Basil Bud Wooton

Basil Bud Wooton was born October 5, 1925 to Bud and Josephine Wooton in a little house at the bottom of the hill as you come into Hartford, Arkansas. He died Sunday, July 17, 2011 at St. Edwards Hospital.

With the consent of his mother, Basil joined the service at 17 years old. He served in the U.S. Navy on the USS General Hugh L. Scott in World War II. He worked on Merchant Marine ships in the post war era, circling the world for five years. Basil became a farmer, married, had two children and loved singing with friends in a quartet in Peoria, Illinois. Basil joined the National Guard at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, Arkansas, remarried had another child, moved back to his hometown of Hartford, which he loved, and spent the rest of his life as a businessman, cattleman, horseman. He loved rodeos, and riding in parades with the Shriners Horse Patrol.

He was a Master and 32nd degree Mason of the Blue Lodge, member of the Western Arkansas Scottish Rite Bodies, the Scimitar Temple in Little Rock and the Shrine Temple. He was member of the Disable American Veterans, Chapter 1 in Fort Smith.

Basil also had the opportunity to act in the movie “Blue And The Gray” and “Biloxi Blues”. He loved playing pool all his life, and in his senior years he would play with his friends at the Senior Citizen Center. There wasn’t a Dallas Cowboys game he missed, and he loved sitting in his swing watching Hartford go by. He was a beloved father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather.

Basil was preceded in death by his parents, Bud and Josephine Wooton; sisters, Joyce Mills and Betty Christina, who died in infancy; and his first wife, Leola. He is survived by a son, Ronald Rick Wooton; daughters, Tonya Putnum of Sparland, IL and Dawn Whitten of Hartford, AR; a brother, Don D. Wooten of Hot Springs, AR; a sister, Modena Pruss of North Little Rock, AR; grandchildren, Richie Sinks, Ronnette Steed, Rochelle Wooton, Brent and Casey Evans, Cory, Kirsten and Conner Bumpers and great grandchildren, Justyce McFall, Jade Newhallen, Cody and Madi Sinks.

Funeral service will be 11 am, Thursday, July 21, 2011 at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood, AR with interment with military honors at Hartford Memorial Park. His nephew, Rev. Michael Mills of North Little Rock, AR will be officiating the service. A reception will follow at the Senior Citizens Center in Hartford. Viewing will be Wednesday from 1 – 9 pm at the funeral home, where the family will visit with friends from 6 – 8 pm. To sign an online guest book, please visit www.mcconnellfh.com.

Pallbearers will be Richie Sinks, Brent Evans, Cory Bumpers, Conner Bumpers, Tommy Norman and Ronnie Mills.

Memorial contributions may be made to any Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.

Basil’s life was a tapestry, composed of rich experiences over an 85 year long life. If you listened closely, you learned all there was to know about his life, people and the life of Hartford. He would tell you he had all the answers, he was just waiting for someone to ask him the question.