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Pirtle, Willard R

The Newton Kansan

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.


Owner/SourceHarvey County Genealogical Society
Date2 Jul 2007
Linked toWillard R Pirtle

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