John Nutt

John William Nutt of North Little Rock, AR died December 6, 2007. A strong Christian faith, a very loving family, wonderful care-givers, and a courageous, unrelenting spirit have helped him through the ravages of rheumatoid arthritis and its complications. John was born in Little Rock on March 29, 1935 to Jack and Mildred Nutt. He grew up in Little Rock, attended and graduated from Little Rock High School in 1953 where he was one of the Wilsons Tigers- a group of former football players under the tutelage of Coach Wilson Matthews.
He attended Arkansas Tech University and graduated in 1957 with a degree in Business Administration. John was a four year letterman in both football and baseball. He was inducted into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction in 1973 and in 2005 was honored with the title of Presidential Fellow of Arkansas Tech University.
Upon Graduation, he was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army and reported to Ft. Benning, GA where he successfully completed the Basis Infantry Officers course and the U.S. Army Rangers and Airborne schools. He served in Germany with the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division and in Lebanon with the 187th Airborne Infantry Battle Group.
After a disability retirement from the Army in 1963, John came back to Arkansas and went to work for the J.W. Nutt Company, a grain brokerage firm that his father founded in 1948. He loved his work and made many friends nationwide in the grain business and poultry industry over the years.
John enjoyed ?giving back? to his community, serving on various boards and giving his time, talent and energy to such groups as Arkansas Arthritis Foundation, Jones Eye Institute at UAMS, North Little Rock Boys and Girls Club, Arkansas Tech School of Business Advisory Board and Lakewood United Methodist Church where he was a member of the George Martin Sunday School class. John served on the North Little Rock School Board and felt very honored to be a 33rd degree Mason.
John coached many youth league sports and cherished the time spent teaching youngsters about competition and more importantly about the ?game of life?. Many of his athletes, as grown men, have expressed appreciation for the positive influence John Nutt had on their lives.
In addition to his parents, John was pre-deceased by his brother, Thomas E. Nutt and nephew Steve Thompson. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joie, and by his three children and their spouses, David and Lisa Nutt, Sharon and Scott Saunders and Kevin and Connie Nutt. He is also survived by his grandchildren; Melissa, Sarah, Laura, Mallory, Jenna, and Austin Nutt and Ashley and Courtney White, a nephew Tony Thompson and his family, the Steve Thompson family, and cousins; Jim Hopper, Sandy and Phyllis Nutt, James and Margaret Garner, Donald and Dana Hardman, Dinah Hamm Barnes, Calvin Nutt, Linda Blankenship, Tom Deere and family, Joan Wright and family whom he enjoyed sharing his growing up years with.
Memorials may be made to Arkansas Tech University Foundation, Russellville, AR or Lakewood United Methodist Church, 1922 Topf Road, North Little Rock, AR.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday at the Lakewood United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 P. M. Friday at the North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main, 758-1170. Online obituary and guest register at www.nlrfh.com.