Robert W. "Bobby" Mosley

Robert Wayne Mosley (Bobby), age 76, of Bearden passed away peacefully early in the morning Friday, December 19, and his guardian angel is grateful for the vacation. Bobby was born to Johnnie and Mary Nell Castleberry Mosley on October 28, 1949, and learned early that getting into trouble was a lot more fun than getting out of it. His parents hauled plenty of cars out of creek beds and never learned about certain cliffs that were jumped off. Bobby was a golden child who could talk and charm his way into and out of all kinds of strife.

The Vietnam War was where Bobby grew up. At 19 years old, he was stationed at Chu Lai Army Base and laid communications cables for the front line soldiers in the Vietnamese jungle. His first day on Vietnamese soil, a rocket landed between him and two officers on their way to the mess tent, killing one of the officers and knocking Bobby back several yards. He wiped the blood and shrapnel from his face, and refused to apply for a Purple Heart, instead carrying the pieces of that rocket in his skin the rest of his life, a memory and a totem of a moment that shaped him.

Alltel Telephone Co. was a big part of Bobby’s adult life after Vietnam. He worked as a lineman and construction manager for more than 30 years in Fordyce and Harrison, and his crew and coworkers became some of his closest lifelong friends.

After retirement, Bobby found the Church and was a devoted member of White Oak Assembly of God. He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and gardening. He always said he would do better to take a camera with him on a hunt than a gun, because he never took a shot at most of what he saw. He was passionate about youth sports, especially Bearden Bears and Razorback football, and believed he would have made a good coach if the war hadn’t intervened.

Bobby is survived by his wife of 20 years Debbie Parker Mosley; daughters: Bridget Mosley (Holcomb) of Denver and Carmen Mosley-Sims (Brad) of Little Rock; son Adam Parker (Rachel) of Hampton; seven grandchildren: Breck, Meric, and Cora Mosley; Luca, Bird, and Ilona Mosley-Sims; and Everleigh Parker; one sister Sherry Miller (Kenny) of Hampton; one brother Terrell Moseley (Jessifer) of Conway; father-in-law Emmett Parker of Hampton; brother-in-law Rodney Parker of Hampton; two nieces; one nephew; and extensive family of great-nieces and cousins who adored him. In lieu of flowers, the family asks mourners to remember Bobby with a donation to a school or community youth sports program, since that is the legacy he would love the most.

The family will receive friends Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Benton Funeral Home in Fordyce. Funeral Services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday at the Benton Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at White Oak Cemetery. Arrangements are by Benton Funeral Home of Fordyce. To sign the online register visit www.bentonfuneralhome.net.