Smitty Dedman

Clay Smitty Dedman, age 83, of Sheridan, Arkansas, passed away February 23, 2022, at home after a long illness. Born in Rison, Arkansas, he was the son of Robert and Cornelia Worsham Dedman and moved with his family to Dallas, Texas, where he lived for several years before moving back to Rison. He graduated from Rison High School in 1958. He then attended Henderson State Teachers College (now Henderson State University) for a year before moving to San Bernardino, California, where he worked and attended San Bernardino Valley College. He returned to Henderson and graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. He then taught school in West Memphis and worked for Rison Minerals before starting to work for Arkansas Power & Light (now Entergy) as a Customer Service Representative in Pine Bluff, Crossett, Stuttgart, and Little Rock, where he retired as a Project Specialist in 1994. He lived in Hot Springs Village for two years before moving back to Rison, where he has lived until a recent move to Sheridan. 

Always active in the communities where he has lived, he developed his interests in sports, woodworking, and building, but a special interest was researching family genealogy. He loved the research and recorded much information in a book, enjoyed by his family. He also loved to travel and even went on multiple trips on his motorcycle. He was a Master Mason and actively served in The American Red Cross during times of crisis nationwide. He was also a member of Rison United Methodist Church. He left his family an example of living abundantly, loving deeply, giving sacrificially, and helping others whenever and wherever he could.

Mr. Dedman was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Robert H. Dedman and Philip W. Dedman. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Linda H. Dedman, whom he married in 1962; his sons, David 

Dedman (Tonya) and Robb Dedman (Jennifer), both of Rison; a daughter, Laura Dedman of Sheridan; a sister, Linda Scarborough (Paul) of Rison. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; Megan Brown (Brian), Katelyn Lloyd (Noah), and Shelby Theiss (Austen) of Sheridan; Garrett Dedman (Libby) of Yokosuka, Japan, and Cole Dedman of Rison.; Caleb and Dylan Dedman of Rison; and seven 

great-grandchildren, Brayden, Bryson, and Brennan Brown; Olivia, Owen, and Oakley Lloyd; and Carter Theiss, all of Sheridan. 

A memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, February 28, at Rison United Methodist Church with Reverend Ike Mohr officiating. Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. Memorials may be sent to Rison 

United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 468, Rison, Arkansas 71665. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Buie Funeral Home in Rison.

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