Harold Hartin

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Harold Robert Hartin passed away on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at Marshall Browning Hospital. After days of his two daughters, Sherry and Jacki, and some of his grandchildren at his bedside, Harold joined his Lord and beloved wife, Florence at 7:50 a.m. During the last remaining hours before his death, his daughters and several grandchildren held a worship time in his hospital room, being comforted by the music and lyrics of the songs recorded by Tim Hirsch.

Harold was born on July 27, 1921, in East St. Louis to Eldon and Pearl Hartin. He married Florence Dippel on Oct. 2, 1943, in East St. Louis. He worked as a pipe mechanic for 34 years at Monsanto Chemical Company in Sauget. He was a Marine during World War II. After giving his life to Christ at the age of 33, Harold devoted the rest of his life working for his Lord and Savior. He was involved on a daily basis in the construction and/or maintenance of Hollywood Heights Baptist Church in HollywoodHeights, Meadow Heights Baptist Church in Collinsville and First Baptist Church in Du Quoin. He used his skills and talents for the Lord's work.

Harold is survived by his two daughters, Sherry Gravot and Jacqueline Woosley and husband, David Woosley, all of Du Quoin; seven grandchildren, Mark Gravot of Du Quoin, Laura (Gravot) Cochran and husband Gary of Murphysboro, Julie (Gravot) Zuercher and husband Kirk of Birmingham, Ala., Paul Woosley and wife Dana Suzanne of Cincinnati, Ohio, Josh Gravot and wife Melissa of La Vergne, Tenn., Dana (Woosley) Barrow and husband Charles of Minneapolis, Minn., and Chad Woosley and wife Kim of Evansville, Ind.; and eight great-grandchildren, Kelsie and Kevin Zuercher, Amanda and Matthew Woosley, Alex and Sophia Gravot, and Chase and Dillon Barrow.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Pearl Hartin; one brother, a twin, Eldon; and one sister, Elda Rita Allen.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 27 at First Baptist Church, Du Quoin with the Rev. Joe Wagner officiating. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin on Wednesday, March 26, and from 10 a.m. until the time of service on March 27 at the First Baptist Church of Du Quoin. Interment will be in the Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Fairview Heights.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund and will be accepted at the funeral home or at the church.

For additional information or to sign the memorial guest register, please visit www.searbyfuneralhomes.com.