GORDON F. GARLINGTON III,

died on July 9, 2021, in North Little Rock, Ark. The son of Doris Keeney Garlington and Gordon F. Garlington, Jr., he was born in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on January 25, 1946. After living with his family in Princeton, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Chattanooga, Tennessee, he grew up in Lovington, New Mexico. A graduate of Austin College, Sherman, Texas, he earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, and Master of History degree from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark.

He was married to the love of his life, Shirley Richardson Garlington in June of 1968. After graduating from seminary, he was ordained into the ministry of the Presbyterian Church in July of 1972. After pastorates in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Midland, Texas, he and Shirley moved to Arkansas where he served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville from 1980-2003, followed by Park Hill Presbyterian of North

Little Rock from 2003-2016. Seeing himself as primarily a pastor, he was grateful for the many friends he and Shirley made in those pastorates and for friendships made in the Presbytery of Arkansas, for which he served as moderator in 1995. He also greatly enjoyed service on several boards of trustees including Bates Memorial Hospital, Northwest Health System, Community Care Foundation, Arkansas Rice Depot, Arkansas Foodbank, Presbyterian Village, Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Family Services, Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center and Lyon College. During his time in Bentonville, he and Shirley were grateful to serve on First Presbyterian Church’s R.A.I.N. AIDS Care Team. Every Saturday for ten years, Gordon shared his observations and reflections on the religion page of The Benton County Daily Record in Bentonville prior to moving to North Little Rock. Gordon’s column challenged and inspired many readers. He also enjoyed serving as a Hospice Visitor for Arkansas Hospice in North Little Rock. Kiwanis has also been an important part of his community service and source of fellowship since 1980.

God’s greatest gifts to him were those who are his survivors: his wife of 53 years, Shirley, his children, J.J. Garlington wife Amanda, their children, Gianna and Jerico, his daughter, Alicia Garlington Jones and her children, Cory, Kameron, and Charlzie Jones, and “adopted” son, Jaylon Paro, and AFS son, Alejandro Castaneda, now of Bogota, Colombia. Being husband, father and grandfather to them was his greatest joy. Gordon is also survived by his brother, John Garlington and his wife Pat, and their children, Jennifer, Christopher and their families.

A visitation with the family will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., Friday, August 6, at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church, Little Rock, Arkansas, the Garlingtons’ church home since Gordon’s retirement in 2016. After a private interment, a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., on Saturday, August 7, at First Presbyterian Church, Bentonville, Arkansas, followed by a time of visitation with the family.

Memorials may be made to The Bell Tower project at First Presbyterian Church, Bentonville, Presbyterian Village, Arkansas Food Bank, The Stewpot of Little Rock, Arkansas Hospice, or the charity of your choice. Online guestbook at: www.SmithFamilyCares.com