Willie Eugene “Jitter” Horton, age 81 of Marshall, Arkansas died on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at NARMC in Harrison, Arkansas. He was born in Canaan, Arkansas on December 21, 1940 to Bunyan Horton and Della Morrison Horton. Jitter was a nickname given to him in 1942 by Veda Horton after a comic character, Jitter the Monkey. The name has stuck with him all of his life.

He was a member of Landmark Missionary Church in Marshall. He was a man of strong Christian faith and ethics. He was a Mason and belonged to Campbell Lodge #115 where he served as past Master.

He graduated from Marshall High School in 1959. While still in school he began helping Leonard Coffman at Coffman Funeral Home with removals and driving the coach. He later decided to attend Eaton Barber College in Little Rock.

After graduating from college, he opened Jitter’s Barber Shop on the south side of the square. Many antics and good times were had at that Barber shop. He also sold headstones and monuments for McGee Monument Company while working at the shop. He had the barber shop for almost 20 years but decided he wanted to be a funeral director. He started work for Coffman Funeral Home and obtained his director’s license while employed there. He began selling monuments for Coffman Monument Company and sold them until his death. Jitter never let his Barber’s license lapse and continued to cut hair for friends and family. His skills helped him with his funeral directing job, and many Searcy County residents had their loved one’s hair done by Jitter Horton when they passed away.

When Roller Funeral Homes bought Coffman and they moved to their new location in 1995, Jitter came on board as a licensed funeral director and was a blessing to many families during his time of service. His outgoing personality and kind heart helped him excel in his work. It was a job that he loved and his 2015 retirement was a great loss to Roller-Coffman. He made many amazing friends over the years and met with several of them every Friday for coffee where they enjoyed discussing world politics and all the happenings in the county.

He was a man of many talents. He loved to refinish old furniture and was very good at his trade. He enjoyed collecting arrowheads, old coins, and old lamps. Perhaps Jitter’s greatest talent was being Searcy County’s greatest storyteller.

You could never be around him for very long without hearing a good story. One most of you have probably heard him tell was about his famous fiddle playing grandpa, Absie Sheridan Morrison and his wife Jenny Cooper Morrison. He was very proud of their notoriety. Absie’s music can still be heard today. To his family, he was the greatest daddy and “Poppy” ever. To the rest of us we have lost a great Searcy County icon and his warm smile and famous stories will be greatly missed.

Survivors include his children, Kelly Horton (Patty) of Greenbrier, Shelley Waddell (Glen Parker) of London and Taya Flippo (Keith) of Green Forest; grandchildren, Angie Agdeppa (Robert) of Vilonia, Zachary Horton of Greenbrier, Kyndale Yancey of Marshall, Lakyn York (Nick) of Buffalo, MO, Patrick Horton of Conway, Tory Mires (Benjamin) of Rogers, Taylor Waddell of Russellville, Tyler Waddell (Ashley) of Pottsville and Dalton Flippo of Bentonville; greatgrandchildren, Wallis Agdeppa, Addisyn Agdeppa, Kynadee Yancey, Kreed Yancey, Boaz York, Scarlett York, Everett York, Brooklyn Harp, Kambry Waddell and Kasen Waddell; and many, many extended family and friends who will also mourn his passing.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bunyan and Della Horton; wife, Georgia Sue Horton, who passed away in 2019; and siblings, Billy Lee Horton, Ralph Horton, Edith Harp, Clifton Horton and infant brother, W.A. Horton.

Funeral services for him was 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Roller-Coffman Chapel in Marshall, Arkansas with Bro. Roy Ragland, Bro. John Myatt and Bro. Tim Reynolds officiating.

Visitation was10:00 until 11:00 preceding the service. Burial was in Canaan Cemetery where he was laid to rest beside his wife, Sue. Pallbearers were Taylor Waddell, Tyler Waddell, Keith Flippo, Robert Agdeppa, Wallis Agdeppa and Aubrey Laffoon. Honorary pallbearers were Jonathan Reynolds, Norbert Novak, Joe Dale Ward, Bob Cypert and Amos Pledger. The family would like to thank the staff at Highland Court for their care. In his own words, they were “outstanding.”