CARLISLE — Vincel Finis Ferguson,

94, of Carlisle passed away February 9, 2020. He was born November 17, 1925, in Almond, Ark., to the late Mr. and Mrs. Finis and Dica Ferguson. He was a member of Crossroads Baptist Church.

At 17, Vincel volunteered to serve in the Army Infantry during World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and was honored for his bravery with not only one, but three Bronze Stars. The prestigious Bronze Star Medal is awarded to Armed Forces members for heroic or meritorious achievement in battle. He wanted to be remembered, rather, as a hard-working farmer who was still shoveling levees well into his eighties. He began as a dairy farmer and never truly retired from crop farming.

An avid college basketball fan, he loved seeing the Razorbacks and also attending AIC basketball games. Vincel enjoyed quail hunting with his buddies and his best bird dog, Lu Lu. Notorious for nicknaming his family and friends and for playfully teasing children and dogs, he captured hearts with his mischievous, witty personality.

Vincel was preceded in death by his wife Mildred Evelyn Simpson Ferguson; his parents; his sister Rosalie Humway; and brothers, Thad Ferguson and Joel Ferguson. He is survived by his daughters Diane Veazey (J.D.) of Carlisle and Peggy Alton (Gary) of Searcy; his sister Cathryn Northcutt; his brother Owen Ferguson; and his sister Doris Lloyd. Vincel leaves a legacy of four granddaughters: Angie Pitts (Gart), Tammy Scaife (Brandon), Amanda Thornton (Jeffrey), and Kristy (Luke) Gower; one grandson, Greg Veazey (Robin), and 11 great-grandchildren who will miss their Papaw dearly.

The family wishes to thank caretakers Sheila and Judith and the VA Palliative Care Unit for the exceptional care they provided.

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Smith-Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe. Funeral will be 2 p.m. Friday, February 14, 2020 at Hebron United Methodist Church, with burial in Hebron Cemetery. Arrangements by Smith-Westbrook Funeral Home. www.SmithFamilyCares.com