William F. Clements Jr.

William Franklin Clements, Jr. 94, of Little Rock passed away April 28, 2018. Born in Little Rock to the late William F. Clements and Mary Ellen Mayme McMillan Clements on October 30, 1923. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Carel Clements married for 46 years; Carolyn Anderson, partner and companion of 24 years; brother, Drew Clements, and sister-in-law, Pat Clements.

Left to cherish his memory are children (Bill) William Franklin Clements, III (Virginia) of Conway, Walter of Little Rock and Robert (Shirley) of Cabot. Brother George Clements of Florida, Sister-in-law Donna Clements of Sherwood along with 8 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

Bill graduated from Little Rock High School, attended Little Rock Junior College, and attended the University of Wichita, in Kansas. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces in December 1942 and was called to active duty in January 26, 1943. After he received basic training at Shepard Field, in Texas, he attended Twin Engine School in Pampa, near San Antonio, Texas, where he received his pilot wings and commission on June 27th. At that time, he returned home to marry his sweetheart, Carel Heizman, on July 1, 1944. Then he was sent to the University of Wichita, Wichita, Kansas as an original member of the 83rd College Training Detachment. He ranked in the upper third of his class. Cadet Clements served his country in the Army Air Corp as a Bombardier pilot from 1943 to 1945 during World War Two. He finished he his Army career as a Second Lieutenant.

After returning from the war, he and his wife moved to Fort Worth, Texas where he would be an apprentice of his Father-in-law, Carl E. Heizman, to learn the Tile and Marble trade. Bill later returned to Little Rock and started his own tile company, “The W.F. Clements Tile and Marble Company” which he operated for 44 years. The work of his company was well respected by many homeowner’s and contractors in Little and Rock and around Central Arkansas because of dedication to detail and design.

Bill was an outdoorsman who loved nature an all that was in it. He hunted and fished in all the southern states, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Mexico. He was a charter member of the Arkansas Bow-Hunters Association that he helped organize. He served as President three years and served several years on their boars. He was awarded the Bow-Hunters of the year award in 1964 partly for his work on Bow-Hunters legislation and was inducted into the Bow-hunters Hall of Fame in 2009.

Some of Bill’s memories of fishing and hunting were with Roger Maynard, a lifetime friend he met when they were 7 years old; a 1968 trip with Ben Pearson to Mexico, Lake Guerrero; and several time hunting quail and dove in Oklahoma with friend Will Elder. Another of Bill’s pastimes was frog Gigging and his unusual method of catching them by hand.

In1975, he helped organize the Arkansas Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (ACNWTF) and served two terms as President and several years on its board.

A Turkey hunter since a teenager, in 1964 he was the National Wild Turkey Calling Champion and spent 20+ years serving as a judge at their calling contest and several others. He seriously duck hunted until he was 82 and neuropathy in both legs and feet prevented his from wading in water. His last 23 years were enjoyed hunting in a club organized by L.A. Standfield near Bayou Meto.

While serving as President of the ACNWTF, with the help of a friend a co-member, Jim Miller, and some assistance from Arkansas Congressional Delegation, convinced the U.S. Forest Service to alter their clear-cutting practice in central and western Arkansas. Therefore, reducing the time cattle could graze the natural forest. The purpose being to keep the cattle from destroying the food plots.

Organizations Bill belonged to were: Arkansas Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (ACNWTF), Arkansas Bow Hunters Association where he served as President during the third and fifth years of the organization. In 2009, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Bowhunters Association and was a member of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

In later years, Bill was a “Gourmet Cook” of wildlife and Cajun cuisine. He was known for making turtle soup to be enjoyed by the “adventurism at heart.” But his pride and joy was making dressing and gravy for Thanksgiving feast with family and friends.

WISH FOR OTHERS

That everyone could enjoy life as much as I have. It’s a wonderful world we live in. He was comfortable in the world he lived in. He was a bit of an amateur naturalist. He was interested in all living things and while he felt hat all living things were put up on this earth for man’s benefit he knew that man also must carry a role as CARETAKER.