Arlis Justice, 84, a longtime NCHA member and father of NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame member Hope Mitchell, as well as father-in-law of NCHA Hall of Fame Rider John Mitchell, passed away, following a brief illness, at his home in Camden, Arkansas.

A cattle broker, as well as owner and operator of Justice Farms, Inc., Bearden, Ark., Arlis was drawn to cutting competition, when he began hauling Hope to weekend youth events. “What I do is Saturday play,” said Justice in 2001. “It’s a relaxing deal. We’re involved in shipping a lot of cattle and I work most of the time, but try to get away once or twice a month. Learning to pick cows was the only thing about cutting that I got pretty quick. The rest of it I had problems with because I don’t have a lot of confidence showing in a crowd. But cutting’s been good for us.”

Arlis Justice’s survivors include his wife, Barbara Ann; son Buster B. and his wife Sonya; daughter Hope and her husband John Mitchell; daughter Bobbie Jo and her husband Richard Vaughn; daughter Cindy Stafford; and step-daughter Ginger Kitchens; as well as 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Graveside services were held on Tuesday, May 14 with Rev. Joe Howard Williamson officiating. Memorials may be made to Horsemen for Christ, P.O. Box 9524, Wichita Falls, Tex., 76301.