Eldon Ray Harbord's Obituary
Eldon Ray “Curly” Harbord died at Phelps County Regional Hospital in Rolla, Missouri on Sunday morning June 17, 2007. Born September 17, 1930 in Maryville, Missouri, he was the eighth child of John and Neva Ruby (Harris) Harbord. He grew up in various parts of Missouri and the surrounding states. Mr. Harbord, a proud Korean War Veteran, was in the United States Army from 1947 until 1951. Mr. Harbord held a variety of occupations over the years. He was mainly a mechanic but he also worked as a telegraph lineman and attended barbers training in Oklahoma. In the 1970s, the family lived in the Florida Keys where Curly and his late wife, Redhead, played with airplanes, sailboats and motorcycles. Disabled at an early age, Mr. Harbord worked as a homemaker while his wife worked as a registered nurse. Although he only received an 8th grade education, Mr. Harbord took up writing in the late 1980s and wrote poetry, short stories and a biography about his time in the Korean War. He loved photography and took boxes of pictures. He loved animals and had several dogs and cats over the years. He could grow a mean tomato plant and kept his grass so short you could see the dirt. He bought a computer at age 75 and worked hard to use it. He was an active voter and took great interest in politics and the state of the nation. Even though his illness often caused him pain and confusion, he had a wonderful sense of humor and could tell jokes he remembered from years ago. When he was still able, he loved to drive around town on his different stops and make people smile. He resided in Falcon, Missouri from 1982 until 2005, when he moved to Missouri Veterans Home-St. James. While he remained at home, he helped guide the lives of his six grandchildren (Christopher Keith, Michael, Christopher Matthew, Mark, Mariah and Kelli) who homeschooled and spent a lot of time with him. Mr. Harbord actively sought to know the Lord. In his younger years he was lead off the path; and he was thankful for his salvation even more because of the struggle. He had 35 years of sobriety on September 15, 2006. He read and studied his Bible daily. He was constantly seeking a closer walk. He attended church several times at the Church of the Nazarene and Crosscreek in Lebanon; but his inability to hear made church difficult. He was preceded in death by his wife, Caryl (Bonham) Harbord; his parents; his brothers, Jimmie, Pete, and Ed; and his sisters, Elizabeth, June, Edith, Elda and Patsy. There remains a sister, Mrs. Doris Ball, of Pineville, Lousianna; a brother, J. C. Harbord, of Shawnee Mission, Kansas; a daughter, Mrs. Sandra King, of Dresden, Tennessee; a daughter, Mrs. Diane Armstrong, of Tennessee; a son, Mr. Eric Harbord, of Stockton, Missouri; a daughter, Mrs. Kathleen Haefner, of Falcon, Missouri; a son, Mr. Daniel Booher, of Albany, Missouri; a daughter, Mrs. Connie Jacoby, of Marceline, Missouri; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was greatly loved and will be greatly missed. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 22, 2007, in the Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon. Burial will be in the New Home Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 7 - 8:30 p.m. under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon, Missouri. Memorials to The Victory Mission may be made through the funeral home.
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