Robert Louis Eldon Clingan, age 85

Robert Louis Eldon Clingan, 85, of Humnoke, AR, went to be with his Savior on Monday, February 27, 2023. He was born on September 19, 1937 in Snow Lake, AR to the late Jim Ed Clingan and Thelma Shannon Clingan.

At 15 years of age, he was a general farm hand working for his father in Pine Bluff, AR. He helped cultivate the land, assisted in harvesting crops such as cotton, corn, hays and occasionally fruit crops of apples and oranges by hand or with hand tools.

At 18 years of age, he enlisted in the US Navy. He was stationed out of San Diego, CA, serving on the USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD717) for 3 years, 10 months, and 27 days. He was awarded a Good Conduct Medal when released from active duty, and then served 3 more years in the Naval Reserve.

He worked for General Motors Assembly Division in South Gate, CA and was employed there 11 years, 4 months before moving his family to Montague, MI where he worked on a dairy farm until 1971. He moved his family to Humnoke, AR and eventually became employed by Riceland Foods in Stuttgart, AR until he retired in 2001.

Robert loved to hunt, and made sure if his sons shot any birds or animals that they cleaned, cooked, and ate them. He was known to torture his youngest daughter by making her tearfully hold pretty rabbits or squirrels while he skinned them! He also loved fishing and we had many family camping trips by the AR River at Tichnor. He loved to cook and one of his specialties was fried chocolate pies. He loved to whistle while cooking or helping in the kitchen. His favorite food had to be peanut butter mixed with syrup which he ate on hot buttered biscuits or toast. This was a daily part of his breakfast.

He loved laying on the floor to watch TV, sleep, or visit with family and friends. He would play outside with us; basketball, lawn darts, badminton, or catch. He was a generous man who helped people in need, but he was also a hard worker and expected others to do the same. One of the last conversations he had with Gwenda at the hospital had to do with work. She walked into his room and he said, “Are you here to work?” she said, “No, Sir” and he said, “Then get your ass out of here!” LOL

In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Clingan, his son, Richard Canniff, his brothers, Tom, Joe, and David Clingan, his sister, Flossie Morrison.

He is survived by his sons, Billy Clingan of Tennessee, Dwayne (Cindy) Clingan of Conway, four daughters, Diane (Tony) Givens of California, Beth Shirley of Texas, Sandy Cullipher of Stuttgart, and Gwenda (Daniel) Williams of Damascus. He is also survived by his sisters, Twollie Brantley, Mattie Perkins, and Sally McVay. He is survived by 22 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and 20 great- great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at Redfield Cemetery in Redfield, AR