Dr. Bobby Joe Witherington

Dr. Bobby Joe Witherington, aged 79, passed away on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the CHI St. Vincent Medical Center in Hot Springs. Dr. Witherington was born on October 18, 1945, in Crossett, to John Hays and Margaret Nell Knight Witherington and raised in the Milo community outside of Hamburg. He was the youngest of five siblings. He graduated from Hamburg High School as an Honor Graduate in 1963, where he played football and excelled academically. During high school, he served as Student Council President, was named all-district offensive guard in football, delivered newspapers for the Arkansas Gazette, and enjoyed camping with friends on the Saline River. After high school, he attended the University of Arkansas, funded by a full scholarship from Georgia-Pacific, and completed a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemical Engineering in 1968. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Dr. Witherington served in the United States Army for two years, teaching math in a South Korean education center. He completed a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Arkansas in 1971 and a D.D.S from the University of Tennessee in 1976. Upon completing his degree in dentistry, he and his wife returned to Hamburg, where he practiced dentistry for over 30 years. Dr. Witherington was active in the Hamburg community. He was the Scoutmaster for Troop 70, guiding the Troop to the Northern Tier High Adventure Camp and he served for 25 years on the Farmers Bank Board.  Dr. Witherington was a member of the Hamburg First United Methodist Church, where he served as the chair of the executive committee and rotated through service on many other Hamburg United Methodist Church committees. He gave generously of his time to mission work, traveling to Moscow, Russia, the Czech Republic and to Senegal to work in orphanages and to provide free dental care. As an avid hiker and traveler, he was intrepid in his wanderings. In retirement, he hiked in Colorado and Montana, the Appalachian Mountains, and completed the Ouachita Trail, a stretch of over 200 miles. He enjoyed many hikes with the Ouachita Hiking Club. With his beloved wife, he traveled to six of the seven continents and was perpetually curious about new places and people. His favorite destinations were Jersulem, Norway, and the Nile River.  He was a devoted Christian and family man, committed to supporting his family in every way. Dr. Witherington was loved by his family and friends for his gregarious and outgoing personality. He never met a stranger. His grandchildren and all of their friends knew him as "Bops" and loved for him to attend their events and activities to cheer them on. Rest in peace, Bobby, in your beloved piney woods of southeast Arkansas. You will be remembered fondly by all who knew you.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John Hays and Margaret Nell Knight Witherington and two brothers, John Witherington and Charles “Todd” Witherington.

He is survived by wife his of 54 years, Elizabeth Vaught Witherington of Hamburg, two sons, Dr. Brent Witherington and wife, Laura, of Fort Smith and Blake Witherington of Hot Springs; two sisters, Sue Witherington Trost of Little Rock and Jayne Witherington Burnett of Florence, South Carolina; four grandchildren, Jackson Witherington, Julia Witherington, Janie Witherington and Ella Claire Witherington.

Memorial services are 10 a.m., Monday, January 27, 2025, at Hamburg First United Methodist Church with Rev. Aaron Miller officiating. Inurnment will be in the Hamburg First United Methodist Church Columbarium.  Honorary pallbearers are Stanton Veazey, Phil Barnes, Andrew Hartshorn, David Moyers, William Foote and Terry Bierbaum.  Memorials may be made to the Hamburg First United Methodist Church, 202 S. Main Street, Hamburg, AR 71646. 

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Sunday at the funeral home.