William T. Flynt

Dr. William T. "Bill" Flynt of Fayetteville, Ark., died July 13, 2013, in Fayetteville, Ark. He was born Jan. 17, 1922, on a cotton farm near Wattensaw in rural Lonoke County, Ark., to William Stephen Flynt and Lola Bell Baldwin Flynt. Bill was ordained as a Baptist minister at the age of 17. He graduated from Beebe High School where he served as senior class president. Under the legendary coach Bro Erwin, he developed a lifelong love of the sport of basketball and helped lead the Beebe Badgers basketball team to win the Arkansas state championship in 1941. Bill attended Ouachita Baptist College in Arkadelphia where he lettered in basketball prior to transferring to the University of Arkansas to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. While at the University of Arkansas, Bill lettered in basketball in 1944, 1945 and 1946. In the 1943-1944 season, Bill helped the team tie for first place in the Southwest Conference and was named to the All-Southwest Conference team. In 1944-1945, under Coach Eugene Lambert, the team tied for second in the SWC and went on to the final four in the NCAA tournament in Madison Square Garden. Bill was again named to the All-Southwest Conference team for the 1945-1946 season and was honored by being named as an All-American team that year. He was president of the University of Arkansas student senate in 1945-1946 and was listed in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. Bill received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arkansas in 1946. Upon graduation, he turned down offers to play professional basketball in order to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., where he graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1949. He continued with his studies and received a Doctor of Theology degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1954. Bill served as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Millington, Tenn.; Ashland, Ky.; Conway, Ark.; and Danville, Va. In this role, he touched many lives through his preaching and pastoral care. Bill had an amazing ability to deliver an entire sermon without ever once consulting his notes. He almost always included in his message an eloquent recitation of a beautiful poem. One particularly well-received sermon included his recitation of the entire James Weldon Johnson's poem "The Creation." He performed countless weddings, funerals, and other activities for which he is fondly remembered. Bill and his family made numerous annual trips to all parts of the country to attend the Southern Baptist Convention, developing a deep appreciation for greatness and natural beauty of the United States. He returned home to Northwest Arkansas in 1974 to become a pastoral counselor and the Director of Pastoral Care at the newly formed Ozark Guidance Center where he remained until retirement in 1983. During that time of his life, he also served on the Board of Trustees at Wake Forest Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. The years following retirement were full of joy. Bill spent many hours helping in his son's businesses; in addition, he enjoyed gardening and closely followed Razorback sports with a particular interest in college basketball and the NBA. Bill was a longtime member of Rolling Hills Baptist Church of Fayetteville where he served as interim pastor at one time. Bill is survived by his wife of 69 years, Carolyn, of Fayetteville, Ark.; his daughter, Kay Flynt, of Rogers, Ark.; two sons, Rick Flynt and his wife, Debra, of Fayetteville, Ark.; and Dale Flynt and his wife, Junko, of Fayetteville; one daughter-in-law, Fran Flynt of Springdale, Ark.; two brothers-in-law, James Simmons and his wife, Vanita, of Memphis, Tenn; and Bill Simmons and his wife, Allison, of Benton, Ark.; six beloved grandchildren, Zac Flynt, of New York, N.Y.; Matthew Flynt and his wife, Alie, of New York, N.Y.; John Ed Flynt and his wife, Courtney, of Olive Branch, Miss.; Callie Flynt, of Fayetteville, Ark.; Lance Flynt and his wife, Anna, of Columbus, Ga.; and Bryan Flynt of Fayetteville, Ark.; three great-grandchildren, Chloe, Braxton, and Brady, and many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Stephen Flynt and Lola Baldwin Flynt; his stepfather, W.H. Deese; his son, Tom Flynt; brothers Alvin Flynt and Clayton Flynt; sister, Emma Flynt Bowie; stepbrothers, C.W. Deese, Wilson Deese and Richard Deese; and stepsister, Oda Deese Rouse. Funeral services will be 1 p.m., Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at Rolling Hills Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Ark., with Reverend Brock Watson officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Fayetteville. Memorials may be made to Rolling Hills Baptist Church, 1400 E. Rolling Hills Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72703, or to The Willard Walker Hospice Home, 325 E. Longview St., Fayetteville, AR 72703. To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.nelsonberna.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home, Fayetteville, Ark.