Willard R. Pirtle
HESSTON - Willard R. Pirtle,
91, passed away Friday (June 29, 2007) at Schowalter Villa in Hesston.
Willard moved with his
parents, Hester and Harvey Pirtle to El Dorado when he was an infant. His
formal educations was in the El Dorado Schools. Willard graduated from high
school in 1934. There were no jobs available so he joined the Civilian
Conservation Corps. (CCC). He was sent to camps in Minnesota where he served
four and a half years. In Bermidji, Minn. he served as the canteen steward and
then was sent to Cloquet, Minn. where he was the new hospital orderly. It was
just he and the doctor. After six months, he replaced a sergeant who went home.
Willard got the three stripes; a barracks leader, and also sergeant over the
dam building crew in the field. The government paid the enrollees $5 a month
and $.25 was sent to the parents back home.
Willard came home to El
Dorado in the spring of 1939 and got a job with the Coleman Company in Wichita
in the fall of 1939. Willard often played horseshoes after work at a place
within walking distance from his Aunt's house where he roomed.
Laura worked the evening shift
at "iobics." One evening he asked to walk her home. She said,
"No, it's too far to walk". He said, "Let's walk for a little
while", but he walked her the three miles to here she lived. Laura was
very unhappy about this and didn't ever want to see him again. However, a few
days later he called for a date and she relented. They went together two years
and married on April 19, 1942. Laura was the first and only girl Willard ever
dated. They made a down payment on a new house, which Laura had the money for.
Willard always said he married her for her money.
Willard was active in sports.
He liked bowling and was secretary of the traveling league. He won many
trophies. He was also very good at table tennis, pool and horseshoes. Willard
pitched horseshoes in many tournaments and won trophies. One time, he
administered CPR to a woman at the bowling alley who needed help.
During the war years, Willard
took a correspondence course on tool and die making and received a diploma as a
journeyman. He worked the night shift at the Coleman Company during the first
six years that he and Laura were married. His only transportation was a
bicycle. During the war, Coleman gave Willard occupational deferments. They
needed him to train women to run the machines.
In the spring of 1970,
Coleman sent him to Sommerset, Pa., to train toolmakers at a new plant they had
started there. He made several flying trips there and stayed weeks at a time.
Laura was able to make some of the trips with him.
Willard and Laura were
members of Grace Methodist Church. He was an active church member. He served as
president of Methodist Men, president of the Keystone Sunday school class and
was the financial secretary for many years with the good help of Laura.
Willard felt donating blood
to the blood bank was a good thing to do and donated 63 units of blood during
several years. In 1980, he retired on his 65th birthday from the Coleman Co.
after working there for 41 years.
The Pirtles moved to the
Schowalter Villa in Hesston in the late summer of 1981. They attended Hesston
United Methodist Church and worked on church committees and as greeters on
Sunday mornings. A neighbor at the Villa got Willard into the Hesston Lions
Club and he took his turn at being vice president, president and chairman of the
annual Lions Club Pancake Day. He also served as the treasurer of the Lions
Club for six years. Willard served on the RSVP Council on Aging for eight
years, scheduled deliveries and actually delivered Meals on Wheels. He served
as president of the Villa Golden Agers several years and was a member of the
Villa Independent Council for two years.
Willard and Laura celebrated
their 25th wedding anniversary in Wichita with relatives and friends and their
50th wedding anniversary in Hesston with relatives and friends. Their 60th
anniversary was a special one.
Willard was proceded in death
by his parents, his beloved wife, Laura, as well as his brother Gerald; and his
sister, Barbara Baylor.
He is survived by a
brother-in-law, Ancle Baylor; nieces Susan Ackerson, Leslie Smith, and Louise
Gerwick; and a nephew, Arthur Baylor, as well as many friends.
Services will be at 10 a.m.
Thursday at the Schowalter Villa Chapel in Heaston. Burial will be in the White
Chapel Cemetery in Wichita at noon Thursday. There will be no visitation.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Hesston United Methodist Church in
care of Miller Funeral Home in Hesston.
