Arlen Crass

Arlen Marten Crass, 95, of Pine Bluff, died Friday peacefully at home, Dec. 22, 2017. He was born March 29, 1922, in Monticello, son of Earl and Wessie Sanderlin Crass. Arlen was raised in Monticello and received his early education there, graduating from Monticello High School in 1941. He was a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. During World War II from1942-1945, he served in the Army Air Corps as a member of the 872nd Air Engineering Squadron. He was in Great Britain supporting the Allied invasion of Europe. After college, he married Doris Mae Robinson and they adopted twin boys in 1959. Arlen worked for the Army Corp of Engineers, until his retirement in 1984. He took great pride in his work on the Arkansas River Navigation System, especially the parks. Doris died in 1964 and Arlen remarried Melba Rodgers McCombs in 1967. He always said he was blessed to have had two loving wives. A man of strong Christian faith, Arlen was an active member of Forrest Park Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon. Arlen was a man of many and varied interests and hobbies, including deer hunting, fishing, wood carving, gun work, gardening, growing orchids, bird raising and watching. He was a strong family man, raising and supporting his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons as "Grandy." Arlen was preceded in death by his wives, Doris and Melba; sons, Keith Crass and Henry McCombs, daughter-in-law Beth Gaddy McCombs; brothers, Arthur Crass and Denton Harris and sisters, Nettie Judkins and Vanrue Hurst. Survivors include his son, Kevin Crass and his wife, Cathy, of Little Rock; four grandsons, Will Crass of Little Rock, Ted Crass of Abilene, Texas, William McCombs and his wife Jamie of White Hall, Michael McCombs of Pine Bluff and two great-grandsons, Jack and Andrew McCombs. The family would like to give special thanks to Grandy's loving caregivers over the past few years: Corey Murry, Sheila Johnson, Tara Thrower, Brenda Gaddy, Tarlise Amos, Anthony Banister and Demetrius Tripp. A private Funeral Service will be under the direction of Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Directors in Pine Bluff. If you wish to make a memorial gift the family suggests the Arlen M. Crass Scholarship Fund at UA Little Rock Athletic Department, 2801 South University Ave., Little Rock, Ark., 72204. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.