1942-2024
Jay Edwin Needler, age 82, of Pine Bluff, passed away Monday, October 28, 2024.
Born June 14, 1942, in Richmond, Indiana, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Needler (Mary Serena Reese). He graduated from Hagerstown Jefferson Township High School in 1960. He pursued higher education at Indiana University East, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Jay and his family moved to Pine Bluff in 1980 to work for Stant Manufacturing Company. He was a Certified Managerial Accountant and was employed there for over 25 years.
He was a dedicated member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon, elder, and financial manager during his early retirement. He also contributed his time and expertise as a board member of Trinity Village Retirement Community.
Jay’s grandchildren were his pride and joy. He loved spending time with them, often driving his grandsons to and from school and visiting his family in Houston and Little Rock regularly to be part of their lives. As an only child, he found a strong sense of family through his close relationships with his first cousins and the families of his parents' siblings. His devotion to family extended into his retirement, where he took up genealogy, tracing his family’s history with the same dedication and love he showed to those around him.
Survivors include his wife, Karen Reece Needler, whom he married on August 19, 1967 in Richmond; his children, Mark Needler of Little Rock, Ellen Needler Osbon (James) of Houston, TX, and Greg Needler (Cynthia) of White Hall; six grandchildren, Blake Needler, Clayton Needler, Miriam Osbon, Hamilton Needler, Liam Osbon, and Marabeth Needler; and exchange student, Sebastian Schmitt-Rosenblatt of Germany.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Emery Orval Needler (Carolyn White); Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Herbert Reese (Mary Ellen Fuller); a daughter-in-law, Michelle Thompson Needler, a brother-in-law Gary Wayne Reece, and a sister-in-law Janice Mittelkamp (Tom).
Jay’s funeral service will be held Sunday, November 3, 2024, 2:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Russell Wilkins officiating. The family will greet friends following the service. Arrangements are by Ralph Robinson & Son.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Village or the American Cancer Society.
