Don Hargis

Don Hargis, age 90, of Aurora, Missouri, passed away peacefully at 11:46 p.m. on Monday, December 21, 2020, in the home he built with his own two hands.  He was born August 16, 1930, in Hockerville, Oklahoma, the son of Loyd “Spide” and Opal (Patrick) Hargis.
Don was a 1948 graduate of Duenweg High School in Duenweg, Missouri and joined the U.S. Navy in February 1951.  On April 20, 1951, Don married Marinell Longstreet in Joplin, Missouri.  Don’s four years in the Navy as an Aircraft Radio Electrician took him and his young family to Great Lakes, Illinois; Jacksonville, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; Corpus Christi, Texas; Whidby Island, Washington and Seattle, Washington.  Don also participated in U.S. nuclear testing on the Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific.  
Don was one of the hardest working men you would ever meet, and constantly kept his hands and mind busy.  After his time in the Navy, he returned to Springfield, Missouri and then Joplin, settling in Aurora, Missouri where he lived from 1962 until his death.  He was a Communications Technician for Empire District Electric Company for 38 years before retiring.  He built his family’s home in Aurora single-handedly, and crafted many of the things in it.  Don and Marinell enjoyed square dancing, and were members of the Grand Squares Square Dancing Club and the Aurora United Methodist Church.
After retirement, Don was very active visiting his four children and helping with various projects at their homes, and particularly enjoyed spending time on the tractor at his son’s property in Webster County.  Don loved children and animals, was smart as a whip, could fix or build anything, and taught his children values of honesty, taking pride in your work, ingenuity, and a constant desire to learn new things and curiosity about the world.  Stubborn, frugal, and fiercely independent, his kindness, generosity of time and work for others, and love for his family knew no bounds.  He will be sorely missed by all who were privileged to call him friend or family.
Don is survived by his three daughters, Jayne Prewitt and her husband, Pat, of Mt. Vernon, Missouri; Nancy Dunlap and her husband, Tom, of Joplin, Missouri; and Ann McDowell and her husband, Jerry, of Harrisburg, Missouri; one son, Darin Hargis and his wife, Jenni, of Fordland, Missouri; three granddaughters, Sarah Johnson and her husband, Eric; Rebecca Schoen and her husband, Nathan; and Bethany Patterson and her husband, Justin, all of Mt. Vernon; seven great-grandchildren, Lucas, Drew, Nella, Ethan, Reid, Norah and Benjamin and several nieces and nephews.
Don lost his wife Marinell on February 15, 2020, and was also preceded in death by his parents, Spide and Opal, and his siblings, Doris Johnson, Bob Hargis, Evelyn Shellenbarger and Connie Farmer.
A visitation was held held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 26, 2020, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, with a graveside service to follow at 11:30 a.m. at the Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora.
Online condolences may be shared at www.CraftonCantrellFuneralHome.com.