Keith Stokes remembered as avid supporter of agriculture, for his willingness to serve others

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

DARDANELLE, Ark. — The first things you noticed about Keith Stokes were the kind eyes and smile that always shone below the broad brim of his cowboy hat.

And it was hard not to notice. Stokes seemed to be everywhere in Arkansas. He was at field days, groundbreakings and meetings of all sorts — any event where agriculture mattered. Stokes — a farmer, Razorback-mascot-keeper, and aide to Sen. Tom Cotton — passed away on Aug. 18. He was 59.

Keith Stokes, left, leaves a legacy of service to agriculture in Arkansas. Among the jobs closest to his heart was as the caretaker of the Razorback mascot, Tusk. Here, he stands with Kelly Robbins of Arkansas. Rice. The two were attending an event at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station headquarters in Fayetteville. Taken April 10, 2023. (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo by Mary Hightower)

“With Keith, the thing that stuck with you was his willingness to serve any time you needed him,” said Deacue Fields, head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “He was definitely someone you could depend on and he’d always follow through. And he was always willing to help and support the Division of Agriculture.”

Chuck Culver, director of external relations for the Division of Agriculture, remembered Stokes as a strong advocate not only for the agriculture industry, but also for its people.

“Keith made everyone feel like they were his best friend. He epitomized public service. And he especially loved being an ambassador for agriculture and the Razorbacks,” Culver said.

Cotton said that “our state, its farmers ranchers and foresters, and our Senate office had no better friend and champion than Keith Stokes.”

Sen. John Boozman said, “Cathy and I are heartbroken at the loss of Keith Stokes – Mr. Razorback, as I liked to call him. Humility, passion for agriculture, and dedication to serving U of A as the caretaker of Tusk all defined Keith's life and work, a true Arkansan. Our prayers are with all his loved ones.”

Services for Stokes were held Tuesday at the Dardanelle Community Center.

Read about how Stokes became the Tusk caretaker.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.