Kennith "Woody" Lemings

Kennith Woodrow "Woody" Lemings, 84, passed away on June 17, 2026, at Ozark Health Nursing Home. Anyone who knew Woody knew warmth. The kind that lived in his easy smile, his steady presence, and the way he made people feel welcome simply by being himself.

Born on September 23, 1941, in Crabtree, Arkansas, on Possum Walk, Woody was the son of Filmore and Edna Wilson Lemings. Woody spent his childhood and teen years growing up on Possum Walk. After he graduated, he left for California. He spent several years in California, traveling back and forth to Hawaii where he helped build more than 150 houses. He worked in the concrete business and then went on to run and own a successful landscaping business. After selling that business, he returned home to Arkansas, one of the places he loved the most.

On June 21, 1962, at Crabtree Four Square Church, Woody married the love of his life, Helen. Together they built a life filled with devotion, laughter, and partnership. They shared 59 years of marriage before Helen's passing on May 10, 2021, a loss Woody carried with quiet strength and enduring love.

For 42 years, Woody and Helen operated Woody's Bait & Tackle in Choctaw, Arkansas. The shop wasn't just a place to buy minnows. It was where you came for conversation, fish tales, hunting stories, and a sense of belonging. Over the decades, he and Helen proudly filled the walls with photos of customers and their catches, creating a living scrapbook to anyone who enters. In the store, you likely saw one of Woody's proudest catches: an 18‑pound, 9‑ounce walleye he pulled from Greers Ferry Lake on March 12, 1981, a true trophy fish and a conversation piece for the ages.

Woody was deeply community‑oriented and dedicated much of his life to public service. He served on multiple boards, including Ozark Opportunities, and represented his community as a Justice of the Peace from January 1997 to December 2010, seven terms and fourteen years.One of his responsibilities as a JP was to serve on the quorum court.

As a JP, Woody also officiated at least 100 marriages over the years. Folks often joked, "This is the only place I know where you can get a marriage license and a fishing license in the same place." It was said with affection and a smile, because Woody had a way of making life's biggest moments feel simple, joyful, and genuine. One couple shared that when they asked what they owed him, Woody replied, "I've been offered anything from a dozen eggs to $50, pick your poison."

From January 12, 2005, until his final meeting in late 2024, Woody served on the board of the Lakeside Learning Center (formerly Van Buren County Special School), advocating for local families and children for nearly two decades.In addition to his official roles, Woody volunteered at a local food pantry and helped establish the thrift store Thrift's Gifts and More to support the Lakeside Learning Center. He played a key role in numerous community projects, including the building of Ozark Health Hospital. His heart for service extended far beyond titles.

He was also one of the founding members of the Choctaw Fire Department, established around 1983. He served for nearly 30 years and was the Fire Chief for most of that time, leading with courage, steadiness, and a deep sense of responsibility to his neighbors.

Woody's work ethic extended far beyond his businesses and public service. He hauled countless bales of hay, cared for several farms in the Choctaw area and sold Quality Liquid Feed for many years. Woody built a life rooted in family, service, and the simple joys that mattered most to him.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Filmore and Edna Wilson Lemings; his beloved wife, Helen Lemings; his brother, Darvill Lemings; and his sister, Phyllis Berry.

Left to cherish his memory are his three sons: Kenny Lemings and Loretta of Choctaw, Arkansas; Gordon and wife Honey Lemings of Bee Branch, Arkansas; and Glenn Lemings and Constance of Clinton, Arkansas.

Grandchildren: Whitlie, Jason, Aaron and wife Jenny, Angela and husband Brian, Cassie, Marcus, Tyler and wife Madeline, Jadon, and Donald Lee; and great‑grandchildren: Kylie, Brayden, Emerie, Jaelynn Rae, Kinsley, Karter, Channing, Westin, Beckett, Paisley, Eleanor Grace, Everly Rose, Macie Jade, and Natalie Mae.

Woody is also survived by his brothers: Virgil Lemings and wife Joy, and Ronnie Lemings and wife Tammie; as well as numerous extended family members, friends, and neighbors. He was a father figure to Pam Adams and Wayde Walker, both of whom held a special place in his heart. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Pallbearers are Jason Price, Brian Beck, Tyler Lemings, Jadon Price, Aaron Korosec, Randy Jim Rose and Karter Stapleton.

Honorary pallbearers are Joe Benedetti and Grady Emerson.

Visitation will be held at Ozark View Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 23, from 6–8 PM. Services will be held on June 24 at 11 AM at Crabtree Four Square Church. Burial will follow at Crowell Mountain Cemetery. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ozark View Funeral Home. To share a memory or kind words, please visit www.ozarkviewfuneralhome.com. 

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