Paul William Harker, son of the late Morris and Pearl (Malone) Harker, was born October 1, 1941, in Texas County, Missouri, on a farm one mile east of Mountain Grove, and passed away September 7, 2023, in Cabool, Missouri. He was 81 years, 11 months, and 6 days of age.
Paul spent his first six school years in a one-room county schoolhouse (Walnut Grove) and graduated from Mountain Grove High School in 1959.
After graduation, Paul went to Kansas City to seek his fortune and followed a little girl named Joan Curtis, whom he married later that year. They decided city life wasn’t for them and they returned home to Mountain Grove, bought a farm, and started a dairy business. He also worked at Kraft Foods. For many years, he was privileged to travel all over the United States as a Mid-America Dairy Board member. He was also proud to serve on the board of the Wright County Children’s Home.
Paul loved the Lord. He was a faithful servant, teaching Sunday School and being a Deacon at First Free Will Baptist Church in Mountain Grove for many years.
He enjoyed hunting quail and pheasant with his sons and grandsons, fishing and playing golf, watching the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. One of his favorite things was taking family vacations and traveling with friends.
In 2017, he was diagnosed with a muscular disease that limited his ability to do many of the things he loved. Paul continued to live life to the fullest as much as he was able for as long as he could.
Besides his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his loving wife, Joan, in 2022, his brother, Leroy Harker, his daughter-in-law, Jenny Harker, brothers-in-law, Gene and Reggie Curtis and Ed Kubisak, sisters-in-law, Joyce Nunn, Lila Curtis, and Marilyn Riggs.
He is survived by son, Lyndell Harker and his wife, Darlene, daughter, Paulette Ikemeier and her husband, Eddie, and son, Kevin Harker, eight grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, brother-in-law, Brent Nunn, sisters-in-law, Barbara Harker, Nelda Kubisak, Louise Curtis, and Vi Curtis, many cousins, nieces, and nephews, and friends.
