Royce Pendergrass

Royce Pendergrass, 75, of Cave City passed away on Monday, March 6, 2017 at the White River Medical Center in Batesville. He was born on September 13, 1941 at Gepp, Arkansas to Roscoe and Lorene (Pease) Pendergrass. He graduated from Viola High School in May of 1958. He completed degree requirements as a Vocational Agriculture teacher at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and began teaching at Marianna in 1963. In 1973, he completed requirements for the Master of Education Degree at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He served as Director of Instruction at Red River Vocational-Technical School in Hope and later as Industrial Coordinator. He was president of the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce and was honored as the 1975 Citizen of the Year. In 1964, he began preaching in Marianna and served various congregations around the state until 2016 when he retired from Central Avenue Church of Christ in Batesville. He worked at LaCroix Optical for 15 years and was a member of the Batesville LEPC. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Alice Pendergrass of the home; daughter LeAnn Hernandez of Searcy; son, Roger Pendergrass of Fulton, 2 granddaughters; 2 grandsons; 4 great-granddaughters; and a host of other relatives and friends. Graveside services will be Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Young Cemetery located near Charlotte with Troy Henley officiating. Arrangements by Qualls Funeral Home of Cave City. No visitation is planned.