Clement Hamilton Whistle III

Clement Hamilton Whistle III, known by his many friends as Clem, Chris, and Boken, died peacefully in his sister’s home in Jonesboro, on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Paralyzed from the chest down in a vehicle incident at age 40, Boken blazed through expectations and ultimately died from sepsis a week before his 68th birthday. Boken was born in Jonesboro on Feb. 12, 1955, to Clem Jr. and Alice Kiech Whistle. He enjoyed his childhood with his four sisters on the family farm, called Whistleville, in central Mississippi County. As an adolescent, his family moved to St. Louis, Mo., where he was an accomplished football star, set records in pole vault, and was a friend to all at Lutheran High School South. Afterwards, he studied agriculture at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and maintained a position on the St. Louis Bombers Rugby Football Club.

In his twenties, Boken settled back into Mississippi County, farmed cotton and soybeans on his family’s land, and cultivated deep relationships around Blytheville. He married Susan Westbrook née Stone in 1987 (div. 1998), and had one son, Matthew, in 1988. He began as an employee of Nucor Steel Hickman in the early nineties and moved to a house outside of Dell where he lived for 25 years, before moving in with his gracious sister Gini in 2018. Boken was known near and far for his generosity, tremendous sense of humor, and working constantly in his yard, surrounded by a menagerie of exotic animals. Those close to him knew his faults, but he never lacked integrity and bravery. He had supreme taste in food, music, and company. The word used to describe him most often was “badass”, and everyone knew not to mess with him or his people. He lived life on his own terms to the very end, all the while enveloping those around him with love and care.

Clement Hamilton Whistle III is survived by his adoring mother, Alice Whistle of Jonesboro; his sisters, Virginia Whistle of Jonesboro, Mimi Kiech Berry of Little Rock, and Louise Allison of Santa Fe, N.M.; son Matthew Whistle, his wife Grace, and their children Simon and Cecilia, of Columbus, Ohio; and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins by blood and otherwise. He was preceded in death by his grandmothers, grandfathers, father Clement Whistle Jr., sister Sharon Whistle Walton, and nephew Alec Girault.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Boken’s honor to the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society: https://www.neahs.org/support-us. Messages of love and encouragement to the family are welcome.

Visitation will be Saturday, Feb. 18, at Emerson Funeral Home Stateroom from 10-11 a.m.  Service will start at 11a.m.