Joe Bodenhamer

Former Baxter County Judge Joe Rex Bodenhamer died peacefully on August 15, 2023 at Hospice of the Ozarks surrounded by friends and family. Joe was born in Springfield, Missouri, on September 17, 1948 and was a lifelong resident of the area. His father was David James Bodenhamer and his mother was Doris Easley Bodenhamer Berberich.
Joe served as Baxter County Judge from 1995-2004 and from 2009-2012. He graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1967 and was named an All-State Football player. Joe attended Arkansas Tech University and was a successful entrepreneur opening a number of local businesses in the area including The Lockeroom and Telephone Connections, Inc. During his career, Joe also worked for Douglas Aircraft, Mountain Home Telephone Company, FEMA and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
Joe had a heart for service and loved the Twin Lakes area always wanting to make it a great place to live and raise a family. He served on the Mountain Home School Board for nearly 10 years and two of those years he was the President. Other local leadership roles he held included: Chairman of the Northwest Arkansas Solid Waste District, Ozark Opportunities Board, Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, Executive Board of the County Judges Association, Baxter County Red Cross Board and a Deacon at East Side Baptist Church.
Joe worked hard to bring positive change to Baxter County including holding the first ever Snow Removal Conference in the state of Arkansas, hosted the first ever GPS seminar for elected officials, implemented 911 county wide, started three different prisoner work programs with one of them being adopted by the state, began the first Water and Sewer Board for the county, oversaw the paving of over 100 miles of roads in Baxter County and the construction of 40 bridges, formed the Veterans Advisory Board and started the Wall of Honor around the Court House.
Joe married Margie Mae Priest in 1968 and they had three children: Angela Bodenhamer Theisen, Shelby Joe Bodenhamer (Jaime), and Tracy Bodenhamer Ott (Jeffrey). He had nine grandchildren: Alyssa Theisen, Reese Theisen, Helen-Ashley Bodenhamer, Micah Ott Duckett (Brice), Blake Bodenhamer, Nadia Theisen, Makayla Ott, Hadrian Theisen and Saxton Bodenhamer. He is survived by his brother, Jim Bodenhamer (Julie), cousins Bob Bodenhamer (Kathy) and David “Buster” Bodenhamer (Cathy), significant other Sue Newton, niece Tonya Bodenhamer Wyler (Tim), nephew Kevin Bodenhamer (Tarina), along with numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins.
Joe was extremely proud of his family history in the area and memorials may be made to the Baxter County Historical Society. A gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. at Kirby and Family Funeral Home.
Arrangements are by Kirby & Family Funeral & Cremation Services - Mountain Home, Arkansas. Visit an online obituary and guestbook at www.kirbyandfamily.com .