Harlan E. Gilmore, of Wellsville, died Sunday December 24, 2023, at ANEW Health and Rehab (Gamma Road) in Wellsville. He was 76 years old.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday January 13, 2024, at the Wellsville United Methodist Presbyterian Church with Rev. Paul Catterton officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until service time at the church.

Myers Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Harlan was born in Hannibal, Missouri on February 10, 1947. He was the son of Glen Henry and Marjorie (Utterback) Gilmore and had one brother, Terry, who is two years older. Harlan's grandmother Helen Utterback lived with the family and helped raise the two boys while his mother worked at the S.S. Kreske's 5 & Dime store. His father was a mailman.

Harlan graduated from Hannibal High School in 1965, at which time he was drafted into the United States Army, serving in Viet Nam from 1969-1971. He worked in intelligence with General Westmorland.

Once back from the service, he worked the night shift at Western Printing making the Little Golden Books. He attended Hannibal LaGrange College and obtained a BA in History. He later received a Masters in History at Northeast Missouri State (now Truman University).

In 1972, he married Joyce Kay Garretson at the First United Methodist Church in Springfield, Illinois. They were married for 51 years. She survives at the home.

Harlan was a teacher at Wellsville-Middletown R-I Schools for 34 years. He taught History; U.S., World and Geography. He also served as a Senior Sponsor and took students on over 20 senor trips to Texas, Washington D.C., New York, and Florida. He was a leader of Explorer Boy Scouts, and umpired high school baseball.

He served as Tour Director for eight E.F. Tours, going overseas to visit ten different countries. This was something he really loved doing as he loved to travel. He had visited all 50 states and was working on visiting our 60 state parks. He also had gone on two Caribbean Cruises and two Alaskan Cruises.

Harlan was also involved in the community having served on the Wellsville Library Board, Wellsville Aquatic Pool, and served on the Wellsville-Middletown R-I School Board for two terms. He was serving as Board President when in 2014, he had a massive stroke.

The July 3, 2014, the stroke caused him to be paralyzed on his right side and he was no longer able to talk but still understood, and could respond to questions with a yes or no. He lived at Gamma Road Lodge for rehab for 17 months, after which he was able to return home and lived there for six years. In July of 2022, as Joyce was no longer able to care for him, he returned to Gamma where he was at the time of his death.

In his last years he remained an avid history buff and frequently watched the history channel. He also enjoyed watching Cardinal Baseball and working hundreds of jigsaw puzzles.

In addition to his wife Joyce, survivors include one son, Shawn Gilmore and wife Kristen, of Champaign, Illinois, and one granddaughter, Emmaline; one brother, Terry Gilmore, and wife Elaine, and their daughter Christina Webster, and her husband Doug, and their children Elizabeth and Adam; one brother-in-law, Alan Garretson, and wife Ruth, and their children, Scott, and Jeffery (who both are deceased), and Kirsten, and husband Matthew, and their children, Dylan, Drew, and Ellen, and Scott's daughter Kelly.

In addition to his nephews Scott and Jeffery, Harlan was preceded in death by his parents.

The family suggests memorial gifts to ANEW Healthcare and Rehab (Gamma Road).  They may be sent in care of Myers Funeral Home, 203 E. Bates Street, Wellsville, MO 63384.