirs is a love story for the ages, and together they built a life that was the American dream.

Dave developed a love of flying in the early 1970s, obtaining his private pilot’s license in 1974 and becoming a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He routinely flew his young family back home to Rexford to celebrate holidays and visit the family farm. These trips sometimes resulted in unintended excitement, landing on dirt roads and hitchhiking into town and getting stuck in a snow drift among them.

In his retirement, Dave enjoyed flying, fishing and other adventures with Aaron Jolliff, who became a dear friend not only to Dave but to the entire family. Dave’s favorite week of the year was the annual “deer camp” in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri, a tradition that began in 1953. He was there mostly for the camaraderie in the woods, as evidenced by the fact that he only harvested two deer in all that time. Dave’s absence will be felt deeply by his “huntin’ buddies,” but they are blessed to have memories with him that will last a lifetime.

In 1990, Dave and Gloria acquired a farm in Seligman, Missouri which would become their family’s sanctuary and playground. The Dible Farm now holds three and a half decades of the family’s most cherished memories, and Dave was generous to share it with so many over the years. Family and friends gather at the Dible Farm for all manner of adventure—deer and turkey hunting, conservation and farm management, holidays and celebrations, heavy machinery, wood-working, metal detecting, hiking, telling stories around the campfire and, most importantly, fellowship with loved ones. An avid outdoorsman, Dave passed his love of the outdoors on to his children and grandchildren, watching with a twinkle in his eye and a satisfied smile as the grandchildren frolicked in the meadow, fished in the pond, learned to hunt and drive ATVs, and tinkered in his shop building.

Dave was delighted to have his sons settle with their families in Northwest Arkansas and was grateful for the opportunity to be such a big part of their lives. Dave scarcely missed a grandchild’s school or sporting event, even in his final days, and he laughed his signature hearty laugh at nearly everything they said and did. The grandchildren will miss Grandpa’s presence in their lives, his endless supply of flashlights, pocketknives and batteries, and the fact that he could fix anything and took the time to teach them to do it, too. The void he leaves behind is unimaginable, but the family is so thankful that the children had the opportunity to know him and be loved by him.

Dave had countless friends for whom he would do anything, quietly, seeking nothing in return and wishing genuinely that it never be spoken of again. Dave and Gloria share a lifetime of memories with wonderful friends who filled the years with warmth, happy times, and love. The family wishes to express its sincere gratitude for these friendships and for the outpouring of well wishes and acts of kindness during Dave’s illness and this time of bereavement.

To know Dave Dible truly was to love him. He was the best husband, father, grandpa, brother, colleague, and friend. As the family grieves this tremendous loss, peace and comfort come from all the cherished memories and from the beautiful legacy that Dave built and will live on in those he loved.

A memorial service for friends and family will be held at the Dible Farm on Friday, June 6th, at 5 o’clock in the evening, with a reception to follow. Please see the service details below for more information.

If you would like to honor Dave’s memory with a gift, please make a donation to the organization of your choice.