Cossatot former Superintendant Stan Speight has died

[DeBo]

Stan was a great friend to the ACC and a great conservationist. He will be terribly missed. Here is the announcement from Arkansas State Parks.

To all park friends,
I want to inform you of a sad announcement about retiree Stan Speight former Park Superintendent at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area who has passed away. Stan passed away today at Sparks Medical Hospital in Ft Smith at approximately 6pm tonight due to an allergic reaction which he was being treated for since last Saturday.

Please have Stan and Family in your prayers, I will send out more information on memorial service when family releases the final details. I was told that family is considering a gathering at Wicks where family will be having a special memorial service for family and friend. Tentatively this will be in Wicks and a river side service to disperse his cremated remains into the resource he poured his heart into The Cossatot: "A River for All Seasons".

Tentatively unconfirmed date is Saturday June 27, 2015 with exact time & location of memorial serve TBD.

Please send all donations and cards to Mike Farringer, Superintendent of Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area, who will hand deliver them to the family.
Mike Farringer
1980 Highway 278 West
Wickes 71973
cossatotriver@arkansas.com<mailto:cossatotriver@arkansas.com>
870-385-2201

Good Bye Brother Speight
"Tears to the Heart"

[DeBo]

Here are more details about Stans death. He was bitten by a tick years ago which made him allergic to beef. He stopped at McDonald’s to get some French fries. Evidently they use some beef fat in their frying process. He had an anaphylactic shock‎ reaction and he didn’t have an EPI pen with him. His throat swelled shut and he was without oxygen too long.

The lessen from this is to never go anywhere without your EPI pen if you have serious allergies.

[Deuce]

Here are more details about Stans death. He was bitten by a tick years ago which made him allergic to beef. He stopped at McDonald’s to get some French fries. Evidently they use some beef fat in their frying process. He had an anaphylactic shock‎ reaction and he didn’t have an EPI pen with him. His throat swelled shut and he was without oxygen too long.

The lessen from this is to never go anywhere without your EPI pen if you have serious allergies.

Good advice Debbie. I have the same allergy and it's amazing how many foods include the parts of a cow one wouldn't normally eat. A couple weeks ago I had two reactions in three days and scratched my head (and the rest of my hive covered body) trying to determine when I might have eaten beef. It finally hit me the one thing both nights had in common was Twinkies, so I checked the ingredient list and sure enough; beef fat and tallow. I had an episode in Fayetteville last fall that frightened me (and more importantly my wife and daughter) enough to finally get an Epi Pen kit.

I say all this not to make it about me, but to point out to anyone else with similar issues who might think they can simply avoid allergic triggers that that's not always possible. This is especially important to paddlers who frequently find ourselves hours away from medical assistance. 3:00 a.m. on a gravel bar is not the time to fine oneself in the midst of an allergic reaction with no means of dealing with it (no need to ask how I know). If you can relate to any of this get an Epi kit (a phone call to your doctor should be enough to get a scrip) and some Benadryl and carry them on the river.

So sorry to hear about Mr. Speight. I didn't know him but it's clear he was a friend to have.

[okieboater]

Stan is a good man and his passing is a loss to our boating community.

I had no knowledge of this allergic to beef thing.

In many wilderness first aid clinics I have been told about EPI pens and how to use them.

Several of us locals were talking about a first aid clinic where the use of EPI pens was demonstrated.

One of my boater buds I had known and boated with for years alerted us of their being allergic to bee bites and has a EPI pen. I did not know they carried a EPI pen, but now know and can watch for signs.

The purpose of this post is to thank Luke for letting us know that he has a EPI pen, now we can watch for signs and help use it if needed.