Biography: On December 13, 2022, William Hastings “Hasty” Bransford III took the final bow of what he called his magical mystery tour.
The first lines of The Book of Hasty were written on May 12, 1953, when he was born to Frances Moses Bransford and William Hastings “Big Bill” Bransford Jr.  Hasty lived the first 10yrs of his life in Lonoke, Arkansas. It was in Lonoke where Hasty spent a lot of his time with his grandmother, Bessie Walt “Bebe” Bransford, whom he always held in the highest regard. He described her as “the most kind, compassionate, loving person I ever knew” – traits that he certainly inherited. He developed his love for Coca-Cola…from a glass bottle…during the time he spent with his grandmother. They were a treat that he could have only when he was at BeBe’s house. He would take a drink and it would always end with an emphatic “Ahh, God, that’s good,” all the way up until the end. 

Years later, after he became Pop-Pop, and when his first two grandsons, Colter and Alexander, were only toddlers, Hasty’s daughter caught him sneaking them sips of coke. He laughed and said, “Oh come on, it’s not going to hurt anything.” He was right. It didn’t. But he also got to go home after he got them hyped up on sugar!

Hasty  did manage to get himself into trouble occasionally when he was a kid, and it was often alongside his childhood best friend and cousin. One day, Hasty and his cousin were at Bebe’s house when she was having her ceilings painted. They thought it would be a clever idea to throw marshmallows at that ceiling. The problem was that the marshmallows were sticking to it. Hasty said it was the only time in his life he can remember her really getting mad at him. Otherwise, if she was upset about anything, no one would ever know it, he said.

The relationship between him and his grandmother would influence the rest of his life. She taught him what it meant to be selfless as well as the importance of helping others in need. If you ask anyone who knew him, Hasty Bransford and selflessness are synonymous with one another.

While he enjoyed spending as much time as possible with Bebe, he also loved spending time at Lake Hamilton, a lake named for his grandfather, Colter Hamilton Moses, who was one of Arkansas's most prominent corporation lawyers and a former president of the Arkansas Power and Light Company.

For Hasty, family was everything. He developed a deep affinity for history…more specifically, his family history, tracing it all the way back to the Holy Wars. He was incredibly proud of his family name, and he spent his life striving to represent that name with dignity.

At age 10, his family moved from Lonoke to Little Rock. He attended grade school at Williams Magnet Elementary School and graduated from Hall High School in 1971. He spent a year at Virginia Episcopal Preparatory School in Lynchburg, VA, before returning home to earn a degree in Film and Television Broadcasting from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock.
Along with his passions for the arts and history, Hasty also enjoyed scuba-diving. He once explored an insidious yet beautiful spot, aptly named “Hell’s Bells,” in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. He liked to joke that he had "already been to hell and back, so there’s only one place left to go.” – He called it “the great beyond.”

In 1982, Hasty became “Dad” for the first time with the birth of his eldest daughter, Susan. He would later have another daughter, Caroline, and a son, William Hastings Bransford IV.  He would tell you that becoming a father was his greatest accomplishment. Weekends with his kids, eating fast food, and going back to his place to watch movies and spend time with one another was one of the favorite things he did with his children when they were young. Always proud of them, he supported them unconditionally in all their endeavors as they were growing up. Even now, as he looks down upon us, Hasty is beaming with pride at all they have accomplished.

If his three children were his greatest accomplishment, becoming Pop-Pop to four grandsons amplified his pride and joy to unimaginable levels. They became his purpose in life. In 2012, when his first grandson, Colter, was born, a new chapter in The Book of Hasty began – it was no question his favorite. The gleam in his eye and the pure joy on his face each time he learned he was going to be a grandfather said it all. He would be the best grandparent anyone could ever have. He was.

One of Hasty’s most treasured memories was with his grandsons Colter, Alexander, and Wilson. He would walk them down their driveway to his car so they could play in it. They always wanted to play in Pop-Pop’s car. He would sit in the driver’s seat while the boys would be rolling the windows up and down, hanging out of the sunroof, and using up all the windshield wiper fluid. He started keeping an extra gallon in his trunk.

His fourth grandson, George K. Thompson III, is his newest, born in July 2022. And while he didn’t get much time with him, he was as proud the day George was born as he was when each of the other three were born. And he liked to point out that he and George are both III’s. They already shared a strong bond.

In April 2013, Hasty experienced some misfortune which led him to Our House, a social services organization in Little Rock whose mission is to “empower homeless and near homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work, wise decision-making, and active participation in the community.”  Motivated by his love for his family, especially his children and grandchildren, he committed to reversing his misfortune.  He quickly became the example for other residents of Our House that it was possible to change their circumstances through hard work and perseverance. He was given an honorary position on the Board of Directors for his dedication to the program and his determination to get back on his feet and help others get back on theirs.

Hasty’s love for the theatre landed him a role in Shakespeare at the Shelter, a series of plays aimed at destigmatizing the idea of a shelter and creating an opportunity to have a conversation with the community about homelessness. He was also featured in an article in the Arkansas Times titled “Our House: It’s More than a Shelter,” which chronicled his journey.  It was a piece he was enormously proud of.

Hasty then got a job with the Holiday Inn Express at the Little Rock Airport, and quickly became the face of the hotel’s social media presence, really of the hotel in general. In fact, within its Facebook page is a testament to the impact and influence Hasty had on those around him. He LOVED this job and everyone he worked with loved him. He would do anything to help anyone. That is said so often that it’s become cliché, but Hasty Bransford would literally give his last dime to someone who needed it more than he did. The hotel even named an award for him: The “Hasty” Award, in recognition of “a gentleman who embodies the spirit of humanity in everything he does.” Think about that for a moment.

A humbling experience for an already humble man, he worked extremely hard to navigate through this chapter of The Book of Hasty.  And he did it. And he did the work himself. He was proud of what he’d accomplished. And his family is  proud of what he accomplished, too!

In May 2016, Hasty suffered complications arising from open-heart surgery. He had fought against the odds much of his life, but this fight was different. Well-wishes and prayers came pouring in from all those who knew him. By all accounts, that should have been his final curtain call. Over the next 7yrs, through all his struggles, he never gave up and never complained. All the while, dementia and Parkinson’s disease exacted a heavy toll.

Hasty Bransford unabashedly lived life his way. For him, service to others far outweighed the material and his love for his family was unparalleled. And as we turn the final page in The Book of Hasty and reflect on the life of a man whose unselfishness, kindness, and compassion made the world a better place, we can take comfort in knowing that he’s enjoying a Saltillo plate from Browning’s with a cold “Mexican Coke”…in a glass bottle…, reunited with those family members who left this earth before him, and on his way to go scuba-diving in the great beyond.  Enjoy it, old man! You will forever be missed but you will NEVER be forgotten.
Hasty is predeceased by his grandparents, Colter Hamilton Moses and Lena Goodwin Moses; Bessie Walt “BeBe” Bransford, his beloved grandmother, and William Hastings Bransford, Sr; as well as his parents, Frances Moses Bransford and William Hastings Bransford, Jr; his brother, Lawson W. Turner III; and a cousin, Whitman Bransford.  He is also predeceased by his cherished dog, Charlie.

He is survived by his sisters, Mary Moses Sours and Frances Beth Bransford, both of Chico, CA; his children, Susan and Erik Long of Little Rock, AR; Caroline and Kenny Thompson of Charlotte, NC; and William Hastings Bransford IV of Fayetteville, AR. He is also survived by his four grandsons, Colter Benjamin Long, Alexander Bransford Long, Wilson Elwood Long, and George Kennedy Thompson III, as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family would like to express its gratitude to The Greenhouse Cottages at Poplar Grove, as well as Hospice Home Care, and all those who took part in his care, for the respect and kindness they paid him over the last number of years. In addition, to all his friends and family who continued to be a part of his life, and who never wavered in their love and support for him, thank you!
His daughter, Susan, would especially like to thank his sister, Beth, who spoke with Hasty every day, and without whom the last 7yrs would have been exponentially more difficult. Beth really was more than a sister to him, she was the best friend of his life, and their love for each other will span the rest of time. Beth recently spoke of a fond memory of hers from their childhood. Hasty was playing near a creek when Beth came out to join him, wearing a beautiful dress. As siblings do, they had their share of spats and on this day, though she knew his limits, she went a little too far. Hasty pushed her into that creek, dress and all. She went to change and came back in another nice dress. He did it again.

William Hastings “Hasty” Bransford III was an angel in the shape of a man – a man whose family was always proud of him for who he was, for the father he was, and for the grandfather he was…and a man who could be proud of himself for the life he lived, the way he lived it, and the legacy he would leave behind.

A graveside service will be held in Lonoke, Arkansas, at the Lonoke Cemetery at a later date. All family and friends are invited to attend once those details are finalized.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages those who wish to honor Hasty’s memory to donate, volunteer or otherwise get involved with Our House. Please visit ourhouseshelter.org or call 501-374-7383. Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com