Earl Francis Chastain, 93, of Holly Grove, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, in Windermere, Fla.
Mr. Chastain was born in Holly Grove on Jan. 13, 1914, to Renzy Chastain and Mazzie Garner Chastain. Mr. Chastain was a farmer in Monroe County and an avid horseman. He trained, bred and showed Tennessee Walking Horses as a member of both the Arkansas and Tennessee Walking Horse Associations. Mr. Chastain was a member and deacon of Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Ragtown.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Grace Chastain; parents Renzy and Mazzie Chastain; four brothers, Calvin Ray, Bill Jim, Hilton and Thomas Chastain; three sisters, Sadie Terry, Jewel Watson and Virginia Vester; and a grandson, James Earl Bryan.
Survivors are his brothers, Stanley Chastain; two sisters, Hazel Strouth and Doris Kreimeyer; a son, Earl Leslie Chastain and wife, Arta, of Somerville, S.C.; a daughter, Shirley Bryan and husband, Thomas, of Bonne Terre, Mo.; four grandchildren, Patti Green, Brad Bryan, Nicki Baril and Dawn Weber; eight great-grandchildren, Charles "Chip" Weddington, Brittany Green, Katie Bryan, Alex Bryan, Justin Green, David Bryan, Marie Bryan and Emma Grace Weber; and a great-great grandchild, Ana Grace Weddington.
Visitation will be held on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home in Clarendon. Services will be held at Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Ragtown on Saturday at 11 a.m., followed by burial in Franks Cemetery in Holly Grove.
Active pallbearers will be Stanley K. Chastain, Calvin Chastain Greg Green, Chip Weddington, Ferlon McCoy, and John Henry Sain. Honorary pall bearers are Stanley Chastain, Wayne Beadles, Frank Miller, Harold Wilson, Billy Dunavan, Billy Gerlach and Justin Green.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Franks Cemetery.
