Harold W. Barks

Harold W. Barks, Major USAF, Retired, 69, of Brookfield, died unexpectedly December 28 at his home. He was the husband of the late Grace (McDonnell) Barks and the father and father-in-law of Carolyn and Dufner of Newtown, and grandfather to their children, Kevin and Emily Dufner.

Hal was born in Potosi, Mo., on April 6, 1934, a son of the late Edward C. and Opal (Englehart) Barks. He was a graduate of Malden High School, Malden, Mo., and attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1954 and began a 20-year career. He was a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam wars, flying C-124 and C-141 airplanes. He was at the time the youngest pilot in the Air Force to fly multi-engine planes. In 1974, he retired as Air Operations Officer at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, with the rank of major.

Following his retirement, he was employed by the State of Hawaii as State Director of OSHA. Hal became a Mason while stationed in Tokyo, Japan, and was a member of the Eureka Lodge in Bethel. He was also a member of the Pyramid Temple Shriners in Milford, and held several positions on the Divane, was past president of the Motor Patrol and was the representative to the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Mass. He has been a resident of Brookfield since 1995.

Survivors also a brother, Edward L. Barks and his wife Joyce of Vida, Ore.

Funeral services will be held Friday, January 2, at 11 am in the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Friends may call Friday after 10 am. Contributions may be made to Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104.

The Newtown Bee        January 2, 2004