Earl C. Burkes

Earl C. Burkes, 90, of Huntsville, Arkansas, passed away peacefully on November 11, 2026, at Circle of Life Hospice House in Springdale, Arkansas. He was born on February 2, 1936, in Madison County, Arkansas, to Elmo Cleopolis Burkes and Burna Ethal (Cook) Burkes. After graduating from high school, Earl worked for a couple of years in Dodge City, Kansas before enlisting in the United States Army.

He served from 1956 to 1957, during the years between the Korean War and the escalation of the Vietnam War. Stationed in Fürth, near Nuremberg, Germany, with the 8 Infantry Division, he served as a gunner on 60 mm mortars and later on the larger 81 mm systems. He carried a .45-caliber automatic pistol for personal protection and proved so proficient on the qualification range that he was selected for the division’s shooting team, representing the 8 Infantry Regiment. When his enlistment ended, the Army offered him an advanced rank to reenlist, but he declined.

His childhood best friend, Delmar Deveny, who had been stationed in Germany with a different division, had left the service earlier and invited Earl to join him in Wyoming. Earl accepted, trading military life for work on a ranch in the American West. The discipline and determination forged during his Army years remained with him throughout his life. After living and working on the Wyoming ranch, Earl returned to Madison County, where he met the love of his life, a beautiful redheaded widow named Othenia “Opie” (Hughes), who had four young children: Johnny, Regenia, Michael, and Vickie.

Earl was smitten. They married and went on to have three more children together: Susan, Jesse, and Sheila. For more than 63 years, Earl and Opie shared a life rooted in family, farming, and hard work. Together, they farmed nearly 700 acres in Madison County, raising beef cattle and operating poultry houses.

Their primary farm was located just west of Huntsville. They owned and operated a second farm along War Eagle Creek that had been in Opie’s family since 1845 and was officially recognized as an Arkansas Century Farm. Earl had a lifelong love of mules, buying, training, and selling them as both a business venture and a favorite pastime. His reputation for well-trained mules extended all the way to Montana, where they were used as pack animals on wilderness trails.

Several even appeared in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, as part of a Montana forestry exhibition team. Earl had a beautiful singing voice and often sang old ballads. Although he loved to read, especially books about history and autobiographies, his children fondly remember that one of their favorite bedtime traditions was listening to their father sing. His old ballads were like bedtime stories set to music, made all the more special by his beautiful voice.

He and Opie, who was an avid reader herself, instilled a lifelong love of reading in their children. Earl’s love of animals and the land was matched by his passion for the great outdoors, particularly the American West. Nearly every fall, he traveled to Montana and Idaho for elk hunting adventures, often hauling his mules along. He especially loved sharing the beauty and wonders of this country with Opie and their children.

Nearly every summer, the family embarked on two-week road trips to iconic destinations such as Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Rushmore. During one of his hunting trips, Earl befriended Montana game warden Gary Chambers, beginning a lifelong friendship that led to unforgettable family camping trips and horseback adventures through some of the West’s most beautiful and lesser-known wilderness areas. Back home in Madison County, Earl and Opie, along with their children, worked tirelessly to develop and maintain their farms. They took great pride in their agricultural heritage and in preserving the land for future generations.

For more than 30 years, Earl worked for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Fayetteville, Arkansas, becoming widely known for arranging company sponsorships and donations for local charitable events and organizations. One of his favorite efforts was securing Coca-Cola’s support for a young women’s softball team on which three of his daughters played. An entrepreneur at heart, Earl partnered with his brother Loy, who worked in Houston’s industrial gas and welding-supply network supporting the oil and gas industry. Through these connections, Earl contracted surplus-material recovery and yard-reorganization projects for expanding companies.

Hauling loads by truck and trailer to his Madison County shop, he recovered and resold welding consumables and supplies that would otherwise have been discarded in landfills, turning the work into a profitable side business. Earl was a Master Mason and longtime member of Huntsville Lodge No. 364, Free and Accepted Masons. When construction of Highway 412 divided their Madison County farm, Earl recognized the opportunity it presented. He set aside a portion of the original family land and, with the help of his son Jesse, guided its development.

The result was a beautiful, high-end residential subdivision, the sale of a tract that became the home of Thompson’s Trucking Company, and a parcel Earl and Opie sold to River Assembly of God for its new church, all located just off Highway 412. While Jesse focused on the real estate development, their son Michael helped maintain the remaining family property. During the early stages of the project, Earl operated two dirt pits, selling many truckloads of red clay for both the new construction and the Highway 412 project itself. Earl was preceded in death by his beloved wife of more than 63 years, Othenia “Opie” (Hughes) Burkes; his parents; his sons, Johnny Davis and Michael Davis; his daughter, Regenia Houston; his son-in-law, Jim Duncan; and his siblings, Keith, Tilley, Ardith “Shorty,” Bea, Wanda, Goddard, Lionel, and Glen Burkes.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Earl’s brother-in-law and longtime friend, Buzz Flowers of Flagstaff, Arizona, whose steadfast friendship and devotion meant so much throughout Earl’s life. Buzz never failed to call, visit, or check in on Earl, especially during the past two years while Earl resided at Countryside Assisted Living. His thoughtfulness, loyalty, and unwavering presence were a tremendous comfort to Earl and his family. The family is equally grateful to the dedicated staff at Countryside Assisted Living for the compassionate care, kindness, and sense of community they provided Earl during his time as a resident.

Their warmth and attentiveness helped make Countryside a place where Earl felt cared for, valued, and at home.

Pallbearers will be Jonathan Davis, Lance Davis, Chad Davis, Dakota Sloan, Jackson Sloan, JP Stewart, and Josh Stewart.

Honorary pallbearers will be Buzz Flowers and Harlin Houston.

Box 1491, Huntsville, AR 72740.

Services are entrusted to Brashears Funeral Home and Crematory of Huntsville, Arkansas.