Services for Gerald M. Hart, of Litchfield, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday with the Rev. Jay Johnson, pastor of Union Avenue Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Elm Lawn Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday in Meinschein Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials be directed to Union Avenue Christian Church. Mr. Hart died at 7:50 p.m. Tuesday, June 22, 1999, in Heritage Manor of Litchfield. He was 79 years old on December 10, and an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He retired from Yellow Freight Trucking Company in St. Louis after 28 years of service. In his youth he graduated from Pioneer Instrument Service School in St. Louis and Air Force Technical School then worked at Curtis Wright Aircraft Company in St. Louis. He entered the Army Air Corps during World War II as an airplane instrument mechanic with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He also served at Chanute Air Base in Rantoul and at Lincoln Air Base in Lincoln, Neb. He returned to Litchfield in 1947, working at Wikomi and then as a truck driver for a number of trucking companies, including Yellow Freight. He was a member of Union Avenue Christian Church and American Legion Post 436. He was born in Litchfield, a son of Orville and Edith Mitchell Hart. He married Deana I. Williams on June 6, 1942, in St. Charles, Mo. She survives. Surviving also are a son, Gerald D. Hart and wife Nancy of Chantilly, Va.; daughter, Sharon Wood and husband Michael of rural Litchfield; sister, Vivian Leinicke of Litchfield; seven grandchildren, Stephen Fiscor of Chicago, Jaime Koonce and Corey wood of Litchfield, Amy Blanton, Jason, Angela, Trevor Hart, all of Chantilly; and four great grandchildren, Adrienne and Kristin Koonce of Litchfield, Jesse and Megan Blanton of Chantilly. Preceding him in death were two brothers, Neil and Orlan "Bill" Hart. Services for Gerald M. Hart, of Litchfield, were held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Meinschein Funeral Home. The Rev. Ray Johnson officiated. Burial was in Elm Lawn Cemetery. Musical selections were "How Great Thou Art" and "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." Shirley Edwards was the vocalist. Irene Graden was the organist. Pallbearers were Stephen Fiscor, Brian Blanton, Corey Wood, Wade Koonce, Jason Hart, Trevor Hart. Honorary pallbearers were William Drum, Hans Schmidt and Kenneth Towell. Military rites were accorded at graveside by American Legion Post 436. Members of the Color Guard were Bill Rogers, Jess Yellowley, Jim Hicks and Bill Bates. Members of the Rifle Squad were Will Tackaberry, commander, Dave Jackson, Al Lopinot and Charles Cress. Taps was played by Heidi Johnson. Mr. Hart, 79, died Tuesday, June 22 in Heritage Manor of Litchfield.
source: Obitcentral.com