Leon Crutchfield

Arnold Leon Crutchfield, 80, died September 11, 2022 at the Baptist Hospital in Little Rock. He was born January 31, 1942, in Cornerville, Arkansas, to Lester and Elva Crutchfield.  After graduating from Star City High School, he worked many jobs, including Sunbeam Bread Company, Byrd’s Manufacturing, National Wire, and Pine Bluff Ironworks.

Bro. Leon often spoke of growing up very poor in worldly possessions, but rich in the teaching of family values. On December 11, 1964, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Betty Carolyn Webb. They were blessed with two sons, Wade and Charles and in time their wives and four grandchildren were added to the family. He and Carolyn celebrated 52 years of marriage before her death in 2017.

He surrendered to the ministry in August of 1971 and was ordained as a minister in 1972 at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church of Rison. He attended the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock for four years, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible Language. His first position as pastor began at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Monticello. Through the years, he served churches in Arkansas, including Crossett, Clarendon, Pine Bluff and Poyen and then in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He returned to Arkansas in 1995 and pastored the Brinkley Missionary Baptist Church for 27 years before retiring in May of 2022. Having pastored for over 50 years, Bro. Leon touched countless lives and always gave the Truth of scriptures to the church families and others he met along the way.

He was preceded in death by his: parents, wife, and three siblings, Dale Crutchfield, Charlene Jordan and Varnice Jackson.

Bro. Leon is survived by two sons, Wade (Pam) Crutchfield and Charles (Donna) Crutchfield; two sisters, Carolyn Hughes and Linda (Randall) Green; four grandchildren, Amanda (Ian) Hall, Erin (Chris) Arreola, Katelyn Rando, and Samuel Crutchfield; a great-grandson, Trent Hall; and many extended family members.

Funeral services were held September 14, 2022, in Sheridan with burial in Cornerville Cemetery by Robinson and Fuller White Hall Funeral Chapel.