More than 50 people gathered Saturday, April 23, at Eagle Watch Nature Trail in Gentry, Ark., to celebrate the late Terry Stanfill, a retired SWEPCO employee who passed away in August 2021. Stanfill was the driving force behind the development and management of the 65-acre wildlife area along SWEPCO Lake.
To honor his memory and dedication to Eagle Watch, Flint Creek plant manager Sara Vestfals unveiled a permanent plaque naming the trail’s main pavilion the “Terry Stanfill Pavilion.” The plaque reads:
“In memory and celebration of Terry Stanfill, whose dedication and spirit of environmental stewardship inspired the creation of the Eagle Watch Nature Trail and fostered enduring community partnerships.”
Stanfill, a plant chemist who retired in 2010 from Flint Creek, continued to manage Eagle Watch Nature Trail after his retirement, including annual Earth Day events at the site. This year during the celebration, he was remembered for his “quiet” work, ensuring wildlife had a safe habitat and the public had a place to learn and connect with the outdoors. Stanfill’s work earned Eagle Watch Nature Trail national recognition for environmental stewardship.
“Terry saw things most of us would never see,” said Paul Jeffus, a retired SWEPCO employee who worked with Stanfill for many years. “He was a visionary who strove to create and help perpetuate an area that magnified the work of the almighty Creator that can be observed and appreciated for generations to come. This is a legacy he’ll be most remembered for.”
As it has in the past under Stanfill’s watch, other Earth Day activities took place Saturday, including community and local 4-H members helping clean flower beds and plant flowers. The afternoon concluded with presentations by Lynn Sciumbato with Morning Star Wildlife Rehab Center and Professor Don Steinkraus of the University of Arkansas.
“We were so pleased with the turnout of the day’s events,” said Ivaunna Neigler, an environmental and lab supervisor at Flint Creek who is taking over management of Eagle Watch. “It was great to honor Terry and to keep his vision alive by continuing to give the community opportunities to get involved and learn more about nature. Our hope is to have more events like this throughout the year.”
Eagle Watch Nature Trail is free to the public all year long and is located along SWEPCO Lake on Highway 12 West in Gentry, Ark. To stay updated on upcoming events, follow Eagle Watch Nature Trail on Facebook at facebook.com/SWEPCOEagleWatch.