Brooxine Kidder

Brooxine Kidder of Fort Smith passed away Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the age of 88 years and two weeks. She was born January 13, 1936, in Forrest City, Arkansas, to the late John and Blanche Binns. Brooxine retired from the Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance Center where she helped develop the facility’s original Drug Alcohol Safety Education Program for treatment and education of DWI/DUI offenders, was a co-founder of the original Gateway House Recovery Center for Women (now Harbor House), served with the National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders, and was for over two decades a governor’s appointee on the Arkansas State Board of Examiners of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. Brooxine co-founded the Fort Smith Community Children’s Theater (now Young Actors Guild) and was a long-standing member of the Fort Smith Junior Civic League. Brooxine’s stagecraft ranged from a revered Fort Smith Little Theater wardrobe mistress to her many years of service on the legendary Red Stocking Review kick line.

In addition to her parents, Brooxine was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Bradley W. Kidder, Sr. Her only surviving sister, Barbara Jo Smith, passed the day after Brooxine.

Mrs. Kidder is survived by three daughters, Kary Ennis with husband Joe of Springdale, Leslie Kidder of Fort Smith, and Brooks Anne Courtway with husband Jeff of Fayetteville; her son, Bradley W. Kidder, Jr., and wife Kim, of Fort Smith; six grandchildren, Levi Rush, Kaitlyn Rush, Mikal Body, Lauren Saha, Erin Courtway and Colton Courtway; and eleven great grandchildren.

The family wishes to extend special gratitude to longtime caregiver Latricia Westberry of Home Instead, and to nurse Candy Svetlecic with Heart of Hospice.

Funeral Service will be 2:00 pm Friday, February 2, 2024, at First Christian Church, with a private committal service and burial at Oak Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.

Pallbearers will be Rosie Johnson, Richard Griffin, Latricia Westberry, Melisse Jackson Menchel, Jeff Courtway, and Bradley Kidder.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church, 3501 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72903 or go to www.fccdoc.org

To view the online guestbook, please go to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com