Donnell Ray Buford, 94, of Ola, was a proud Navy veteran, attaining the rank of Chief Boatswain's Mate. After 20 years in the Navy, including the Korean Conflict and a tour in Vietnam, he served 10 years in the Fleet Reserve. He would tell anyone he met that he was still in the Navy because they still sent him a check and he had an id card. If they called him up, he was prepared to go. Don attended Ola Public Schools before he quit to join his four older brothers in the military. After retirement, he used his GI Bill to earn a Diesel Mechanics Certificate at Vo-Tech in Morrilton. His dream was to own land and live in Yell County and that became reality when he moved his family home to the Ola area in 1976. He worked at Deltic Timber for ten years before leaving the workforce. In early retirement, he enjoyed going to deer camp, following the stock market, reading the Wall Street Journal, running cattle, and playing pinochle with Charles and Nancy Sloan. Don helped his mother, Mima Jane Buford, with Mima's Motel. In his later years, he enjoyed Bingo at Casa, music at Highway 7T on Tuesday nights with the Back Porch Band, church at Jesus Name in Plainview, any sport on tv, and riding the roads and looking for deer.

Don was proud of his family. He married Beth Ann Eden and moved with her to California where they had a son and daughter, then on to Hawaii where their last child, a son, was born. They lived in South Carolina, Trinidad, Florida, Tennessee and finally Arkansas. While she often ran the household, he sailed on the USS Columbus, the USS Valley Forge, the USS Northampton, and his favorite, the USS Oriskany. Pap Beto loved to share how many grandchildren he had and mourned for those young men he served with who never had a chance to have children.

His advice to one and all was to exercise at least 30 minutes a day and drink milk. His regimen served him well as he lived a long and healthy, happy life.

Donnell Ray Buford was born in Gravelly, Arkansas, on June 17, 1931, to William and Mima Jane Turner Buford. He was the youngest of five boys. He enjoyed walking from Wing where his grandmother Effie Turner lived to Briggsville where his grandmother Rebecca Buford lived. Occasionally his uncle, the blacksmith, had the honor of babysitting him.

He left this life on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Beth Buford, his son Mark William Buford, his son-in-law Jackie King, his brothers, Bill (Dorothy) Buford, John Tolbert Buford, Robert (Virgie) Buford, and Jimmy Buford, his nephews, John Miles Buford and David Plant, his in-laws, Elmer and Ida Eden, his brothers-in-law, M.J. Plant and R.L. Eden, and his special friends, Charles and Nancy Sloan. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Ray and Mandy Buford, his daughter Donna King, his sister-in-law Shirley Jo Plant, his grandchildren, Jackie and Alan Johnston, Kyle and Erica King, Laura and Chris Wiles, Charley and Madison Buford, Cheyenne and Gary Morrison, Jr., and Dakota Buford, his great-grandchildren, Anna, Jack, Kase, Parker, Paxton, Lucas, Nora, Paisley, Harper, Bonnie, Claire, Sawyer and Dovie, his niece and part-time chauffeur, Pam Carter, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Friday, June 20, 2025, 1:00P.M. to 2:00P.M., at Cornwell Funeral Chapel in Dardanelle.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00P.M., Friday, at Cornwell Funeral Chapel in Dardanelle. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Kyle King, Charley Buford, Dakota Buford, Alan Johnston, Jack Johnston, Gary Morrison, Jr., and Chris Wiles.

Arrangements by Cornwell Funeral Home in Dardanelle. Online Guest Book and Condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com