Obituary of Lawrence C. Fagan

Lawrence C. Fagan, 85, of Fairdealing, Missouri, departed this life Friday, June 10, 2016, at Avow Inpatient Hospice in Naples, Florida. Mr. Fagan, son of William Clarence and Nova Lorene (Robinson) Fagan, was born November 11, 1930, in Gatewood, Missouri. He attended Liberty and Couch High School. Being very sports-minded, he became a member of the basketball and softball team and was chosen for the all-star basketball team twice. Lawrence helped pay for his education by picking cotton in Southeast Missouri and, working in the timber in New Mexico as a truck driver. He enjoyed a number of hobbies including calf-roping, coon hunting, racing horses, raising beef cattle, bailing hay and welding. Lawrence married Viola Martha Sue McDonald in 1951 in Bay, Arkansas, in a double wedding ceremony with his cousin, Norman Smith and Marjorie Ellen Stone. In 1952 Lawrence was inducted into the U. S. Army doing his basic training at Aberdeen, Maryland; he was then assigned the duty of guarding prisoners at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Lawrence was sent to Fuessen, Germany, as an instructor in tracking vehicles and was a member of the honor guard. He was chosen as a candidate for Soldier of the Year in the European Theatre. Lawrence became a calf roper with success and never gave up coon hunting. He purchased his home place at Gatewood, raised beef cattle and worked in timber. He then moved his family to St. Louis where he operated dozers and highlifts for construction. He worked as a millwright for Chrysler and Chevy Shell from which he retired to his farm in Fairdealing, raising and selling beef cattle. He then went into the breeding, raising and racing of thoroughbreds and quarter horses. In 1987 his horses ranked second and seventh in the nation in number of races won. He was in the top 30 breeders of race and ROM winners. His horses have been Champion, Reserve Champion, High Point and High Money Earners in the state of Missouri. He was a member of the Pilgrims Rest Church in Fairdealing, Missouri. Surviving are his wife, Sue; 1 daughter, Lavah Suzanne (and husband Robert Rockwell) Hetzel of Naples, Florida; 1 granddaughter, Sarah Ashley (and husband Marcelo) Martin of Lake Worth, Florida; 2 great-granddaughters, Cameron Ashley Martin and Lilyana Ashley Martin; and 2 sisters, Letha Ellen (Fagan) Holt of Pocahontas, Arkansas, and Betty Faye (Fagan) Keel of Doniphan, Missouri. Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents and 2 sisters, Christine (Fagan) Holt and Justine (Fagan) Cotton. Visitation will begin at noon on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at Liberty Freewill Baptist Church in Gatewood. The funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the church sanctuary and burial will be in the Liberty Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Liberty Freewill Baptist Church in Gatewood, Missouri.