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Submitted: 5/11/18 • Approved: 5/11/18 • Last Updated: 5/14/18 • R1222306-G1222306-S3
Guy
May 27, 1933 - November 28, 2016
Guy Franklin Fenter, who resided in Charleston, Arkansas, passed away Saturday, November 26, 2016, at his home. He was born May 27, 1933, in Billstown, Arkansas to the late Rupert & Lavern Payne Fenter. He was 83 years old.Guy had many accomplishments in this life, his legacy in education will forever be etched in the hearts * minds of those he touched & those that benefited from his work. Guy’s education career started in Paris, Arkansas in 1955 where he served as a High School English, Social Studies teacher & coach. It was there where he met the love of his life, then Shelby Gray. Guy & Shelby would move to Charleston in 1960. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 1963 & served as High School Principal & Superintendent from 1960 until 1983.During the 1980’s & 1990’s he would play a significant role in helping legislators resolve issues with public school funding. He sought a funding system that would provide a more equal basis of per-pupil funding. He was also instrumental in drafting legislation for the Education Cooperatives that exist today. His whole goal in pioneering this project was to assist the small school districts. He felt that school districts could do a much better job of working together for the betterment of students than they could individually. He was also instrumental in establishing the Western Arkansas Technical Center in 1998 on the campus of what is now known as UAFS- that is now recognized as a national model for concurrent credit technical education. Upon his retirement in June 2015, the Western Arkansas Education Cooperative was renamed the Guy Fenter Education Service Cooperate.His favorite story that he spoke of habitually summed up his whole reason behind everything he did for kids & all involved in education & his life. The tale is of a boy running up & down the beach feverishly hurling starfish back into the water before they died. An old man approached him, “Do you honestly think your work will make any difference?” he asked him skeptically. The boy looked at him with sparkling eyes, held up a starfish and said, “It means a difference to this one!” & threw the starfish back into the sea.Guy was fond of saying that “the right answer can always be found by asking what is best for our students.”During his career, Guy served in various capacities including: President of Education Service Cooperatives of Arkansas 1985-1988; Member of Arkansas Game & Fish Commission 1971-1978, Chairman 1978; President of Arkansas Activities Association Executive Committee 1976-1978; Member of Arkansas Activities Association Executive Committee 1966-1988; Member of Task Force for the Twenty-first Century Economy 2007-2009; Sunday School Teacher at Charleston United Methodist Church; President of Arkansas Association of School Administrators 1974; Citizen of the Year of Charleston Commercial Club 1966; Guy was an unapologetic Cardinals fan; an avid quail hunter & habitat restoration proponent; crappie fisherman; head of the Kat's Kitchen Liars Table; & founding President of Eager Anglers, Inc.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Shelby 2 daughters, Pam Widders & husband Pat of Alma & Ginger Fenter & husband Shane of Lake Ouachita; 1 son, Glen Fenter& wife Jody of Memphis, Tennessee; a sister, Marry Genell Porter of Joplin, Missouri; 6 grandchildren, Jerry Ed, Zack, Shelby Jo, & Gray Fenter of West Memphis, Arkansas, Garrett & Brock Widders of Alma & 3 great-grandchildren, Izzy, Beau & Cash Fenter of West Memphis, Arkansas.
Pallbearers will be Jerry Ed Fenter, Garrett Widders, Zack Fenter, Shelby Jo Fenter, Brock Widders, & Gray Fenter.
Shelby
February 15, 1938 - April 12, 2018
Shelby Fenter, who resided in Charleston, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, April 12, 2018, at her home. She was born February 15, 1938, in Paris, Arkansas, to the late Roy L & Ruth Chandler Gray. She was 80 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Guy Fenter. Shelby was a computer specialist at the Guy Fenter Education Cooperative in Branch from January, 1985 until her retirement in June, 2015. She was a graduate of Paris High School & a member of First United Methodist Church in Charleston. Her whole goal in life was to support her family & many friends through their own journey in life. Just like her late husband Guy, she embraced the "Star Fish Story" & made every effort to make a difference in the lives of others.
Contributed on 5/11/18 by billsully060
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Record #: 1222306