Slinkard's life's plans changed in a day

City attorney Howard Slinkard, retiring as city attorney for Pea Ridge and Garfield, did not initially set out to become an attorney, but was planning to go to college to play football. After sage advice from his elder brother, Slinkard entered Arkansas State University and majored in political science with a double minor in history and economics.

"I got to tell him last year before he died," Slinkard said, "how fortuitous things can be."

Slinkard has been the city attorney for Pea Ridge since 1975.

While in college, Slinkard was required to register for the Selective Service (the draft). He and his wife, Karen, had been high school sweethearts and married in August 1968, his senior year in college.

After his graduation, Slinkard took the summer off because he had a low draft number for the Vietnam War and "knew" he would be drafted.

He spent the summer fishing every day.

"I was planning on the assumption I wasn't going to come back," he said.

But, then he failed the physical and was not drafted, hence pushing him to what he recalls "the most productive day of my life."

"I learned I wasn't going to Vietnam," Slinkard said, "I learned at the last minute I was accepted into law school."

Slinkard said he and Karen got up early, drove to Fayetteville, which, back then, included a ferry ride at Mountain Home, enrolled in law school at the University of Arkansas, found a place to live, found Karen a job teaching and returned to Jonesboro.

"It was 12 hours on the road," he smiled, adding that Karen taught in Rogers for 35 years after teaching a half year in Harrisburg.

"I've loved practicing law. It's the relationships that I've enjoyed," he said.

"What bothered me most was 40 years of clients who consider me to be their lawyer," he mused. "I hate for that to fall apart."

Slinkard said he was going to just shut down the practice, but has sold it to Mike Bearden. He said he will stay until the end of the year for the transition.

"I knew I couldn't stay around forever," he said.

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Editor's note: This is the second in a three part series on Howard Slinkard, attorney at law, and city attorney to Pea Ridge and Garfield.

Community on 11/09/2016