Lonnie Dean High, 77
Funeral services for Lonnie Dean High, 77, of Gainesville, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 4, 2020, at Frontier Baptist Church in Pontiac with Pastor Bruce DeWeese officiating. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time Thursday at the church. Mr. High died May 31 at his home.
He was born Nov. 21, 1942, in Willhoit, the son of Elmer Elvis and Thelma Allene High. He grew up on the family farm and attended Grabeel School during his elementary years then graduated from Gainesville High School in 1961.
After high school, he spent some time in Kansas City before moving to Orlando, Florida, where he worked for several years in the food service industry related to resort hotels in the area. After his retirement, he moved to Camdenton to be closer to his brother, Pete, and then moved to Gainesville about three years ago.
Mr. High loved to write, and he was a talented storyteller whose work was sometimes published in the Ozark County Times. In the last two years, with his companion Lorene Loftis, he delivered the Times each week to newsstands along a paper route that took them from Gainesville through Caulfield and Bakersfield and into Mountain Home, Arkansas.
He liked working in the yard. He was a kind and gentle soul who loved his family dearly.
He was baptized many years ago during his time in Kansas City. After moving to Gainesville, he attended Frontier Baptist Church.
Survivors include his siblings, Pete High and wife Laura of Camdenton, Linda Mullins and husband Earl of Ozark, Mary Stewart of St. Louis and Maxine White of Gainesville; several nieces and nephews; and loving companion Lorene Loftis.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Leroy High, Archie High and Jim High.
Burial will be in the Loftis Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Loftis Cemetery.
Arrangements by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville.