MARIANNA, AR – The State of Arkansas is mourning the loss of Stanley Reed, who died in a car crash on Friday, July 15, 2011.
It’s not official, but Reed’s family believes he suffered a heart attack behind the wheel.
He was a proud Arkansas farmer, and so much more.
Stanley Reed’s list of accomplishments is almost too long to recount. He was President of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, Chairman of Trustees for the University of Arkansas, a United States Senatorial candidate and a player on the world agricultural stage.
Through it all, he remained a very humble guy.
“He was a true gentleman,” said Reed’s Widow, Charlene, “he was a man of faith.”
Charlene Reed told abc24.com that as a lawyer, farmer and politician, Stanley was a born leader and a true renaissance man.
“He would put on a business suit and talk to the leaders of the state and the world," Charlene said.
Check out a partial, but impressive list of Reed’s friends: President George H.W. Bush, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe and former governor Mike Huckabee, both of whom issued statements on Reed’s passing.
“Stanley Reed was a staunch advocate for Arkansas farmers,” said Beebe, “and his voice will be missed.”
“Stanley Reed had a heart of service for Arkansas,” said former Governor Huckabee.
Reed, however, was not too impressed with himself.
“He wanted the world to know how important agriculture was,” Charlene told abc24.com, “and how much he liked digging in the dirt.”
Reed even hit the hardwood with presidents.
“They had a basketball group go every Wednesday to play basketball,” said Charlene, “so he’s played basketball with Bill Clinton.”
Reed counted Clinton as a friend, but didn’t hesitate to call the former president out in this interview with abc24.com in October of 2010.
“Bill Clinton knows the purpose of Agricultural programs,” Reed said at the time, “so I don’t know why he would make that kind of statement. I certainly don’t agree with him.”
The subject dealt with world food and rice prices.
Reed has spent time with foreign leaders, like Cuba’s Fidel Castro, but home was where his heart was.
“Being able to do all this, most of that was through the Farm Bureau,” said son Nathan, “that led to the university board and to other boards that he was on. It all started from his involvement on a county level in Lee County, Arkansas.”
Daughter Anna had just come back to Arkansas from Rwanda for a two week visit. As she was set to head back, Dad gave her a hug to remember.
“That’s the memory I’ll always take, is that he just squeezed me so hard it hurt.” Anna Reed told abc24.com.
“He was our dad,” said Haley Davis, Reed’s eldest daughter, “and my kids grandfather. And that’s what we’ll miss.”
Charlene Reed said her husband lived his life by example, never asking anybody to do anything on the farm that he wouldn’t do himself.
Stanley Reed was so loved in Arkansas, two funerals will be held to say goodbye.
On Wednesday, July 20, 2011, what is being called a “private” funeral is expected to attract 500 people near Marianna, Arkansas.
On Friday, July 22, 2011 a second funeral in Little Rock is expected to attract 2,000 people.
