Reflecting on Vada Sheid

Mike Breton met recently with Richard Sheid, to discuss his recollections about his mother, Vada Sheid. Ms. Sheid was born in 1916 at Wideman, a little town east of Calico Rock. She grew from that country-raising to be the first woman to serve in both the Arkansas House AND Senate. That progression is detailed in her biography called Vada, Nothing Personal, Just Politics. With a beautiful photo of her on the cover, the book chronicles her challenges and successes as she worked to serve others.

One of her early jobs as a young, single woman was the Director of Welfare Services in Izard County. From this perspective she gained a lifelong awareness of the needs of other hill country people and a desire to lessen the burdens that came with the rural environment. For example, she noticed that quite a few people had eye problems like conjunctivitis. She took a woman all the way to Little Rock where she was diagnosed with Trachoma, a disease that can be prevented with frequent washing of the face with clean water. No antibiotics were available, not even clean water in some cases, but the doctor recommended a program that could be utilized and it was put into place statewide, greatly reducing the cases of vision problems and blindness. From her humble beginnings she ran for local offices, serving as Treasurer of Baxter County (1958-1964). Following that she followed her dad’s suggestion and ran for the Arkansas House of Representatives. She was successful (1967-1977) and was one of four women serving at that time. Richard remembers that for these years he lived with his grandmother and only saw his mother on weekends. She’d travel back and forth using a local bus service. This gave her the opportunity to read and work on the long rides back and forth to Little Rock. Ms. Sheid became a hero to many as she solved little problems (like bringing home a soldier whose father had died) to really big ones like getting legislation, then funding, and Republican presidential approval to build the two bridges over Lake Norfork. The bridge at Pigeon Creek and the Z. T. Sheid bridge (named for her husband's father who was a rural doctor who served that area for many years) were two more major accomplishments.

There is much to read as she moved on to the Arkansas Senate (1977-1985) and then even returned to the House again in 1993. The book impresses the reader with the tenacity of this woman who operated in the highest levels of state and national government without a college degree or family connections. She accomplished much that has made north central Arkansas what it is today. We should credit her with the roads we drive on, the bridges we cross, the senior services available, the library in Mtn Home, the colleges in Harrison and Mtn. Home, among many lesser assets in our area. She did it as a pioneer in female political action. She was complimented frequently as a role model for women, for her willingness to work hard for her people and her doggedness in finding ways to get things done. Our (Mountain Home) preeminence in North Central Arkansas is a result of the infrastructure growth and care that Ms. Sheid devoted to our area. Her later years were passed with her presence in the family furniture store where she continued to help others when they dropped in. Her passing in 2008 closed a rich chapter in Arkansas history.

She was a “hands on" legislator whether in the Legislature or even “on the bridge”. The library has several copies of the book. Drop by and check out a copy. You will be enriched and absorbed as you learn more about his successful Democrat from Baxter County. Ms. Sheid is undoubtedly our most successful female Democratic politician and worth learning more about as we struggle to regain some Democratic presence in Baxter County. Richard has quietly served Baxter County too, serving on several boards and assisting in preserving the Wolf House in Norfolk, gaining grant money for improvements at the airport and was a major help in bringing ASU to Mountain Home. There is probably more to be told, but he’s a quiet presence and prefers to stay in the background. So the spirit of service to the community was not just one member of the family, but lives on to our benefit. Mike Breton 8/30/23