Howard Haskins, 81
Funeral services for Howard Lee Haskins, 81, of Thornfield, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Ava with Pastors David Dye and Louis Stern officiating. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time Thursday at the funeral home. Due to concerns related to the covid-19 pandemic, those attending are asked to wear a mask. Mr. Haskins died Feb. 21 at Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare in Ava with family by his side.
He was born Jan. 6, 1940, in Thornfield, the son of Basil Guy and Alma Ellen Johnson Haskins. On Feb. 28, 1965, at Walnut Grove General Baptist Church near Smallett, he married Leah Streight.
He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1957 and then received his B.S. Degree from Southwest Missouri State College (now Missouri State University) in Springfield after working his way through college.
After earning his degree, he enlisted in the Army and served for 31 months in Germany during the Vietnam War era. After his honorable discharge, he worked as a Kansas City police officer.
In 1968, he and Leah returned to the Thornfield area, and he began teaching school and coaching in Gainesville. He later served two terms as Ozark County Collector and then three terms as Ozark County Clerk. He retired in 1998 to start what he called his “real job” as a full-time beef farmer, continuing in that work until 2015, when his health began to fail due to leukemia.
He was a Christian and attended the Thornfield General Baptist Church. He and Leah loved attending the MSU Bears and Lady Bears games and also the Springfield Cardinals.
Mr. Haskins is survived by his loving wife, Leah; his daughter-in-law, Chris Haskins; his brothers and sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved son, Sean, who died Feb. 1; his brother and sister-in-law, Guy and Faith Haskins, and a sister, Annabelle Adams.
Memorial contributions may be made to Thornfield Cemetery or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Online condolences may be expressed at clinkingbeardfuneralhome.com.
Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, directors.