Bobby Jack Covert

To visit the Bobby Jack Covert Memorial Website, click here. OUR HUSBAND, BROTHER, FATHER & FRIEND, BOBBY JACK COVERT, AGE 74, WENT HOME TO BE WITH HIS LORD ON THURSDAY, THE 29TH DAY OF OCTOBER IN FT. SMITH; HE WAS BORN IN THE GREENWOOD COMMUNITY SOUTH OF ALTUS, AR ON THE 1ST DAY OF JULY 1935 TO THE LATE JOHN MARK COVERT AND MARY BONNIE RANEY COVERT. HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, HIS BROTHER LARRY LEON COVERT, AND 2 SISTERS, SYBIL COVERT SMITH & JUANTIA COVERT STARR. BOBBY JACK LIVED MOST OF HIS LIFE IN THE ALTUS AREA EXCEPT FOR HIS TWO TOURS OF DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN WASHINGTON STATE. HE SERVED IN D BATTERY, FIRST MISSLE BATALLION, 43RD ARTILLERY, A PART OF THE AJAX MISSLE DEFENSE PROGRAM. MILITARY HONORS INCLUDED SHARPSHOOTER WITH RIFLE AND EXPERT WITH CARBINE (PROBABLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIS HUNTING DUCKS, SQUIRRELS AND OTHER GAME IN THE GREENWOOD BOTTOMS DURING HIS YOUTH. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT THE RANK OF SERGEANT IN 1961. RETURNING TO ARKANSAS AFTER THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRST CHILD, PATRICIA, HE WAS A TRUCK DRIVER UNTIL 1975 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE POSITION OF FRANKLIN COUNTY CIRCUIT CLRK, SERVING FOR 2 TERMS. HE WAS SELF EMPLOYED IN THE WALL PAPER BUSINESS UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 1999. BOBBY JACK BECAME A CHRISTIAN EARLY IN LIFE AND ANSWERED THE CALL TO THE MINISTRY IN 1992. AS A MEMBER OF THE MIKE BARBER PRISON MINISTRIES, HE CONDUCTED A MINISTRY AT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY JAIL AND THEN BEGAN MINISTERING IN STATE PENITENTIARIES THROUGHLUT ARKANSAS, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS AND LOUISIANA, EVENTUALLY BEING CERTIFIED TO MINISTER TO DEATH-ROW INMATES. HE WAS AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH THE PASTOR OF LIBERTY CHURCH NEAR ALTUS, AR, A POSITION HE HELD FOR EIGHT YEARS. HE LEAVES A LEGACY OF HARD WORK, HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND CHRISTIAN LOVE. HIS GREATEST DELIGHT WAS THE BRIDE OF HIS YOUTH, ALFREDA, THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. WE WILL HONOR HIM FOR HIS EXAMPLE AND HIS FAITH, AND WE WILL MISS HIM UNTIL WE SEE HIM AGAIN. SURVIVORS INCLUDE HIS WIFE OF 51 YEARS, ALFREDA CHRISTINE PARKER COVERT, ORIGINALLY FROM GRENADES CHAPEL, AR; 2 DAUGHTERS: TRICIA DIANE PENNINGTON AND HUSBAND MICHAEL, ALTUS, AR; AND CHRIS McCAIN & HUSBAND MACK OF OZARK, AR; A SON MARK ALLEN COVERT OF ALTUS, AR; 2 SISTERS: JOHNNIE LOIS COVERT BARTLETT OF OZARK & BETTY COVERT McDONALD OF FT SMITH; GRANDCHILDREN: EUTICHA BETH PENNINGTON HAWKINS & HUSBAND MARK OF GLOUSCHESTER, VA; JOSEPH MICHAEL PENNINGTON OF STARKVILLE, MS; GORDON WILLIAM McCAIN,iii OF FAYETTEVILLE, AR; EMMARIE McCAIN OF LITTLE ROCK, AR; ZACHARY ALLEN COVERT OF ALTUS, AR; AND JACOB "JAKE" COVERT OF ALTUS, AR. MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE MADE TO MIKE BARBER PRISON MINISTRIES, P.O. BOX 1086, DESOTO, TX 75123-1086.

Bobby Jack Covert

November 1, 2009