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Submitted: 9/2/22 • Approved: 9/3/22 • Last Updated: 9/6/22 • R1446255-G1446253-S3
Bill Lusk
March 9, 1929 - November 16, 2020
Jo Jo O'Bryant Lusk
August 23, 1931 - November 12, 2020
*Obituary
smithfamilycares.com
Billy "Bill" Ray Lusk, age 91, went home to be with the Lord on Monday November 16, 2020. Bill was born in Hazen, Ark., in 1929, to Grace and James Ray Lusk. After High School, Bill and his brother, James, joined the Arkansas Air National Guard during the Korean War. Both he and his brother were deployed to Washington State, and Oregon, where they served in a radar group division.
After the military, Bill and his wife moved back to Little Rock and he opened Lusk Mobil Service Station and Sportman's Headquarters Sporting Goods store. The Mobil Station was the only four-bay gas station in Little Rock at the time and was located along Cantrell Road on the western edge of town; Sportman's Headquarters was next door. Through his 25 years of operations he made a lot of friends and developed a loyal following of customers. Bill had a real entrepreneurial spirit and he would go on to be involved in numerous businesses. In the early seventies, he started Razorback Insulation Company and his trucks proudly displayed the Razorback mascot on the side long before colleges started requiring that you be granted a license to do so. Bill was also in the home building business, partnering with L.A. Stanfill (Lusk-Stanfill Construction) and later with Johnny Price (Lusk-Price Construction). He partnered with Milton Goodwin in two Redi-Go Drive-ins known for their Steak Sandwich and great food. Bill was also half owner of Cantrell Garage also located on Cantrell Road. Bill loved to buy and sell land and he also built and operated several retail centers in Little Rock and Maumelle.
When Bill reached the age of 50, he sold his Mobil station and began a new lifestyle doing what he ended up loving so much, which was spending time on his farm and wood carving. In 1984, Bill met professional carver R.D. Wilson who would become his carving mentor. Learning from R.D., and honing his carving skills, Bill would go on to become an accomplished wood carver winning numerous awards. He donated many of his carved ducks to Ducks Unlimited and that is where he met Rollie Remmel, aka "Papa Duck". Bill and Rollie hit it off from the beginning and they collaborated to produce the "Rollie Stick". Rollie would find interesting sticks and then Bill would carve, paint, and add duck heads to the top. Rollie would either auction, or present as gifts of honor, these Rollie sticks to people from all over the country. Bill's younger son, who is now a retired airline pilot, once stopped a man in the Memphis International Airport and asked him where he got the Rollie stick that he was holding. The gentleman replied that it was presented to him at a DU event the night before in Little Rock and he was traveling back home to Canada. Turned out that man was the Chairman of Ducks Unlimited of Canada. Bill and Rollie presented sticks to Presidents Clinton and Bush, Vice President Cheney as well as several Governors from various states. Bill once carved a Quail at the request of Rollie and Rollie then told Bill that he was going to present it to "Mr. Quail" and that he wanted Bill to be present. Bill balked at coming to the event as he usually did preferring to take a back seat role, but Rollie insisted on his attendance. Mr. Quail turned out to be Vice President Dan Quayle.
Bill spent his summers on his farm and the winters in his shop turning out ducks and birds always saving his award-winning pieces for family members. Bill was part country boy, part city boy and was a man's man who had many friends whom he loved. He was as honest as the day is long and he loved and took great pride in his family, especially his two sons.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 71 years JoJo Lusk. Bill is survived by his sons, Ray Lusk and Dan Lusk (Martha); and four grandchildren, Barton Ray Lusk (Leigh), William Walker Lusk, William Pierce Lusk, and Daniel Whittington Lusk. He also is survived by four great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends for a visitation, 2–4 p.m., Monday, November 23, 2020, at Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Court, Little Rock, Ark.
*Obituary
smithfamilycares.com
Jo “JoJo” O’Bryant Lusk, age 89, passed into her eternal rest in Heaven to be with the Lord on Thursday, November 12, 2020. JoJo was born in 1931 to the late Grace and Garland O’Bryant. JoJo graduated from Little Rock High and was married the same year. Early on JoJo was a homemaker, mother, and business partner with her husband Bill. She always ran the office side of the numerous businesses that they were involved in and she was quick to tell you in a humorous way that she was the president of the company.
She loved playing tennis in her younger years with a group of ladies, some of whom became life-long friends. She and her husband Bill also shared a special bond with their “Jasper in June” group of friends making the annual pilgrimage to their private campground on the Buffalo River. After the government forced the sale of the property to form the Buffalo National Park, the group moved to the Big Piney River before later settling at Lake Ouachita. In the early 70’s, JoJo and her husband traveled to Spain courtesy of Owens Corning Insulation due to their volume of sales through Razorback Insulation, a company that they owned. They flew Pan American Airways over and enjoyed a wonderful week in Spain touring the country. After that trip to Spain, JoJo was bitten by the bug to travel, and that she did for the better part of her life. She turned her travel hobby into a side career, becoming a travel agent for 25 years and traveling around the world. Whether it was China or Switzerland, or places in between, she loved to see the world. Family trips were special to her as well.
JoJo was preceded in death by her parents and was survived by her husband of 71 years, Bill Lusk; two sons, Ray Lusk, and Danny Lusk (Martha); and four grand-children, Bart Lusk (Leigh), Walker Lusk, Will Lusk, and Whit Lusk. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 2pm – 4pm, Monday November 23, 2020 at Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Court, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Arrangements by Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. JoJo's online guestbook may be signed at www.smithfamilycares.com.
Section 6
Contributed on 9/2/22 by ashaw444
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Record #: 1446255
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