Harold Gene Eckerson “Old Harold The Barber”, 1929-2016
Harold Gene Eckerson, better known as “old Harold the Barber,” was born June 10, 1929, to Jessie Pauline (Herron) Eckerson and George Earl “Red” Eckerson at Brooklyn, Mo., in the telephone switchboard house just east of the Brooklyn Store on the north side of Main Street in Brooklyn.
He died December 10, 2016, at home in Bethany.
He went to the country school just north of Brooklyn until seventh grade when his parents moved to Eagleville, Mo. He graduated from Eagleville High School in 1947, and in June, started at Molar Barber School in Kansas City, Mo. He graduated from barber school in May 1948 and got a job with Dan’s Barber Shop in Kansas City where he completed his apprenticeship after 18 months.
On July 11, 1948, Harold and Lela May Cook were married in Independence, Mo., with Lee’s parents, Pat and Velma Cook, and brother, Robert Cook, in attendance.
Harold and Lee bought a building on the square in Eagleville from Keith and Eileen Evans, and with the help of his father-in-law, Pat, and Lee’s grandfather, Crit Cook, made a barber shop in the front part of the building and an apartment in the back. Harold’s Barber Shop opened April 1, 1950, and was located there until July 21, 1962, when he moved the business to Bethany, located just north of Eckard’s. In January 1972, he moved the shop to the building which was part of Ye Old Village that Chick Osborn built at 3403 Miller Street. He worked there until the building was sold in June 2014 and he retired. He always said he would chop until he dropped.
Harold and Lee had two sons, Ron and Greg.
Survivors include his wife, Lee, of the home; sons, Ron and Norma (Uthe) Eckerson, Maryville, and Greg and Pam (Glenn) Eckerson, Overland Park, KS; and eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Ron’s children and grandchildren: Jacki and Larry Wood and Hunter and Hannah; Christy and Phil Morrissey and Jaden, Zoe and Lucy Rose; Amy and Will Anderson and Ailey, Kaiya and Gray; Ryan and Alexie Eckerson and Henry and Evan.
Greg’s children and grandchildren: Josh Eckerson and Gracie, Caden, Camden and Cearstyn; Kerri and Michael Ward and Jolee, Laina and Dustin; Whitney and Zach Mervosh and Hayden and Kellen; Ashley and Steve Barney.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 14 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Harold will be cremated following the visitation. There are no scheduled services. Memorial contributions may be made to the Harrison County Genealogy Society and/or Eagleville Christian Church in care of Roberson Funeral Home, PO Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com