Robert 's Obituary
obert Earl Wakefield, son of Earl and Alma Wakefield, was born in Hartville, Missouri on June 18, 1927. He went to meet his Maker on July 10, 2008 at the age of 81. He was preceded in death by his parents, several aunts and uncles and two brothers-in-law. Bob was married to Margarita Jocelyn Adkison on July 17 1948. They had two children, Pamela Jayne and John Mark. He is survived by his wife Marge of Hartville, Missouri; daughter and son-in-law, Pam and Alan Beisswenger of Branson, Missouri; son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Fran of Chiangmai, Thailand; three grandsons and their spouses, James and Elaine Spencer of Springfield, Missouri, Luke and Becca Wakefield of Mill Valley, California, Ben and Britta Wakefield of Springfield, Missouri and two granddaughters and their spouses, Anita and Jerrod Watson of Brownsville, Texas and Torri and Gerry Davis of Branson Missouri; two great grandchildren, Jocelyn Watson of Brownsville, Texas and Zachariah Davis of Branson, Missouri; three brothers and their wives, Don and Juanita Wakefield of Rogersville, Missouri, Bill and Delcie Wakefield of Louisburg, North Carolina, and Dick and Mary Wakefield of Hartville, Missouri; one uncle, Lee Wakefield, two aunts, Helen Wakefield and Betty Jean Nichols; two sisters-in-law, Lois Reed Harris and Lois Fern Adkison; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and many other relatives and wonderful friends. Bob was raised in Hartville where he graduated from Hartville High School. He later attended Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Missouri, Union University in Jackson, Tennessee and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He was presented with an honorary doctorate from Southwest Baptist University in 1994. Among the varied jobs in his life were an egg breaker in a powdered egg factory, fireman, cook and catapult operator while in the Navy, pastor, postal worker, lineman, dry cleaner, printer, apartment maintenance, dorm parent, a missionary working Singapore, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Fiji and other countries, a Hospice chaplain, and counselor. Bob was passionate about people! Among his various hobbies were gardening, collecting orchids, butterflies, arrowheads, interesting looking rocks and other objects that interested him and fishing. He enjoyed photography and was an avid, creative writer. He liked working with wood and made items that sold at Mountain Rockers in Silver Dollar City where he worked part-time for a few years with his daughter. As a young boy, Bob attended First Baptist Church, Hartville, Missouri with his family. He later was pastor at Pattonsburg, Missouri, Wyaconda and Luray, Missouri, Medon, Tennessee, Mountain View, Missouri and at Green Valley in Hartville. Overseas he served as pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Singapore and of Klang Baptist Church in Malaysia and in a host of other roles. He loved his family and friends with an unconditional love. His care for those around him was evident in his actions. He would strike up conversation with total strangers wherever he went. His life was a demonstration of God’s love to all who met him. We celebrate his life and are blessed to call him husband, Dad, Granddad, Great-granddad, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and, most of all, FRIEND. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 14, 2008, in the First Baptist Church, Hartville, Missouri. Burial will be in the Steele Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday from 6 - 8:00 p.m. under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Hartville, Missouri. Memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, Community Hospice or the International Mission Board, may be made through the funeral home. Return to top
What’s your fondest memory of Robert?
What’s a lesson you learned from Robert?
Share a story where Robert's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Robert you’ll never forget.
How did Robert make you smile?