E. Frank Hart (1916-2004)

HART, OEF, BJORNSTAD, ANDERSEN, CLEGHORN, VETTER, SEARCY, FASSBENDER

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 12/5/2017 at 10:50:50

Eugene "Frank" Hart, 87, of Spencer died Monday, April 19, 2004, at Spencer Hospital following a brief illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Congregational Church in Spencer, with the Revs. Thomas and Wendy Van Tassell officiating. There will be a Masonic service, conducted by the Evening Shade Lodge 312 A.F. & A.M., following the service Monday at the church. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Glen Pedersen Post 1. Visitation will be 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, with the family present 4 to 5:30 p.m., at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer.

E. Frank Hart, the son of Gedney and Minnie (Oef) Hart, was born Oct. 22, 1916, in Warsaw, Mo. Following graduation from Warsaw High School, he moved to Spencer to live and work for his brother, John Hart and Dale Norton, at H&N Chevrolet.

On Sept. 21, 1939, he married Gretchen Bjornstad in Spencer. Before World War II, he and his brother, John, went into partnership and started Hart Motors in Spencer, which was a Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealership.

During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving as a pilot and flight instructor. He was honorably discharged in 1944 as a first lieutenant. He then returned to Spencer and was a partner in Hart Motors until 1957, when he purchased H&N Chevrolet. He was the dealer from 1957 until 2000, when he was succeeded by his son, Doug. After Gretchen's death in 1986, he married Ellen Andersen in 1988.

He was very active in the business community in Spencer. He was named "Jaycee's Boss of the Year" in 1969, and "Spencer's Citizen of the Year" in 1978. He served on the board of directors for Farmers Trust and Savings Bank from 1967 to 1984, and on the board of Spencer Municipal Utilities from 1968 to 1996. He also was a 53-year member of the Masons and the Shrine, more-than-30 year member of the Daybreakers, Kiwanis Club, a member of the First Congregational Church and the American Legion.

He was an avid sportsman. He made a hole-in-one in 1959 and bowled a 300 game in 1966. He was the Spencer Golf and Country Club champion three times. He was the last survivor of the well known "Foursome", which consisted of his close friends, Bob Howe, Bob Woods and Nook Redmond. Hunting and fishing trips to Missouri and Canada were favorite memories of his.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen of Spencer; his children and their spouses, Anne and Jon Cleghorn of Dakota Dunes, S.D., Doug and Sandy Hart of Spencer, Meredith and Dick Vetter of Charlotte, N.C., and Ben and Mary Hart of Wilmette, Ill.; 11 grandchildren, Jen Cleghorn (Tom) Searcy of Indianapolis, Ind., Chris (Holly) Cleghorn of Urbandale, Iowa, Angie (Brian) Fassbender of Spencer, Adam Hart of Seattle, Wash., Elizabeth Vetter of Omaha, Drew Vetter of Charlotte, N.C., Gretchen Vetter of Iowa City, Iowa, Joe Vetter of Charlotte, Mike Hart, Jack Hart and Maggie Hart, all of Wilmette, Ill.; his great-grandchildren, Zachary and Cate Searcy, Lydia Cleghorn and Sophia and Isabella Fassbender; and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Gretchen; and eight siblings.
Memorials may be directed to First Congregational Church or Spencer Regional Hospital Foundation.

From Sioux City Journal