George F. Ivey

Dr. George F. Ivey died Thursday, September 29 at Arkansas Hospice following a long illness. He was 94. Dr. Ivey had served First United Methodist Churches in Springdale, Camden, Hot Springs and Fort Smith. He had also been District Superintendent of the Fort Smith Methodist District. He retired from the ministry in 1981 but continued as a sought-after speaker for another decade. Born in Graceville, Florida in 1916, Dr. Ivey was a graduate of Alabama State College and John Brown University in Siloam Springs. He received his Masters and PhD in family counseling from Florida State University and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from John Brown. Dr. Ivey did post graduate work at Harvard and Princeton Universities and seminary work at Southern Methodist and Southwestern Universities. He served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, including combat postings in the South Pacific and the Philippines, and reached the rank of Major. During his military service he was awarded three campaign ribbons, two unit citations and six battle stars. Near the end of the war, he toured the country raising money for War Bonds and was repeatedly honored by the U.S. Secretary of Treasury for his outstanding contributions. Dr. Ivey entered the Methodist Conference in Abilene, Texas in 1938 and served several churches in West Texas before becoming vice president of Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Doris, a son, David, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, two granddaughters, Patty Landry of Little Rock and Jennifer Farrar of Locust Grove, Virginia, and four great-granddaughters. His elder son, G. Frank, Jr., of Little Rock, died in 2010. Dr. Ivey is also survived by a brother, Charles Edward Ivey, of Graceville, Florida. Dr. Ivey received numerous honors during his long career, including being named Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1949, a listing in the original Who's Who in America in 1950, and selection to Omicron Delta Kappa honorary leadership fraternity. Rotary International named him to the coveted status of Paul Harris Fellow. He was selected to deliver the sermon at the Easter Sunrise Service at Arlington National Cemetery in 1979 and 1980 and was appointed by Governor David Pryor as a delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention. He was a member of St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock, a Life Member of the Fort Smith Rotary Club, the American Legion, was a 32nd degree Mason, the York Rite Shriners, the Knights Templar and Red Cross of Constantine. He was Member Emeritus of the Board of Regents of John Brown University and Pastor Emeritus of First United Methodist Church in Fort Smith. Services are scheduled for 1 p.m., Monday, October 3 at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock with inurnment at the St. James Columbarium. The Reverend Siegfried Johnson will officiate. Arrangements are by Roller-Chenal Funeral Home (501) 224-8300. The family has requested that memorials be given to St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas 72212 or Arkansas Hospice, 14 Parkstone Circle, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72116. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.