Harold G Hutcheson, Rest In Peace

They buried another World War II veteran yesterday. Harold Hutchenson was laid to rest at the West Fork cemetery. He was a preacher, author, and newspaper publisher/reporter. Based on what I read and what was said he must of been a wonderful person to know. I know he was proud that he was a writer. The first day that I met him he handed me a booklet "We Call It Home" that had some compilations of his work. Unfortunately, I met Hutch only recently at the Fayetteville Veterans Home. Hutch was not doing well and most of the time I spent with him was helping him out with various stuff. We mostly spoke of minor things and he made it known that he didn't like growing old. He told me many times not to grow old. Hmmm, I can't avoid that but I hope to be as active as he was as he grew old. At the end of my visit I would always get a kiss on the hand and a hug. He must have been quite a gentleman.

HAROLD G. HUTCHESON
Harold G. Hutcheson, 92 of West Fork, Arkansas, died Friday, November 16, 2007 at Fayetteville Veteran’s Home.

He was born September 5, l915, six miles south of West Fork, on Winn’s Creek, a son of Virgil T. and Zada Southern Hutcheson. He had been a member of the West Fork Presbyterian Church since September 3, 1972, serving as an elder for several years and before retiring had been a pastor of the West Fork church for almost l6 years. The Hutcheson family moved from the Winn’s Creek community to West Fork in l928 and the deceased graduated from West Fork High School with the class of l933. Later in l934 the family moved to Towanda, Kansas. The deceased enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in l940 and was mobilized into federal service in December of that same year. He served with Companies”I” and “M”, l37th Infantry, 35th Division, in the States in combat in the European Theater of Operations during World War II and was discharged in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, 11 October l945. He was a member of the 35th Division Association, the America Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled Veterans of America. Before retiring in l978, Mr. Hutcheson spent 33 years publishing daily and weekly newspapers in Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. He was co-founder and publisher of the Washington County Observer. In preparation for full time Christian service after retirement, he attended Manhattan (Kansas) Christian College in l978 and l979 before returning to Arkansas in l979. He completed the bachelor degree in Biblical Studies with the graduating class of August l981. He was preceded in death by Leone T.( Hughes) Hutcheson, his wife and by Dorothy (Gardner ) Hutcheson, his wife, a brother LeRoy “Arky” Hutcheson and a sister, Christine Yaryan. He is survived by: One daughter: Susanna K. Hutcheson of Wichita, Kansas One step-daughter: Cathy Keck of Fayetteville, AR Two Step sons: Roy G. Smith of West Fork, AR John Hughes and wife Margo of Arley, AL One Sister: Gretchen Wright of Gravois Mills, MO One Nephew: Sammy Hutcheson of Overland Park, KS Several step grandchildren.