Vernice Brister Jr.

Vernice Brister Jr., 68, of Blytheville, died as a result of an accident while walking on March 9, 2012. He was born May 20, 1943, to Margery Ross Brister and Vernice Brister Sr., of Yarbro. He grew up in the Yarbro community where his father farmed. Mr. Brister was a 1964 graduate of Arkansas School for the Deaf, where he played football and basketball.

When he was 10 months old, he was seriously ill with pneumonia. As a result, he gradually developed a profound hearing loss. He began to say a few words and then stopped speaking. He was almost 4 years old when the diagnosis was finally made that he was profoundly deaf. At that time, the choices for educating a deaf child were very limited -- either the state school for the deaf in Little Rock or expensive private schools -- the closest being in St. Louis. The decision was made for him to attend a class for the hard of hearing in the Memphis City Schools. Therefore, his father would drive Vernice and his mother to Memphis every Sunday so they could stay in an apartment while he attended school thru the week and he would return to pick them up on Friday afternoon to come home for the weekend. When his father became very ill, his mother had to return home. Vernice, then 10 years old, went to the Arkansas School for the Deaf where he graduated from high school in 1964. He loved coming home to his parent's farm every summer where he spent his happiest times as a child.

Vernice was employed by Nibco Blytheville for 34 years. He retired from Nibco in 2005. He was an avid runner for over 30 years and was frequently referred to as "the deaf man who runs." He was a regular in runs around the area for many years and had the trophies to prove it.

Later, when he had to give up running, he took long morning walks from his home on Broadmoor St. to Yarbro. In addition, he rode an exercise bike and lifted weights. Many people were the recipient of his lectures on the importance of exercise. It was on his walk on Friday when he was hit by a vehicle involved in a 4-car accident that he sustained massive chest injuries and died instantly.

Vernice was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Blytheville where he was a member of the praise team and taught sign language classes.

Vernice was an enthusiastic fan of Arkansas Razorback football and Gosnell High School athletics, especially basketball where his nephew, Len Whitehead is coach.

Mr. Brister was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his bother, Steve Brister and his wife, Donna, of Jonesboro;

A sister, Elizabeth Brister Franks and her husband, Don, of Knoxville, Tenn.;

Nephews and nieces, Dr. Alice Franks and her husband, Rod North, of Greensboro, N.C., Ray Franks and his wife, Andrea, of New York City, Len Whitehead and his wife, Angel of Blytheville, Sean Brister and his wife, Stephanie of Alma, Melody Brister Mooney of Jonesboro and Dr. Paul Brister and his wife, Dee, of O'Fallon, Mo.; and

Eleven great-nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m.. today at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Don Hall officiating. The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Cobb Funeral Home. An online register may be signed at cobbfuneralhome.com