Graydon Justin Bushart Jr.

Graydon Bushart was born December 14, 1926, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and died September 2, 2023, in Arlington, Texas from complications of pneumonia. He was 96 years old.

He grew up in Fort Smith, graduating from high school in 1944, attended junior college before enlisting in the Navy in December of that same year, training in Great Lakes, Illinois as an electronics technician before being assigned to the Navy Air Corp at graduation. Upon discharge in 1946 he entered the University of Arkansas, pledging the Kappa Sigma fraternity, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1950.

While at the university he met and began dating JoAnn Brown of El Dorado, Arkansas. The couple wed in 1950 and moved to Arlington, Texas where Graydon began his career with Chance Vought Aircraft, which became LTV Aerospace and Defense. He earned his master’s degree at Southern Methodist University while working on aircraft and missile programs including the Regulus I and II, Scout, ASTA, Airtrans, Lance and ATACMS. He retired from Vought Engineering after 42 years, returning briefly as a contractor before officially retiring from Lockheed Martin Aerospace in 1997.

Graydon was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church of Arlington, an active member of Arkansas Alumni Association, the Vought Aircraft Industries Retiree Club and Vought Heritage Foundation, serving on the committee to raise funds for restoration of the F4U Corsair fighter aircraft.

He and JoAnn raised three children in Arlington. He was preceded in death by his parents Graydon J. Bushart, Sr. and Othella Browne Bushart, sister Dorothy Frances Woods, and wife of 71 years, JoAnn. He is survived by their three children daughter Gwendolyn Scott, sons David Brown (wife Patricia), and Thomas Kent Bushart, and faithful friend of over 70 years, John Skidmore.

Visitation Friday, September 15, 2023, 4:00-8:00 pm at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Pkwy., Arlington, Texas. Celebration of life Saturday, September 16, 2023, 2:00 pm at First United Methodist Church of Arlington, 313 N. Center St., Arlington, Texas.