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Dewey Sayers
Duane “Dewey” Alan Sayers, 54, of Rogers, Ark., formerly of Shelby, passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. This obituary is being shared by the family in remembrance.
He was born December 9, 1968, the son of Stanley and Nancy K. (Hanks) Sayers. Dewey was never afraid to take on any challenge or fight. He was a true friend who would always have your back through any situation. He had very strong values and was well-liked by those who accepted him in his “slightly twisted” outlaw ways (and never flinched around those who didn’t).
Dewey took pride in his name and always worked hard throughout his years. While he enjoyed twisting the throttle on a Harley, he also worked hard for every dime he made. Throughout his lifetime, he worked as a foundry maintenance technician at Kurdziel of Rothbury and drove 18-wheelers for numerous employers, but mostly he was a mechanic at heart (ASE Certified, 25+ years). He was awarded “Top Service Tech” multiple years in a row.
He took pride in his work and achievements. Often, he mentioned that his patrons loyally requested “Dewey himself” for services, alignments, and repairs. He especially favored working on restorations and restored a few of his own vehicles over the years. His pride and joys were a 1954 GMC named “Gizmo” and a 2005 Custom FXST Softail Harley named “Simply Bad.” His hobbies, in summary, were making anything go fast.
He served with the Piney Point Volunteer Fire Department and believed in God as his higher power. He was a loving husband, father, and papa who created a nickname for everyone. His wife and children were affectionately known as Chookie, Buck, Princess, and Monkey Tail. He looked forward to visits from his grandkids and instilled in them a love for adventure and resourcefulness. He was always looking for ways to find fun, and trouble would tend to find him.
He had many fond memories and told entertaining stories, sometimes with a hint of exaggeration. Even in his last days, he shared stories from throughout his life, and now he’s racing the old truck “Gizmo” against that Charger with a Hemi—he liked that dream.
Let us remember: Life is Short. Break the Rules, Forgive Quickly, Love Honestly, Laugh Easily, Keep it Simple, Ride Often, Ride Free, and Never Regret Anything that Makes You Smile.
His legacy will carry on forever, reminding us in Dewey’s own words: “Ride hard, drive fast, and take chances!”
Duane is survived by his wife, Debra Sayers; children, Joel Sayers, Brandi (Nick) Chapa, Kendra (Kevin) Strait, Ashley Antekeier, and Rocky Antekeier; grandchildren, Jennifer Sayers, Jackson(Sayers) Soto, Sophia Chapa, Serina Chapa, Nicholas Alan Chapa, Kilee Sayers, Kash Platt, Hunter Strait, Makenzie Strait, and Niko Faidley; and brothers, James “Jim” Sayers and Randy Sayers.
Duane was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy K. Sayers; granddaughters, Adriana A. Sayers, Hailey Sayers, Joel A. Sayers Jr.; uncle, Floyd Sayers “Jr.”; and honorable family friends, Joshua “Bubba” A. Stafford and Cody Dwayne Johnson.
Yellow lines and tire marks
Sun-kissed skin
And handlebars.
And then where I stood
Was where I was always meant to be.
Please don’t worry, because now I’m free.
I got the call for kickstands up
A little sooner than the rest.
I’m riding on ahead…
I’ll meet you all up the road.
I got a new patch today,
Like you’ve never seen before—
Hand-sewn by an angel
Just outside of Heaven’s door.
