Vance "Sonny" Cupp, Jr.

Vance (Sonny) Cupp Jr. passed away peacefully into his eternal home early November 26, 2020, on Thanksgiving Day.

Vance Cupp Jr. is survived by his daughter, Jannie and husband Johnny Ray Distretti of Walcott; son, Vance Cupp III and wife Nancy Carlson Cupp of Paragould; grandchildren Ashley Elyse and her husband Ryan Boozer, Casey Elizabeth and her husband Nathan Davis, Madeline Grace Cupp, Quentin David Cupp; great-grandchildren, Jaren Ray Wooley and Elsa Marie Boozer; sisters-in-law, Ola Mae and Presley Orsburn of San Antonio, Texas and Wanda Ruth and Max Long of Pocahontas; in-laws, Ikey Jane Distretti and husband Gordon of New Smyrna Beach, Florida; and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews from all over. He is also survived by several special friends: Gary and Connie Grimes of Light, and Sue and Don Huffman of Walcott, and so many others who have been so important in his life.

We are also thankful for the sweet ladies who helped to care for him in these last months and the health professionals who attended to him (Ashley, Christy, Jordan, Kristen, Misty and Angie).

Vance Cupp Jr. was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Maxine Stone; his parents, Vance Cupp Sr. and Laura Mae Newberry Cupp; sisters, Claribel White and Evangeline Cothren and her husband, J.C. Cothren; brothers, Mayo, who died an infant, Claridy (Pete) Cupp and his wife Esther Williams and James Michael Cupp and his wife Mary Lou Pratt; his in-laws, Joe and Lucy Stone; brother-in-law, Cereal and Veona Stone; sisters-in-law, Marie and James Ivy, Rhema and Silas Eskridge, Lucy and Percy Ellis and Caroline and Bill Ellis; many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins; his children's in-laws, Ray and Florence Distretti and Bud and Josephine Carlson; and special family, Ethel and Bob Noles.

There were also many loved and treasured friends in the community that we are thankful Dad had a close relationship with.

Vance Carl Cupp, Jr., was born December 11, 1926, to Vance and Laura Newberry Cupp, in Light, Arkansas. He was the third of six children of four boys and two girls.

He grew up taking care of himself and working at all kinds of jobs, even as a young boy. He had a paper route, picked up glass soda bottles on the roadside, and bought and sold animal pelts from local hunters.

He went to school at Light, where he graduated in a class of eight and was the only boy! While he was in school, he also drove a bus route at the age of sixteen, and whether or not he had a driver's license at that time is still a mystery.

After high school, he left for the University of Arkansas to major in mechanical engineering, and over the years, he sometimes mentioned 'flying' home in his new convertible for weekends, but then he would deny it if you questioned him.

During his third year of college, his parents had a major car wreck, so he had to return to Light to run the family business. The gin had also experienced a catastrophic fire, so things had to start from the ground up so to speak. This then is where he would work for the rest of his life.

His job was interrupted by a world war, and in the only display of emotion we ever heard him talk about from his own dad, Vance Sr., wrote letters to get him into the merchant marines rather than combat. His dad took him to New York City on a train to Sheepshead Bay, and from there, he signed up to haul trains across the Atlantic Ocean to Russia.

He talked a lot about how rough the seas were and how the locomotives would get loose on the deck. He was in the engine room keeping the motors running, and this is where he was when another ship ran into them. Water was coming into the engine room quickly, and he said he flew up the ladder before anyone else to get to the top deck. They were shipwrecked in Mermansk, Russia for several months waiting to get their ship repaired. Apparently, he obtained a cigarette habit there that Maxine had to break years later when their daughter was born.

Vance and Maxine met on a blind date at a church revival in Light and were married on December 11, 1948 at the courthouse in Pocahontas. They began a working relationship in the family business that lasted until she couldn't work any longer.

She loved getting in that infamous bobtruck after a day of work and hauling cottonseed with him to Newport. They also loved going to football bowl games with the family and even to Norfork Lake.

In 1954, while still in the army at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri, they had their first child, and eight years later, the second. There were family trips to the lake, St. Louis, and Branson, but mostly there was work. When Maxine couldn't work anymore, it took a toll on both of them; however, God provided blessing in the form of Ethel and Bob Noles and Connie and Gary Grimes, and these precious friends enabled life to go on in a "new" normal.

During his life, he saw his children marry and his four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren born. He quizzed about school, jumped on trampolines, petted dogs and cats and gave out candy and half dollars.

He attended the same church his entire life serving as a deacon for over sixty years and teaching a young couples Sunday school class. He would also grab a songbook and lead singing if someone else didn't fill in. He was faithful to attend all kinds of events the church sponsored from Sunday lunches to Trunk or Treat and Easter Egg drops. He rarely missed church or work in his more than ninety years.

There will be a parking lot service, Saturday, November 28, 2020 beginning at 10:00 am at Light Baptist Church with Tommy Stacy officiating. There will be a drive by porch visitation as people leave. Burial will be private.

To leave a lasting memorial, please consider Light Baptist Church (c/o David Pratt 16769 Hwy 412 West, Walnut Ridge, AR, 72476).