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Submitted: 11/16/16 • Approved: 11/20/16 • Last Updated: 11/23/16 • R1161613-G0-S3
Oct 5, 1930 - Dec 6, 2015
*Obituary
rollerfuneralhomes.com
Joe Mosby, 85, of Conway, a professional writer for 64 years, died after a battle with brain cancer. The cause was metastastic malignant melanoma.
He and his wife of 61 years, Mary Starr Mosby, lived near Conway and have four children, eight grandchildren, a step-grandchild, 10 great-grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.
Children are Jana Carol Hemleb and Mary Frances Halter, both of Barney (Enola), Gwendolyn Starr Allison of Guy and Jody Mosby of Conway. Grandchildren are Rachel Puckett of Conway, Andrea Bassett of Conway, Brian Bucklew of Delmont, S.D., Starr Lane of Guy, Alex Hemleb of Sugar Land, Texas, Aaron Allison of Guy, Paden Thorn of Greenbrier and Seth Allison of Greenbrier. Chad Halter of Conway is a step-grandson. Great-grandchildren are Isaiah Puckett of Conway, Devin Lane of Guy, Bailey Bassett of Conway, Andrew Bucklew of Delmont, S.D., Noah Lane of Guy, Addison Thorn of Greenbrier, Brooklyn Bassett of Conway, Lydia Bucklew of Delmont, S.D., Holly Puckett of Conway, Joseph Bucklew of Delmont, S.D., Kennedy Allison of Conway and Hunter Hemleb of Sugar Land, Texas. Nathan Rooney, Shelby Rooney, Amberleigh Rooney of Greenbrier and Eva Halter of Conway are step great-grandchildren.
Mosby was born Oct. 5, 1930, in Dallas, Texas to Arthur and Mary Mosby. Members of pioneer Arkansas and Texas families, he grew up in Crawfordsville (Crittenden County). He graduated from Messick High School in Memphis, Tenn., and attended the University of Memphis, the University of Arkansas and a summer term at the University of Texas. He started his newspaper career in 1952 with the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway.
Mosby wrote thousands of newspaper articles with his longest tenure as the Arkansas Gazette’s outdoor editor. He was with the Little Rock newspaper from 1969 until it closed in 1991. He said, “I was something of a different kind of outdoor writer because I was a newsman assigned to the outdoor beat instead of an outdoorsman becoming a writer.”
His career was roughly divided into three parts. His early journalism years were with rural newspapers, where he learned to appreciate the intense interest in hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation for many people. On those rural papers, he learned to operate a Linotype machine – if anyone remembers what a Linotype was, to hand-set metal type and to dictate and transcribe all types of news stories as well as meet and greet the public.
After the Arkansas Gazette closed in 1991, he wrote and did other communication for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commissions until near his death. All through his 64-year professional career, in addition to train wrecks, murders and school board meetings, he had covered sports at the high school and college levels. Numerous state championship events have had Joe at the press table.
He seldom crusaded as a writer. Instead, he presented both sides of controversies for readers to make up their own minds. He placed importance on background articles, the “why” material that led to new or changed regulations in hunting and fishing and with habitat work. A special interest was stories of ordinary people, especially youngsters, who find excitement and enjoyment in the outdoors.
Joe was a 2002 inductee into the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame, was recognized by the Arkansas Press Association for 50 years in journalism and was given the Arkansas Activities Association's Distinguished Service Award for his years of covering high school athletics. He has been inducted into the Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame.
Visitation will be 6-8pm Thursday, December 10, 2015 at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 1pm Friday, December 11, 2015 in the chapel of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home with Pastor Brian Bucklew officiating.
Pallbearers will be David Lane, T.J. Puckett, Paden Thorn, Seth Allison, Aaron Allison, Alex Hemleb, Tim Bassett, Brian Bucklew and Patrick Moix. Ron Duncan, Ron Parker, Stan Russ, Hubert Ferguson, David McCullum, Wadie Moore, Aubrey Shepherd and Jim Bailey will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Contributed on 11/16/16 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 1161613