CHARLES SANTIFER SR.

Mr. Charles Stuart Santifer, age 86, of Texarkana, Arkansas, went to be with the Lord on Friday, December 1, 2023.

He was born January 20, 1937, in Texarkana, Arkansas, and was a lifetime resident of the area. He was an active member of Beech Street Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon for forty-two years. He held a love and a lifelong devotion to his church. He was also a member of the Miller County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and was a past president.

Charlie graduated from Arkansas High School in 1955 and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy. After graduation Charlie began his work for the University of Arkansas as a county extension agent for six years. From there Charlie came home to Texarkana to work on the family farm and become a partner with his brother Bobby at Economy Lumber Company. Charlie’s children worked alongside him at Economy Lumber Company until 1995. His son Mark worked alongside him at the family farm until the sale of the farm. During this time Charlie also developed Santifer Rental Properties that he still ran until his death.

There were lots of wonderful memories made at the farm. From working cattle, pecan harvesting, riding horses or four-wheelers.

Charlie was well known in Texarkana for his kindness and hard work ethic. There will be an empty seat at Old Tyme Burger where he loved to eat breakfast almost every day. If you knew Charlie Santifer you were blessed.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Darrell “Buster” and Estelle Frazier Santifer, and Lil Santifer who raised him as her own from the age of two; two brothers, Robert Dale Santifer and Clyde Darrell Santifer and the mother of his children, Nancy Lou Tye Santifer.

Survivors include one sister, Barbara Miner of Texarkana, Arkansas; a daughter and son-in-law, Lou and Shawn Kiker of Texarkana, Texas; a son Stuart Santifer and Rick Gorham of Texarkana, Arkansas; a daughter Nikki Aprea of Josephine, Texas; a son John Mark Santifer and his Fiance Tara Carlton of Texarkana, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Mary Adams of Texarkana, Arkansas; Amanda and Houston Mills of Texarkana, Arkansas; Haley and Mason Riley of Fate Texas, and Ty Garrett of Josephine, Texas; four great-grandchildren, Carson Mills, Peyton Mills of Texarkana, Arkansas; Koyce Riley an Ace Riley of Fate, Texas and a host of other relatives and friends.

A celebration of his life will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at Beech Street Baptist Church with Rev. Eric Chaffin and Rev. Wallace Edgar officiating. A Private burial will be at Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends at Texarkana Funeral Home, Arkansas Chapel on Tuesday evening from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.

Memorials may be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock AR 72202.

Register online at www.texarkanafuneralhome.com.