LITTLE ROCK — Daniel Baxter Gladden

was known as many things to many people. He was a friend, a loving husband and a wonderful parent and grandfather.

To his friends, he was known as Dan. Those who knew him from a young age called him Danny, and to his grandchildren, he was Pops.

Dan, 80, died in the wee hours of the morning February 4, 2023, after a 14-year fight against cancer.

He was born January 18, 1943, to Baxter and Zeraldine Gladden. The son of a farmer, Dan was no stranger to hard work. He often fondly recalled those days that he shared with his sister Sissy.

Dan worked his way through college, graduating from the University of Arkansas first with his bachelor’s and then his master’s degree in entomology.

It was on the University of Arkansas campus that he met Jo Ann Nickell. With his devilishly handsome good looks, whom some have compared to George Clooney, he wooed Jo Ann. They fell in love and raised three sons Baxter, Joel and Jere.

Dan loved to travel. He and Jo Ann circled the globe, traveling to faraway places such as Rome and Brazil. He remained keen to travel even in his last days, still longing to go to Ireland. Jo Ann and Dan were married for 53 years.

In 2015, he lost Jo Ann, who was known as Jo Jo to their grandkids, to cancer. He was brokenhearted and took comfort in his friendship with Patt Johnson. Their friendship blossomed into love, and the two married in 2016.

Dan was knowledgeable about most anything and knew the answer to most every question on Jeopardy.

Every Christmas, he read of Jesus’ birth from the gospel of Luke and also “The Night Before Christmas” aloud to his family. It became a tradition that he started with his kids and continued with his grandkids and was a moment that everyone in the family looked forward to.

Dan was a proud member of the Westside Baptist Church in Greers Ferry.

His favorite John Wayne movie was “The Searchers,” his favorite artist was Merle Haggard and he loved his lakeside home.

Dan was an exceptionally good friend. He kept up with people who he knew as long ago as his high school years and always loved a good chat on the phone.

Dan will be fiercely missed by all who knew him including his caregivers Elizabeth Griffith, Faith Stolzer and Shanon Greer who supported him during his final days.

Dan is preceded in death by his parents Baxter and Zeraldine Gladden as well as his first wife Jo Ann.

He is survived by his wife Patt as well as his sons and their wives: Baxter and his wife Laura of Van Buren; Joel and his wife Kathy of Little Rock; and Jere and his wife Melissa of Asheville, N.C. He also leaves behind six grandchildren Alex, Kate, Gregory, Patrick, Emma, and Joseph and his sister Sissy and her husband Lynn Leek.

Funeral services will be 11 a. m., Saturday, February 11, 2023, at the Nickell Family Chapel (south of Elkins), 14797 Hazel Valley Rd, Fayetteville, Ark., 72701 with Pastor Doug Inzer officiating. Interment will follow in Nickell Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Friday, February 10, 2023, at the funeral home.

Condolences at www.beardsfuneralchapel.com