of Center Ridge, AR

August 20, 1939 - February 2, 2021

James Arthur Koonce, 81, of Center Ridge, Arkansas, passed from this life on February 2, 2021. He was born in Golden, Colorado, on August 20, 1939, to James and Mary (Wade) Koonce. They moved to Kansas and ended up in Arkansas where, James married Tennie Edna Allen and moved to Oklahoma.

He is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.

James enlisted in the United States Army. After his enlistment from the Army he returned to Arkansas and met his wife, they moved to Oklahoma where he entered his life-long profession of firefighting and emergency responding where he reached the rank of Captain in the Tulsa Fire Department. Upon retirement he and Tennie returned to Arkansas to be near family. They settled in the town of Choctaw, Arkansas. He became very active with volunteer the fire department and assisted with training. James started a new career in heating and air and appliance repair. Many years later they moved to Center Ridge, Arkansas and became active member of the First Baptist Church of Center Ridge, assisting with building, maintenance and maintaining the lawn and premises.

Those celebrating his memory are his wife of the home, Tennie Edna Koonce; his daughter, Judy Carson of Austin, Arkansas; his son, James ''Pete'' Koonce of Moyock, North Carolina ; his stepdaughters, Lisa Linville of Clinton, Arkansas and Teresa Ward of Guy, Arkansas; many grand and great-grandchildren; his brothers, Allen Koonce of Garfield, Arkansas and Clifford Koonce of Kingsland, Georgia; his sister, Mary Lee Waldo of Haines City, Florida; along with a host of other family and friends.

A visitation for Jim will be from 1:00 pm - 2:00pm, Saturday, February 6, 2021 and a funeral service will follow at 2:00 pm, both at Roller McNutt Funeral Home Chapel in Clinton, Arkansas. Interment will be at Plant Cemetery following the service.

We are complying with the Arkansas Department of Health guidelines and limiting indoor funeral and visitation attendance to 66 percent of facility capacity at one time. All attendees must provide and wear their own masks before entering.

To express online condolences please visit www.rollerfunerlahomes.com/clinton

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-McNutt Funeral Home
Highway 65 South
Clinton, AR  72031
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com