Henry Keith Escue, was born on Wednesday, January 25, 1933 at home in Rawlins County, Kansas—"on the plains of Kansas"— to Ernest Emmit Escue and Lois Ruth (nee Cox) Escue.

He and his family moved to Arkansas in 1943, where he attended Springdale Public Schools, graduating in 1952 from Springdale High School. It was during that time, he and his family became baptized members at Salem Lutheran Church, Springdale, AR.

He enlisted in the US Navy in 1953. Following boot camp instruction, he received training at the Naval Station Great Lakes Center, near Chicago, IL graduating as a Navy Hospital Corpsman (HM). He was assigned to Oakland Naval Hospital ("OakNole"), receiving instruction that lead to certification as an Operating Room Technician. He served his final year of enlistment, assigned to the US Marine Corp, undergoing boot camp training at US Marine base at Ft. Pendelton, CA. As a marine medic he was deployed with field units in Japan and Okinawa. Following his four-year enlistment, he was honorably discharged in 1957.

Returning to Springdale, at the age of 24, he was united in holy matrimony to +Martha Elizabeth Wharton+ of Lowell, Arkansas on October 25, 1957. The Lord blessed their union with one son, Douglas Keith. Shortly after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2007, Martha died very suddenly (November 2007).

In 1960, he and his family moved to Pea Ridge, Arkansas to live with his parents and brother John Escue on the family farm. For the next twenty years, he established a successful dairy and raised Simmental cattle on his Pea Ridge farm and other acreages in the area. His years of employment also included work with his brother as owners of Escue Wood Products. In 1986, he became Manager of Mutual of Arkansas Insurance, formerly Farmers Mutual Insurance of Rogers, Arkansas. He served in this position for 21 years before retiring in 2007, continuing on as a member of the Board of Directors to the present.

He was very active in civic organizations, including recent membership in the Pea Ridge Lions Club of which he served as the "tail twister." Previously, he had served on several civic and farm related boards, including: Pea Ridge Jaycees; Pea Ridge Chapter of the VFW; Benton County Farm Bureau, receiving the Benton County Outstanding Young Farmer Award in 1972. He was a strong advocate for the Pea Ridge School District being elected by the community to serve on the school board a total of ten years, serving as board President during most of that time. In his retirement years he was actively involved in annual reunions of former naval surgical technicians and USN corpsmen.

He, along with his wife, Martha, and their family were faithful members of several Lutheran Churches in the Northwest Arkansas area: Salem Lutheran Church, Springdale; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Rogers (charter member, 1962); and Faith Lutheran Church, Bentonville (charter member, 1976). In all of these congregations he had served in various leadership positions, youth and Sunday School teacher. In 2008 he became a charter member of Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pea Ridge, in which he and his wife were thankful to donate land and sell land where the current facility resides.

He was a fond admirer of music, especially bluegrass. He, along with his wife and brother, were founding musicians of Shady Grove Bluegrass band, performing in many public venues over the years. As a tenor, he enjoyed leading and harmonizing in church choirs and the Shady Grove band. He enjoyed playing the Dobro (resonator guitar).

He loved his family, always being concerned for and devoted to their physical and spiritual welfare. He greatly enjoyed living in and promoting life in NW Arkansas, Benton County and Pea Ridge. Among his many distinguishing characteristics, noted by family and friends, were his outgoing and social nature, friendly personality, humorous wit and spirit, and overall concern for others. He was someone who enjoyed being around people, actively seeking out social interactions, and, whether witnessing to his saving faith in Christ Jesus and his church, or promoting his community and given his friendly nature among friends and family, it is not inaccurate to say, ….he will be greatly missed.

Survivors include his son, Douglas Keith (wife, Laura) of Santa Fe, NM; two grandsons: Nathan Douglas (wife, Amy) of Mahomet, IL; Samuel John Escue of Santa Fe, NM; two great-grandchildren: Parker Grace Escue and Jackson Nathan Escue; other family members include several nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and their families.

Preceding him in death were his parents, three sisters:  Merna Most (Atwood, KS), Melva Anderson (Holly, CO), Betty Sanders (Pea Ridge, AR); one brother, John Escue (Pea Ridge, AR).

Henry Keith Escue, age 91, of Pea Ridge, Arkansas—a faithful son, husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great grandfather, grand uncle and friend to many—died in the Lord, Sunday, December 08, 2024 Anno Domini.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at Sisco Funeral Home in Pea Ridge.

Funeral service will take place at Messiah Ev. Lutheran Church, Pea Ridge, Thursday, December 12, 2024, 10:00AM. Pastor Richard Mayer will officiate. Committal will take place at the Pea Ridge Cemetery, followed by a luncheon at the church.

Memoria vitae bene actae iucunda est (the memory of a life well lived is a pleasant thing!)

…if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all" Ecclesiastes 11:8