Eugene "Gene" Lyle Hankins

On the morning of Sunday, April 23, 2017, just one day shy of his 95th birthday, Gene Hankins died. He was loved dearly by his family and by his friends and, though he lived a long and productive life, his loss is nonetheless devastating. Dad was born on the family farm in Osborn, Missouri on April 24, 1922 to Carl and Kathryn Hankins. As a child, he and his brothers helped on the farm and endured the struggles not only of the Great Depression, but of the Dust Bowl years of 1934 and 1936. During World War II, he served in the Army in North Africa and Italy and was on his way to the Pacific when the Japanese surrendered in August, 1945. He married Doris Jean Morrison on March 20, 1943 and they celebrated 60 years of marriage on March 20, 2003. Mother died on January 29, 2004. To say that Dad was devoted to his family is an understatement. When we were young, he was, for over ten years, the Cub Scout Leader of Pack 252 and the manager of numerous Little League Baseball teams. Once we were grown, he was never happier than when he was involved in helping one of us in various home improvement projects. Whether it was building a huge backyard jungle gym for his Springfield grandchildren, helping Bill on his Platte County farm, or constructing and installing shelves for Tom’s office, Dad was always there for us. Dad worked at Hallmark Cards for 37 years and was a loyal and devoted employee. He loved Hallmark and the Hall family and loved the people he worked with. When he retired in 1984, he devoted a great deal of his time and attention to his Greenhaven Neighborhood, making sure that flags were displayed on all appropriate holidays, that block parties were well advertised and well attended, and that the neighborhood was kept neat and tidy. Dad was amazingly fit and active. In May, 2014, at the age of 92, he walked portions of the Grand Canyon. When he was disabled by a stroke in August, 2014, he was determined to get better and, to the day of his death, he never gave up. He was an amazing man. He was loved not only by his sons and by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but also by his nieces and nephews and by his many friends and neighbors. He was interested in others and was always fun to be with. He never whined and never complained. He simply did what needed to be done and did it with resolve, determination, and good humor. Dad was preceded in death by our Mom, Doris, and by his brothers John, Robert, and Rodney and by his sister Ella Ray. He leaves behind his three sons and daughters-in-law, Bob and Pam of Springfield, Bill and Marcia of Platte City, and Tom and Molly of Kansas City, grandchildren Carrie, Emily, Paul, Kate, and Andy, and great-grandchildren Isabella, Jackson, Alouisa, Gabi, Jaren, Kinleigh, Mason, Aidan, Riley and Gracie. He is also survived by his brother Darrell and his wife Jo of Homewood, Alabama, and his sisters-in-law Dorothy Hankins of Cameron and Pat Pugh of Kidder. Visitation will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 30, 2017 at the Poland-Thompson Funeral Home in Cameron, Missouri, with the service to follow at 3:00 p.m. Burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Osborn. Contributions in Dad’s honor to the Hankins Family Scholarship Fund (to benefit the Valedictorians of Osborn High School) would be appreciated. Online condolences may be left at www.polandthompson.com. Dad brightened and enriched the lives of everyone he met. Even in the years following his stroke, he was funny and engaging. And, despite being so profoundly disabled by the stroke, he never complained and he never wavered in his quest to get better. We love you Dad, and we thank you for everything you did for us.