He delivered over 3,000 babies and made house calls Dr. Clifton E. Harlan, 93, of Morton, Ill., formerly of Ava, Mo., passed away at his home in Morton on Saturday, June 14, 2008, at 6:45 p.m. His family was by his bedside.
He was born April 29, 1915, in Van Buren County, Iowa. He married Jacqueline L. Workman on Jan. 2, 1937. They had been married 71 years.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Jackie; one son, Richard (Debbie) Harlan, of Springfield, Mo.; one daughter, Rosemary (Robert) Whelchel, of Hanna City, Ill.; six grandchildren, Todd Mangan and Holly Demers, both of Stuart, Fla., Heather (Mike) Lind, of Kansas City, Mo., Stuart (Pam) Harlan of, Jefferson City, Mo., Christopher (Heather) Harlan of Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and Julie (Curtis) Martell, of Lawrence, Kan.; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Ethel Harlan; his sister, Enid Faber; and two children, Dallas and Carolyn Harlan.
He graduated from Stockport High School in Stockport, Iowa, in 1934. He graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery in 1938.
He practiced in Ava, until 1985 when he retired. During this time, he delivered over 3,000 babies and made house calls in the beautiful hills of the Ozarks.
He was a member of the Ava United Methodist Church, serving on different boards of the church. He was an usher for many years and a Gideon.
He was awarded the Ava Area Chamber of Commerce John N. Dickison Award, commemorating a life of service to the Ava community.
He enjoyed attending the Ava High football games and served as the team doctor. He was the first recipient of the Sports Doctor Award. He also enjoyed the Ava High basketball games.
He raised and showed registered shorthorn cattle, taking many top prizes in the states of Missouri and Arkansas. He was a member of the American Shorthorn Association. He also raised and showed Missouri Fox Trotter horses and was a member of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Knapp-Johnson Funeral Home in Morton, Ill. Additional visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, June 23, at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 24, at the Ava United Methodist Church, with burial in the Ava Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Gideons International, Ava United Methodist Church or to Harbor Light Hospice in Peoria, Ill.
To view Dr. Harlan’s video tribute or to leave an online condolence for the family, visit www.knapp johnson.com.
