AJ Baughman's Obituary
AJ Baughman was born November 1, 1931, in Glenpool, Oklahoma, and passed from this life in Fayetteville, Arkansas, December 23, 2024.
AJ was the firstborn child of Mark and Zealous Lee Ruth (Powell) Baughman. He is survived by his brother, Franklin D Baughman, and was preceded in death by his sister, Anna Lois Snider, and youngest brother, Charles Ray Baughman.
Growing up in a family with a traveling evangelist, Mark Baughman, he had many homes and attended numerous schools. One year he attended five different schools as they moved from place to place. As a young boy (age 9), AJ committed his life to Christ and was baptized June 1940 in Oklahoma City by Reverend RC Wise. He received the Holy Ghost December 28, 1941.
AJ attended high school in Boulder, Colorado during the years when his family was building a church in Louisville, Colorado. He began working at a small restaurant owned by of one of the church families. He bought his first truck, and began a business doing hauling jobs. No doubt this was the beginning of his interest in the trucking industry.
Their family of six moved to Amarillo and his dad began preaching an extended revival there. During the revival in Amarillo, AJ met the Pope family and their oldest daughter, Geraldine, caught his eye. It wasn’t long before they were talking about marriage. Her parents wouldn’t allow Geraldine to get married until she was sixteen. So, the day after she turned sixteen, AJ and Geraldine married, December 15, 1950. The relationship was long-lasting and they celebrated 71 years of marriage in 2021 before Geraldine passed away, January 19, 2022.
After about five months into their marriage, the newlyweds moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to help his dad, Mark Baughman, start a new church. Geraldine played the piano and AJ played a guitar. AJ became a supporter to many church plants, not only for First UPC in Fayetteville (1951), but the UPC in Lincoln (1965), and in the launch of Northeast UPC (NorthPoint Church) Fayetteville in 1981, with his eldest son, Arnold Baughman as pastor. AJ was a founding member of Northeast UPC in Fayetteville and continued faithful until his passing. AJ was appointed as a deacon of Northeast UPC more than twenty years ago. He was indeed a man, “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.”
AJ was a supporter of the ministries of his father, his father-in-law, Nolan J Pope, and his youngest son, Terry Baughman, with church plants and small works in Canyon, TX, Peoria, AZ, Pleasanton, CA, and Gilbert, AZ. Though he was never a preacher, he found his ministry in blessing the work of God through the ministers in his family.
AJ and Geraldine had their first son, Arnold Jay, while they lived in Fayetteville in 1952. They returned to Amarillo in 1954 for four years. Their second son, Terry Randall, was born in Canyon, Texas in 1955. Friends in Arkansas persisted in asking the young family to come back from Texas, so they made the move in 1958 and settled in Arkansas, this time to stay.
AJ worked in various jobs, but found his greatest success as a sales representative for several trucking companies. He formed many friendships and made connections with everyone with whom he was associated.
After AJ retired he raised a few cows on the farm, cut hay, and began a new venture traveling around the country delivering tractors, hotshot freight, and selling utility trailers. He started a business as Baughman Trailer Sales that he continued until his passing.
AJ Baughman is survived by two sons, Arnold (and wife Carolyn) of Fayetteville, and Terry (and wife Gayla) of Mesa, Arizona; four grandchildren (Aubrey Baughman, Marenda Sullivan, Andrea Henson, and Rhette Baughman) and four great-grandchildren (Madison & Savannah Sullivan, Elliette Baughman, and Quentin Henson .
He is also survived by a host of friends who miss the entertaining posts of the Arkansas Hillbilly on Facebook, and his sunny disposition which was often shared with those he met.
Visitation will be 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Thursday January 2, 2025 at Moore’s Chapel. Funeral service will be 10 :00 am Friday at NorthPoint Church in Fayetteville with burial to follow in Mount Comfort Cemetery under the direction of Moore’s Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to NorthPoint Church, 533 East Appleby Road, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703.
To place an online tribute, please visit www.bernafuneralhomes.com
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