Donnie Gale Vest

Of Melbourne, Arkansas

Donnie Gale Vest, son of the late Thurman Thurl Vest and Eutha Mae Hunt Vest, was born April 17, 1954 in Melbourne, Arkansas.  He departed this life January 21, 2024 at his home in Melbourne, Arkansas at the age of 69 years, 9 months and 4 days.  Donnie was a 1972 graduate of Melbourne High School and went on to attend University of Arkansas.  In 1973, he was united in marriage to Rhonda Roddy while working at Banquet Foods in Batesville, later he worked for Bandmill Home Center in Melbourne.  Donnie and Deloris Sherrill married in 1978, while he was working at White River Shirt Factory. Later on, that year he went to work with Thurman Crotts laying brick.  In 1980, Donnie returned to Fayetteville, to finish his engineering degree and graduated with honors in 1984.  He accepted a position with AT&T in Oklahoma City and ended up getting his Master's Degree from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina during this time.  In 1989, he transferred to Little Rock, Arkansas and then to Rogers.  After retiring, he moved back to the old Jumbo homesite outside Melbourne, where he could enjoy listening to the tree frogs in the evenings beside "The Branch" where he'd enjoyed playing with his siblings and many cousins when growing up.  He was of the Church of Christ faith and attended Melbourne Church of Christ.

Donnie is survived by three sons:  Jamey Vest, Jeremy Vest and Jerrad Vest all of Rogers; one brother Tim Vest of Melbourne; two sisters:  Evelyn Linvell of Newport and Tammy Stroud and husband Rusty of Jonesboro; seven grandchildren; several great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother-in-law:  Raymond Linvell.

Visitation and funeral service will be Friday, January 26 at Eddie's Family Funeral Home in Melbourne.  Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m.  Funeral service will begin at 2:30 p.m. with Ryan Lloyd officiating.  Burial will follow at Combs Cemetery.

Pallbearers:  Jamey Vest, Jeremy Vest, Jerrad Vest, Travis Linvell, Bucksey Harmon, Rusty Stroud.