Earl Jackson Haycraft

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Visitation Schedule
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home
201 North Pine Street
West Memphis, AR  72301
Saturday, May 19, 2018
11:30am-12:30pm
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home Chapel
201 Pine
West Memphis, AR  72301
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Cemetery
Crittenden Memorial Park
2206 Highway 64 West
Marion, AR  72364
I served in the Air Force.
Earl Jackson HaycraftI am a Veteran.

of Memphis, TN

April 17, 1929 - May 11, 2018

Earl Jackson Haycraft (nickname, Johnnie) died in Memphis, Tennessee at the Village of Primacy Place on May 11th, 2018 at the age of 89. The cause of death was complications of diabetes, kidney and cardiovascular disease. He was born on April 17, 1929 in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Earl also lived in Mississippi, Colorado, and Missouri but, always viewed his childhood home to be Hughes, Arkansas and his lifelong home to be West Memphis Arkansas.
Earl was preceded in death by his parents Floyd E. and Effie Lee (Stanfill) Haycraft. Rosy Haycraft was his favorite grandparent. Earl was preceded in death by his first wife Delores Burnett Haycraft, his second wife, Mary Bentley Atkinson Haycraft and this third wife Jeannie Wear Green Haycraft. His children include Charlotte Haycraft Bates (deceased), Harold W Haycraft (Hannibal, Mo), spouse Kathleen, Marilyn Haycraft Ritchie (Lawrence, KS), spouse Steve, and James Steven Haycraft (Lake Charles, LA), spouse Pam. Grandchildren include Becky Hirner ( Hannibal, Mo), Dan Bates (Kansas City, Mo), Tony Bates ( Kansas City, Mo),Christine Bates Greenwood (Center, Mo) spouse Joey , Shannon Haycraft (Belleview, Il), Stacey Haycraft Chuck ( Chandler, AZ) spouse Martin, Scott Haycraft (Hannibal, Mo) spouse Coley, Gary Wade (Columbia, Mo), Shari Wade Hamilton, spouse Dale (Hahira, GA), Michael Wade (Columbia, Mo), and Julie Haycraft (Lawrence, KS), He had a total of 24 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. His stepchildren included Johnnie Atkinson (spouse, Peggy) and Shirley Atkinson Fielston from his marriage to Mary Atkinson Haycraft. Peggy Lindsey, spouse George (Akron,CO), Judy Hart, spouse Frank (Acworth, GA), Randee Senseney, spouse Sam (Marietta, GA) and Tad Green, spouse Ed McBride (Palm Springs, CA) are his stepchildren from his marriage to Jean E. Haycraft (marriage October 21, 2006), recently deceased on December 2, 2017. He had a beloved nephew, Don Bentley spouse Gwen (Buchanan, TN).
Earl was the second child of six children. His siblings included: Lucille Haycraft Sanders (deceased), Maggie Haycraft (deceased), Earnest Haycraft (deceased) Donald Haycraft (Little Rock, Arkansas), and Willie Haycraft (deceased). The extended family is too large to detail by name.
His friends were his colleagues and numerous business partners across the United States and the far-east. Earl never met a stranger and could speak to anyone about anything. He believed in the power of humor, a driving force in his success in life and business. His favorite pet was his African Grey Parrot named Oscar (a verbose parrot).
Mr. Haycraft served as a corporal in the Army Air Corps, United States Military, After his military service in Colorado, he resided in Huntington, Missouri and ultimately in West Memphis, Arkansas where he spent most of his life. He was a machinist by trade and an inventor at heart. His inventions included (not limited to) an electric trolling motor for boats in 1947 and the earliest four wheel articulating drive log skidder/tractor in 1958. These inventions were published in Popular Mechanics. Despite his multiple inventions, he only patented one. Earl was limited by an eighth grade education. This did not impede him from becoming a very successful businessman. He truly was one of America's self-made men.
Earl enjoyed boating and he was an avid fisherman. He enjoyed gardening and his love of farming and cotton were the basis for his success in his businesses. His biggest hobby was his work. He was a Baptist by faith and attended the local Baptist Church in West Memphis, Arkansas. Earl enjoyed talking to anyone about the Lord and always gave credit to the Lord for his successes. This faith had been fueled by his mother Effie and his grandmother Rosy.
Earl developed his first business ''Tri-State Ag Products'' in 1970 where he employed over 200 people; then came ''Allied Parts'', and ''Farm Craft Agricultural Products'', followed by his last business project, Kabot America. He did not retire until age 85.
Services with full military honors will be held at Roller-Citizens Funeral Home at 201 Pine, West Memphis, Arkansas on Saturday, May 19 at 12:30 pm visitation will be held at prior to the service at 11:30 am. The eulogy will be delivered by Don Bentley. Pall bearers will include Don Bentley, Scott Haycraft, Shannon Haycraft, Eugene Haycraft, Ernie Haycraft, Chris Haycraft and Brice Haycraft. Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

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4 Condolence(s)
DW
Cordova, TN
Liked
Sunday, May 20, 2018

So sorry for your loss. May you find comfort in the words spoken at Revelation 21:3,4 “With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them.
And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have

John S Atkinson
,
Liked
Saturday, May 19, 2018

Pop , I will always remember our Sat fishing trips, and the mechanical and lfe skiills that you taught me , rest easy

Iris and carl mcbride
Gulfport, MS
Liked
Wednesday, May 16, 2018

So sorry for your families loss , so glad we knew Johnnie he had visited us on thanksgiving spent a Christmas in Atlanta with him and Jean many years ago. Prayers for all.

Michale Moore
Tyronza, AR
Liked
Tuesday, May 15, 2018