Harold J. Heller

Harold John Heller, the son of John Benjamin and Lucy Elvira Cambridge Heller, was born December 15, 1923, on a farm east of Hunter, Kansas. He died March 23, 2007, at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit, Kansas, at the age of 83 years. Failing health made it necessary to enter Hilltop Lodge in July of 2006.
Harold grew up on the farm and attended OK Country School before graduating from Hunter High School. He attended Kansas State University for a year and then joined the US Merchant Marines where he served on tanker ships between New Jersey and the British Isles. In February of 1943, Harold enlisted in the US Army Air Corps and served at Jacloban Air Field in the Philippines during World War II.
On Easter Sunday of 1945, while Harold was home on leave, he was united in marriage with Virginia "Jeannie" Bressel at Hunter and two sons and one daughter were born to that union. The couple had been privileged to spend 58 years of married life together at the time of her death in 2003.
After his discharge from military service, Harold returned to his chosen vocation of farming. "Kylo" and "Sod Buster" were his nicknames and he loved the smell of freshly plowed dirt and new mown hay. Morning was his favorite time of day on the farm and he always urged his kids to "git up and git at 'um." Harold was always progressive in his farming and cattle operations and placed a high value on education. He was always a sports fan and enjoyed officiating at the activities of young people in the community.
Harold liked people, enjoyed doing things for others, and was very active in his church and community. He was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and served on the building committee for the new church. He was past-commander of American Legion Post #77; was a member of the Hunter Lions Club; and served as chairman of the Hunter Bicentennial. Harold also served as a board member for many organizations including Farmway CO-OP, Hunter School District, Mitchell County Soil Conservation Service, Solomon Valley Feedlot, Kansas Livestock Association, Greenwood Cemetery, Blue Hill Township and Kansas Farm Management Association.
Survivors include two sons and their wives, Terry and Ann Heller and Ron and Jayne Heller of Hunter; a daughter, Cheryl Olson and husband, Ross of Cawker City; nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, Harold was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Warren Heller; and two sisters, Ila Breidenthal and Lela Pratt.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM Tuesday, March 27, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hunter with burial at Greenwood Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the church. Visitation will be from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday at the McDonald Funeral Home in Beloit.