Luther Carter Baccus Jr.

Luther Carter Baccus Jr, "Butch" Baccus, passed from this life Monday, May 29th in Fayetteville after a short illness. He was 63. Butch was born in Ft. Worth, TX on October 28, 1959, to Luther Carter Baccus, Sr. and Audean Goin Baccus.

Butch is survived by children Jonathan Baccus, Stephen Baccus (Whitney), Andrew Baccus, Austin Baccus (Emily), Alyssa Birchard (Jason), and grandchildren Rowan, Hazel, Henry, Graham, Eleanor, Otto, Wray, Arthur, and Heidi. He is also survived by sisters Becky Baxman of Denver, CO and Beth Baccus of West Fork, AR. He had lifelong friends in John A. Ray, Janice Bennett Hughes, and Ron Ellenbarger, and shared good times with many others who treasure his memory and mourn his passing.

Butch was a 1978 graduate of West Fork High School. He served a 6-year stint in the Arkansas Air National Guard 188th Tactical Fighter Group in Ft. Smith, AR as a security specialist in the Military Police, rising to Staff Sergeant. He studied Electronics at Westark Community College, then began his career with AT&T Network Systems in Oklahoma City. He returned to northwest Arkansas as a project engineer with Baldwin Special Products in Fayetteville, leading projects for Siemens and Allied Signal, before becoming Production Manager. He later moved to LaBarge Electronics leading projects for Raytheon Missile Systems, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics Land Systems. His career shifted directions when he moved to Multi-Craft Contractors as a Project Superintendent, pivoting to apply his problem solving and project management skills to commercial construction. Later, he struck out on his own with Baccus Contractor Services. Alongside his many accomplishments, he was especially proud of building a home with his family, something he had always dreamed of doing.

Those who knew him best and longest will always remember Butch's contagious laughter, fun sense of humor, strong work ethic, and incredible creativity. Family holidays found him hiding eggs at Easter, up for baseball and fireworks on July 4th, on KP duty with his brothers-in-law at Thanksgiving, and the chef du jour for breakfast on Christmas. He had vision and a special talent for designing, building, and fixing anything, from electronics to cars to construction projects. If he didn't know how to do something, he would figure it out.

Butch's love of the outdoors kicked in at an early age and accelerated with Scouting. His longtime friends remember great times camping, 4-wheeling, hiking, and rappelling. Later he taught his children the finer points of time well spent in the woods, with delicious meals cooked by dad over a campfire, fun stories, and many Jeep adventures.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 1st at 9am at Woolsey Cemetery, near his childhood home. Friends and family are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests a contribution to benefit Buffalo National River Partners.