CONWAY — Dr. Fred Kellar
Noggle, of Conway, Ark., went to be with his Lord and Savior, December 7, 2021. Kellar was born in Mt. Vernon, Arkansas, to Fred and Lorene Keathley Noggle. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Merrill, and a sister, Kay Ewing. Survivors include his wife, of 63 years, Shirrell; two sons, Randy of Hot Springs National Park and Richard Kerry of Lawrence, Kansas; a grandson, Casey Noggle; a great-grandson, Blayne Noggle; two great-granddaughters, Mikayla and Kanzaida; one great-great-granddaughter and great-great-grandson. He is also survived by his sister, Brenda Sawyer of Conway; several nieces, nephews, and a host of family and friends.
Kellar attended ASU-Beebe College, Arkansas College of Batesville, and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway, where he was a member of the varsity basketball teams. After graduation from UCA, Kellar began a career of 46 years in education in St. Charles Schools as a basketball coach, then principal and superintendent. Kellar completed his Doctoral Program in Education at the University of Arkansas (U of A) from 1970-72, then served as superintendent of the Des Arc School District from 1972-76.
Kellar was then employed by the U of A, teaching distance learning courses across the state. In 1976, Kellar became the first executive director of the Arkanasas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA). He was known throughout the state for his leadership and dedication. He retired in 2005, after almost 30 years of service.
Throughout his life, Kellar was devoted to his family, his church, and his community. He spent more than 40 years as a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, serving as both deacon and Sunday School teacher. Kellar was beloved by his family and his church family; known for his kindness, compassion, and generosity. In his final years, Kellar was a devoted full-time caregiver to his wife of 63 years through a long illness. He is loved far and wide by all whose lives he touched.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 10, 2021, at 2 p.m., in the chapel of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Conway, Arkansas. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Final interment will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rosebud, Arkansas, immediately following the service. At Kellar’s request, masks will be worn at visitation and the service, at all times. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, https://www.archildrens.org/#expandGive or to St. Jude’s Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/donate.