Frederick Joseph

Stokes, III

Frederick Joseph “Joe” Stokes, III, passed away Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at his home in Bella Vista, Arkansas surrounded by his family. He was born August 18, 1949 in Patuxent River, Maryland to Frederick Joseph Stokes, Jr., and Edwina Madeline Beck Stokes.

Joe obtained his degree from the University of Texas El Paso and had a successful career as a certified public accountant. He retired after many years as the tax manager for Eland Energy in Dallas, and he was an active member of the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies, Inc. Joe was an avid cyclist, a connoisseur of craft beer and excellent food, a lover of all types of music, and a thoughtful and generous friend. He was a jokester who could shift from being the most serious man in the room to the silliest. He valued his role as a son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather, and he was the rock, protector, and provider for his family.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Deborah Stokes in 2018; one son, Frederick Joseph Stokes, IV; and one sister, Carol Picco. Joe is survived by his children, Lauren Battaglia (Julien) of Sion, Switzerland, Audrey Stokes of Dallas, Texas, Erica Krapf (Ryan) of Thetford Center, Vermont, Grant Montague of Little Elm, Texas, and Brian Quiroz of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter, Eden Isis Monroe Montague, Plano, Texas; and sister, Cynthia Courtright of Redmond, Washington.

Services will be scheduled at a later date in Dallas, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe’s honor can be made to White Men for Racial Justice or the Wounded Warriors Project.

To honor Fred’s memory with a gift to White Men for Racial Justice, To donate, scroll to the bottom of their donation page, choose a one-time or monthly gift, and select your amount. On the next screen, in the “Your Why” box, please write “In memory of Joe ‘Fred’ Stokes.” (Mentioning Fred "Joe" Stokes, and the Arkansas chapter will also ensure the gift is credited to his memory.) Click here or paste the following: https://www.wmrj.org/ and follow the instructions from above.

To honor Fred’s memory with a gift to Wounded Warriors Project, please click here or paste the following: https://communityfundraising.Wounded Warrior Project/campaign/In-Memory-of-Frederick-Joseph-Stokes-III