JOHN EDGAR FURGASON

John Edgar Furgason, 91, passed away on Friday, March 1, 2024. He was born on December 7, 1932, in Springfield, Missouri, to John Thomas Furgason and Janie Adelene Bacon who resided in Buffalo, Missouri.
John graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1951.  He started as guard for two years on the varsity football team; which won the Marble Bowl championship.
John joined the Navy in 1951. He served as Torpedoman’s Mate 2 on the USS Tiru (SS 416), a Balao class submarine stationed in Pearl Harbor.  He was honorably discharged on his birthday, December 7, 1955 and returned to Mt. Vernon.
John was married to Viola Fern Heigle in 1956 (until 1976). To this union, his daughter, Janie, was born April 18, 1957, in Springfield, Missouri and son, Tom, was born on November 24, 1959, in Tempe, Arizona.
John and Dea Lu McKinzie were married in December of 1978.  To this union, his son, John Eric (J.J.), was born on September 24, 1990, in Aurora, Colorado.
John had many careers including welder for a concrete pipe company in Arizona, 1 year at Dayco in Springfield, auto body repair, truck stop operator, dairy, beef, and hog farmer. His longest career was as a machinist with Silgan (Carnation) from which he retired in 1998. John then began his last career by returning to the Sheriff’s department Oct. 21, 1998, at the age of 65, until he retired on May 21, 2014.
In addition to his extensive list of occupations he also immersed himself in community service opportunities he was a member of First Christian Church for approximately 75 years where he was an Elder, Superintendent, and choir member; he served as the Lawrence County Ambulance association President for over 40 years; he was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary; and he was President of the Salem Cemetery Association for over 50 years.
John loved his family and worked long and hard to see they were cared for.  He was dedicated to serving the Lord and his church family thoughout his entire 91 years.
Survivors include his wife Dea; sons, Tom and wife Lisa of Mt. Vernon and John Eric (J.J.) of Arkansas; and three sisters: Mary Lou Leslie (husband Richard) of Tucson, Arizona, Roseanna Stewart and Silvia Furgason both of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one daughter, Janie (Sunshine) Weatherman.
A funeral service under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the First Christian Church, with burial to follow at the Salem Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024, in the funeral home chapel.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Salem Cemetery in care of the funeral home.
Online condolences may be shared at www.FossettMosherFuneralHome.com.