Joe Douglas Vanstory, 78, died on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at the Chicot Memorial Hospital in Lake Village, following a lengthy illness.

Joe Doug was born January 10, 1931 in Chicot County on the farm known as the Gibbs Place, he was the son of Joe and Ellen Boyd Vanstory who preceded him in death along with a brother, Sam Vanstory and his wife,  Shirley Vanstory Minor,  the mother of their three daughters.

Joe Doug graduated from Eudora High School where he was the STAR quarterback of the Eudora Badgers.  He was awarded a full sports scholarship to Mississippi State, but after a very short time, he and his roommate thumbed a ride back home and he began raising cotton for Old Man Joe.  He married Shirley Patton on January 24, 1954.  He was a member of Bayou Mason Baptist Church near Lake Village.

Joe Doug is survived by three daughters, Theresa Broach (Jim), Sherrie Moreau (Kim), both of Lake Village, and Mary Evelyn Vanstory of

Cheyenne, WO.  Six grandchildren, Jodie Hightower, Sarah Holt, Shelly Draper, Leslie Broach and Chad Moreau.  Six great-grandchildren, Marisa and Brody Edwards, Garvin and Gage Draper, and Chandler and Colbi Holt.

Three sisters, Vernice Reed of Lake Village, Tiny Vail of Eudora and Linda Hill of Greenville, MS.

Joe Doug was best known for having the biggest garden on Cherry Street in Eudora and for his love and support for the AR Razorbacks.  Everyone will surely miss his tomatoes and greens and all the jokes he played on folks and the stories he loved to tell.

A very special thanks to Dr. Jack Burge and to all the staff of Chicot Memorial Hospital.  May God bless each and everyone of you.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Chicot Memorial Hospital in Lake Village.  Visitation will be held at Bishop Funeral Home in Lake Village, on Thursday, December 31, 2009,  

from 6:00 - 7:00 P. M.  Graveside Services will be held at Bayou Mason Cemetery on Airport Road, near Lake Village, on Friday, January 1, 2010 at 2:00 P. M. with Bro. Brett Lee officiating.  Pallbearers are his Son-in-Laws, Jim Broach, Kim Moreau and Eddie Reed and his best friends, Joe and Frank Serio and his old gardening bubby, Ed Pardon. 

Arrangements are by Bishop Funeral Home of Lake Village.