JOE WILLIS AARON

Joe Willis Aaron, 76, of Gainesville, MO passed to heaven on June 29, 2012 at Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home, AR. He was born on April 7, 1936 in Cleveland, TX, the son of Jack Alvin and Sarah Kathryn (Havard) Aaron. Jack Aaron passed away when Joe was just a child, and his mother met and married Qunah DeSpain, who raised Joe as his own. Joe was very blessed to have two wonderful male role models to learn from.

Joe graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, TX in 1955. That same year, he joined the United States Navy where he proudly served his country. After his honorable discharge in 1959, Joe then enlisted in the Army in 1960 and served another three years. On April 17, 1956, Joe was united in marriage to Barbara Jo Bane in Channelview, TX. Barbara traveled with Joe while he was serving in the military, before moving back to Texas where Joe worked for NCR, a cash register company, and later making fog lights and fog horns for oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Joe then went to work for the Navy in Hawaii for two and half years, before moving back to Houston, TX and going to work for the FAA for the next 27 years. After he retired in 1993, Joe and Barbara moved to Gainesville, MO. Joe loved the Ozarks and the many friends he had made here. Joe was a Christian and a member of the Free Will Baptist Church in Fallbrook, TX.

He was preceded in death by his father Jack Aaron; his mother Sarah Aaron DeSpain; his step-father Qunah DeSpain; one infant daughter Bonnie Kathryn Aaron; and one infant great grandson Isaiah Hall. Joe is survived by his wife, Barbara Aaron of the family home in Gainesville, MO; two sons Robert Aaron of Gainesville, MO and wife Gena of Branson, MO; Dwayne Aaron of Tulsa, OK and Jennifer; his grandchildren Brandy Aaron, Amber Aaron, Ashley Aaron, Emily Aaron, Chandler Hansen and Connor Aaron; three brothers Michael Aaron and wife Inez of Plaindealing, LA, Curtis DeSpain and wife Neva of Salem, AR and Ronnie DeSpain and wife Carol of Centerville, TX; a niece and several nephews.

Funeral services in Gainesville, MO will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 30, 2012 in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home Chapel. Services in Cleveland, TX will be held 3 p.m. Monday July 2, 2012 at Pace-Stancil Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Cleveland Memorial Park, Cleveland, TX. On line condolences may be made to www.clinkingbeardfuneralhome.com.