Lendel Melvin Vines

Lendel Vines, formerly of Van Buren, passed away peacefully on the morning of August 23, 2023. He was born in Oden, Arkansas to his parents Sterling and Bessie (Summitt) Vines. He graduated from Oden High School then attended college in Modesto, California. He was of the First Baptist faith.

He began his life-long career in the transportation industry as a bus driver for his high school at the age of 16. He was raised in a farming family and eventually owned a farm in Paris, AR where he was a row-crop producer and cattle farmer. From there, he began his trucking company by delivering crops from the farm to Tyson Foods in the late 1970’s, then expanded his operations to include cooking oil and liquid carbon dioxide transportation and was the proprietor of food production plants in Van Buren and Rogers, and a cattle and hay production farm in Prairie Grove. He and his wife Deanna ran their businesses together for 50 years until her passing in 2018. Lendel then retired and moved to Northwest Arkansas to spend his remaining years with his daughter and granddaughters.

In addition to his wife and parents, Lendel was preceded in death by a sister, Ila Vines; and three brothers, Eldon Vines, Rayburn Vines, and Elzie Ray Vines.

He is survived by his daughter, Tammy Vines of Fayetteville; two granddaughters, Brooklyn Curbow and Alexandra Curbow, both of Fayetteville; one sister; and numerous other relatives and friends who he cherished.

Although devoted to his work, nothing was more important to Lendel than his family. His most cherished times in life were spent with his wife, daughter, and granddaughters on the farm instilling the values of hard work and honesty, and creating a lifetime of memories for his family.

Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 31, 2023 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at New Hope Cemetery in Spiro, Oklahoma, under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren, AR.

Pallbearers will be Matt Hodge, Adam Vines, Bill Vines, Larry Bosley, Al Crelia, Bobby Scott, and Dr. Brian Kent.

The family will visit with friends from 9:00 a.m. until the funeral hour, at the funeral home, 4100 Alma Highway, Van Buren, AR.