FERNDALE, Ark. — Two long-time members of the Arkansas outdoor education community, along with two of their children, have been memorialized on the grounds of the Arkansas 4-H Center near Little Rock.
By Ryan McGeeney
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Staff at the center recently held a dedication ceremony for a memorial to the Bragg family, four of whom died in a house explosion in December 2023. Hope Bragg was an extension 4-H STEM educator for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Her husband, Don, was a project leader for the U.S. Forest Service. Their children Elizabeth, 19, and Kenny, 22, also died in the explosion. They are survived by their youngest child, Stephen, who graduated high school this May, and Hope’s father, Richard Pruden, both of whom were injured in the explosion.
The memorial includes five oak trees — one for each of the immediate Bragg family — as well as a park bench. The trees and bench are in a quiet, meditative area east of the Arkansas 4-H Center lake. An inscription on the bench reads:
“In Loving Memory of the Bragg Family: Don, Hope, Kenny, and Elizabeth. May their legacy in 4-H and Extension flourish and endure — rooted deeply, growing strong like the mighty oak.”
Debbie Nistler, assistant vice-president for 4-H and youth development for the Division of Agriculture, said the trees and bench are meant to provide a calm space for reflection, as well as to keep the Braggs’ memory alive for future 4-H members.
“Don and Hope Bragg were talented educators, and both leave behind a legacy of passion for forestry, archeology, and 4-H that will be felt for years to come,” Nistler said.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
