Neil F. Wolfe

Chaplain Major Neil F. Wolfe, 87, United States Air Force, Retired, left this world to be with our Lord, Saturday, December 19, 2015. He was born February 18, 1928 in Kimmell, Ind., to Ray and Elvirta (Buckles) Wolfe. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton, Ark.. He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Nora Wolfe and Wilma (Wolfe) Easterday; brothers, Max , Jack and Tom Wolfe. He is survived by his wife Venita (Sue ) Bates Wolfe of Clinton, Ark..; two sons, Kyle (Debbie) Wolfe of Formosa, Ark.. and Ken (Joyce) Wolfe of Jacksonville, Ark.; one grandson, Andrew (Hilary) Wolfe of DeRidder, La.; and lots of family and friends. In early life, Neil graduated from Wolfe Lake High School in Indiana. He worked on his family farm in the summer and entered Fort Wayne Bible Institute in 1946 graduating in 1949. He drove a Gospel Team vehicle for a year taking musical groups on the weekends to churches in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois, and he would do some preaching. He was pastor at West Etna Community Church in Indiana for a year. Neil attended Huntington College from 1949-1951 graduating with a B.A. In 1951, he went to Dallas, Texas to attend Seminary. Neil met Sue in 1952, they married in 1953. In 1955, Neil graduated with a Masters in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and entered the United States Air Force as a Chaplain for the next 20 years. He was stationed at Lakeland Air Force Base in San Antonio for over 3 years where his two sons, Kyle and Kenneth, were born. Neil went to Alaska for a year traveling remote early warning stations including 16 sites in the Aleutian Island chain in Southern Alaska. In 1961, he was at Graham Air Force Base in Marianna, Fla., at a pilot training base. He attended Squadron Officer's School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., and then onto Air Force Bases in Oklahoma and Texas. In 1964, he and Sue and the boys were transferred to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. In Hawaii, they had regular Sunday services and Neil always said the highlights were the Easter Sunrise Services each year at the beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean with the breaking sun coming up. In 1969, Sue received her B.A. from Wichita State University while stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, while Neil did a tour of duty at Phu Cat Air Force Base in Vietnam. When he returned to the United States, they were stationed at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kan., where he continued their ministry for the Lord and Sue got her Master's at Washburn University. They were transferred to Little Rock Air Force Base, Jacksonville, Ark. until Neil's retirement from the United States Air Force in 1975. Neil and Sue purchased a farm in Clinton, Ark., in 1973 and moved there in 1975 in anticipation of retirement. They became involved in dairy farming for the next 20 years. In 1994 they moved to their home on Greers Ferry Lake, where Sue retired from the Clinton Public School System after a teaching career of 22 years. Neil continued to develop land and raise beef cattle consisting of Angus and Maine Anjou crossbred cattle. Neil always said they had an interesting journey through life and the Lord guided and enriched their lives so many times. Upon his failing health, he remained faithful to God. Neil will be missed by many and his absence will leave emptiness in the hearts of all who knew him. Pallbearers: Andrew Wolfe, Lew Wolfe, Jacob Barnard, Paul Rhoda, Phillip Jones and Jason Gates. Honorary Pallbearers: Doyne Ward's Sunday School Class. A celebration of his life will be held Tuesday night, December 22, 2015 from 6-8 p.m. at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel in Clinton, Ark. Funeral Services will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at First Baptist Church in Clinton with Pastor Faron Rogers officiating. Interment will be private at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock, Ark.. The family would like to thank the nurses and health care teams at Ozark Medical Center, Ozark Home Health, Ozark Nursing Center and Hospice Home Care a very special thank you to Heather and Jason. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Neil's name to First Baptist Church in Clinton, Ark., or a charity of your choice. Funeral Arrangements are under the care of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Clinton, Ark.kansas. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/clinton.