Obituaries

James Diamond Haefner

Photo of James Diamond Haefner
James "Jay" Diamond Haefner, 82, of Bentonville, Ark., peacefully passed away surrounded by family and friends at Willard Walker Hospice Home on March 24, 2012. He was born Jan. 30, 1930, in Albany, N.Y., the son of Mary Teresa Frances Diamond and Carl W. Haefner. He had lived in the Northwest Arkansas area since 1973 after moving from Winfield, Ill. He enjoyed woodworking, reading and spending quality time with his family. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy where he received an Honorable Discharge and graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Economics in 1960. His time of employment included 30 years in the healthcare field. He was a member of the Exchange Club of Winfield, Ill. He was employed as a purchasing agent at St. Mary's Hospital, Rogers, from 1973-1976. Jay helped start the Northwest Arkansas Hospital Purchasing Group in 1974. He served as the President of the Arkansas Shared Purchase Association from 1979-1980 and was the President of the Arkansas Society for Hospital Purchasing and Materials Management of the Arkansas Hospital Association from 1975-1976. He retired from Washington Regional Medical Center after 17 years of employment as Director of Materials Management. He was preceded in death by his parents. Jay is survived by his wife, Carolyn Haefner, of the home whom he married Sept. 17, 1960; two sons, John Haefner and his wife Jackie, of Bentonville, Ark., Jim Haefner and his wife Julie, of Wildwood, Mo.; two daughters, Patti Cox and her husband Craig, of Bentonville, Ark., Karen Warner and her husband Mark, of Omaha, Neb.; one brother, Don Haefner and his wife Cynthia, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; and 13 grandchildren. Visitation will be held on Monday, March 26, 2012, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. A reading of the Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Both will be held at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Bentonville. A Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at 10 a.m. at St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Bentonville, Arkansas, with Msgr. Scott Marczuk officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of his grandson, Cole Warner, to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202 or by www.lls.org. All service arrangements were made under the direction of Epting Funeral Home in Bentonville, Ark. Online condolences can be made to the family at www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.

Published March 26, 2012

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