It doesn’t matter if it was fixing something with his hands, bragging on his love’s home cooking, or fishing with friends and his grandson, there was one thing everyone could count on from Clifton Holcomb: Kindness.
His thoughtfulness is missed today.
Clifton Wade Holcomb, 59, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 2, after a short fight against cancer. A native of Farmington, Arkansas, Clifton passed away at home.
Friends have numerous stories of him fishing for crappie or bass and usually catching something with a smile and laughter, even it sometimes was an underwater rock. Some of his greatest joys were when he could take his only grandson, Atticus, fishing and sharing quiet moments on a boat on a lake in Arkansas or Louisiana, a secret creek off Beaver Lake, that pond in Franklin County, or even the Gulf of Mexico. As director of maintenance for the Northwest Arkansas Work Release Center with the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Clifton knew how to fix just about anything that wasn’t working just right. He was the first maintenance director for Katherine’s Place in Fayetteville before moving to work for the state. Clifton was director for nearly a decade at the center, where his colleagues said even the inmates offered condolences because they respected how fair and kind he was. Clifton earned numerous professional certificates and awards and will be honored posthumously as employee of the year in October for the center.
But his passion for fixing things and helping others wasn’t limited to work. If a friend or family member needed a hand with anything, Clifton was there, tinkering with a cranky dishwasher or lawnmower. A faded sign in his work shed spelled out his Mr. Fix-It mentality: “If I can’t fix it, it’s not broken.” That quick wit plus his warm laughter and welcoming smile made everyone feel at home, where he could sip some Red Diamond sweet tea and enjoy an evening by the pool with his love, Sandra, and his daughter, Kayla.
Clifton was preceded in death by his parents, Hershel Ralph Holcomb and Fayrene Virginia Holcomb of Farmington, and one brother Roger Dale Holcomb from Farmington.
He is survived by his partner and love, Sandra Stratton of Farmington; his daughter Kayla Holcomb of Springdale; and three sons, Dalton Holcomb, Hayden Holcomb and Justin Holcomb. He also is survived by one brother, Hershel Clayton Holcomb of Fayetteville. He had one grandchild, Atticus Brannon, of Rogers. He had one niece and nephew, Heather Cooper of Farmington and Heath Holcomb.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Clifton Holcomb’s name may be made to St. Jude's Childrens Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/ or the american kidney fund https://www.kidneyfund.org/ would be appreciated.