I.L. “Ish” Stivers

I.L. “Ish” Stivers taught vocational agriculture for 19 years at Lakeside High School in Hot Springs. He also was agriculture loan officer and vice-president for 18 years at First National Bank in that city. When Mr. Stivers retired from the bank and moved to the farm, he continued to be very active in all agriculture, church and community activities. Mr. Stivers was a member of: Garland County Soil Conservation and Farm Bureau boards; the county 4-H Foundation; the county Fair Board; Downtown Lions Club, where he was Lion of the Year twice, had perfect attendance 29 years and served in all the club offices; Quapaw Vo-Tech Advisory Board; and Garland County Community College, where he was a charter board member. Also, he was a Life Member of the Salvation Army Board 43 years; a member of Garland County United Way; belonged to Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, where he chaired its Education Committee; and started Career Day for schools in the area. Mr. Stivers started a Farm- City Week Breakfast and was its chairman 18 years, was a county fair judge 44 years, and on the county Extension Service Advisory Council. He introduced registered purebred Angus and Hereford cattle to the county. Mr. Stivers also built the first 5,000-bird-capacity broiler house in Garland County and introduced broiler production (through Lakeside FFA) to the county. He served two terms on the Arkansas State Fair & Livestock Show Board. A longtime member of First Church of the Nazarene, he was on its Board of Trustees, served on the District Advisory Board, and was on Bethany Nazarene College Board more than 28 years. He was a charter member of Arkansas FFA Foundation Board and was its chairman. Mr. Stivers helped 184 young men and women advance beyond high school. Many of these former students have been recognized for outstanding work in agriculture.