Joseph Pierre Presley

JOSEPH PIERRE PRESLEY, 79, of Sherwood, Ark., died early Sunday, February 19th at Hospice Home Care in Little Rock. Joe was born March 6, 1943, in Mena, Ark., to Joseph Arthur and Laura Hazel (Buskirk) Presley. He got his middle name from Dr. Pierre Redman, who delivered him, and was known as "Pierre" in high school and junior college. He graduated from Mena High School in 1961 and attended Eastern Oklahoma A&M for two years before transferring to Henderson State Teachers College, where he started going by "Joe". Joe played high school football, junior college baseball and worked at the student newspaper and yearbook. During summer school 1966, he met Ann Maurice Hutton while completing requirements for his bachelor's in physical education. They played tennis almost every day. They fell in love, but Joe had a job teaching and coaching baseball lined up in Green Cove Springs, Fla. After graduating in the summer of 1966, Joe went to Florida while Ann stayed to finish her degree. They got engaged at Christmas and married on June 24, 1967, in Little Rock. They lived in North Little Rock before moving to Sherwood. Joe and Ann started their education careers at Sylvan Hills Junior High in Sherwood in 1967. Joe taught health, physical education and coached at SHJH for several years before becoming vice principal in 1982. He earned a masters in administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 1984. He was also vice principal at Oak Grove Junior-Senior High School and North Pulaski High School. He retired in 1997 after 30 years in education. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife; his son Pierce, daughter-in-law Kelly and grandchildren Quincy and Kane; and his daughter Katie. A memorial service will be held at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home, 7724 Landers Rd, North Little Rock on Friday, February 24, 2023, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Paws & Claws Rescue, PO Box 20254, Hot Springs, Ark., 71903; Audubon Society or The Humane Society of Pulaski County, 14600 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, Ark., 72210 www.griffinleggettresthills.com.