Bernard Andrew Baltz was born January 4, 1930, in Pocahontas, Arkansas, to Ambrose Joseph Baltz (1897-1993) and Anna Matczak Baltz (1895-1980). He was the third child and grew up in their house on Convent Street with his siblings Ambrose (Junior), Rosemary, Dolores, Jane, Paul (Bub) and Pauline (Cissy).

Bernard attended St. Paul Catholic School for 12 years. He was frequently called upon to be altar server for special services in addition to Sunday Mass. During his high school years, Fr. Thomas Kennedy introduced him to classical music, instilling a lifelong appreciation. Listening to a record during Sunday breakfast became a tradition. He met his future wife, Margaret Steimel, when she joined his class in the ninth grade.

Bernard attended St. Louis University, graduating in 1950 after three years with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He returned home on school breaks by hitchhiking south on Old Highway 67.

He entered the Army in March 1951 and trained on an artillery team at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. He took various aptitude tests in Basic Training and passed them all but was not selected for them as it was hoped he would choose Officers’ Training School. However, he declined because he did not want to serve more than two years. When the ship taking him to the Korean War was docked in Tokyo, Japan, he was selected for a message center position due to his having a business degree. He was stationed in the Far East Headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. He never saw action in Korea. He was honorably discharged as a Private First Class in March 1953.

Upon Bernard’s return to Pocahontas, he proposed to Margaret and began work at the Black Rock Sand and Gravel Company. They were married by Fr. Edward Hinckley at St. Paul Church in Pocahontas on October 3, 1953.

Bernard and Margaret were blessed with eight children: Jo Anna (1954), Bernie (1955), Greg (1957), Thomas (1958), Kristie (1959), Laurie (1961), Monica (1964) and Alex (1975). All graduated from St. Paul Catholic School and then the University of Arkansas.

In 1959 Bernard bought his Uncle Antone’s large house and acreage in Pocahontas and began working at Baltz Equipment Company. In 1964 Bernard became a full-time farmer owning 60 acres and renting 190 acres. He also raised livestock. In 1971 the family moved into a beautiful new four-bedroom, three-bathroom home which he and Margaret had designed and helped build. He had expanded his acreage to 1,800 acres of rice, corn, soybeans, milo, and timberland by 1990 when he turned the farm operations over to Greg and returned to work at Baltz Equipment Company. He retired from there in 2002. Bernard held many leadership roles in the Church, school, and community. He was a Fourth-Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and served on the School Board, Parish Council, and Finance Committee as well as serving as a Eucharistic Minister and participated in Eucharistic Adoration. He was President of the Randolph County Farm Bureau and served on its Board of Directors. He was a Boy Scout Leader, Master Gardener and a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary. Along with his father and siblings he developed Lakeview in Pocahontas.

The Bernard Baltz, Sr. family was named Randolph County Farm Family of the Year in 1985 in recognition of an outstanding job in farming, community leadership and homemaking. Bernard and Margaret were named Arkansas State Parents of the Year in 2000 in recognition of an exceptional example of sacrifice for their families, service to others, qualities of moral virtues and religious commitment. Bernard was quite proud of his children and 17 grandchildren. He attended their high school and college graduations and danced at their weddings. They all loved him, and the house was full of children each year at Christmas. He had 24 great-grandchildren.

Bernard was a hard-working but fun-loving man. He enjoyed traveling and took his family on many road trips. He visited nearly every state, many National Parks and also Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Israel, Greece, and South America. He loved playing cards, especially Solo, and Mexican Train Dominoes. He was an excellent hunter. He was quiet and deliberate and kept up with current events until the end of his life. He was knowledgeable about all aspects of farming, as well as machinery, technology, construction, politics, and theology.

Bernard Andrew Baltz, Sr. entered his eternal home on January 26, 2023. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Margaret Steimel Baltz, his seven children, Jo Anna Brown of Dunwoody, GA, Bernard (Eva) Baltz, Jr, of Fayetteville, AR, Greg (Mary Nell) Baltz of Pocahontas, Thomas (Christine) Baltz of Pocahontas, Kristie (John) Coats of Fort Smith, AR, Laurie (John) Eckart of El Dorado, AR, and Alex (Tiffany) Baltz of Pocahontas, plus one sister, Pauline (Desmond) Marsh of Springfield, MO, 17 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his daughter, Monica, his brothers, Ambrose Baltz, Jr, and Paul Baltz, and his sisters, Rosemary Baltz, Dolores Baltz and Jane Baltz.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 2 at Mc-Nabb Funeral Home followed by the Rosary at 7:00 pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, February 3, at St. Paul Catholic Church in Pocahontas with the Reverend Stephen Elser officiating. Burial will follow in St. Paul Cemetery. Pall bearers are his grandsons, Benjamin Brown, Lewis Baltz, Andrew Baltz, Clinton Baltz, Nathan Baltz, Stephen Eckart, Zach Coats, Justin Baltz and Jake Baltz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul School, 1002 Convent St., Pocahontas, AR 72455.