Mr. Pal W. Hastings was born January 4, 1935, in Doniphan, Missouri, to the late Walter and Hazel Hackworth Hastings. His stepfather, Joe, was instrumental in Pal's upbringing. Mr. Hastings died May 23, 2008, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at the age of 73.

Pal married Barbara Jean Compton who survives in Doniphan on October 5, 1957, in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Pal retired as a lieutenant from the Centralia, Illinois, Correctional Facility in 1997. Throughout his life, he loved to hunt and fish. He was an active member of the Doniphan Church of Christ.

Other survivors include: one son, Joseph of Waldorf, Maryland, and one daughter, Tammy Peters of Doniphan; three sisters, Eunice Anderson of St. Louis, Shirley Blackshear of Paducah, Kentucky and Beulah Neal of Colterville, Illinois; three brothers, Ray Joe and Prentis Hastings of Doniphan and Truman Hastings of Paducah, Kentucky; six grandchildren: Jerry Wayne, Jason Christopher, Melody Dawn, Crystal Marie, Diana Carlene and Ashley Nichole; and six great-grandchildren; Dakota, Alexia, Daytona, Joe, Breanna and Logan.

Visitation will be Tuesday, May 27, 2008, from 5 - 8 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home chapel with Steve Sanders officiating. Interment will follow in the Lone Star Cemetery in Doniphan.