Harold "Deanie" Hemphill's Obituary
Harold Dean "Deanie" Hemphill, 92 of Corydon passed away, Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at Wayne County Hospital in Corydon. Harold was born on April 30, 1928 to Charles & Lena (Nelson) Hemphill in Otoe County, Nebraska, near Nebraska City. He attended high school in Dunbar, NE, driving his Model A or walking when it was too muddy. He was baptized at age 14 and rededicated himself to the Lord as a young man. He was a friend of the First Baptist Church in Corydon. Harold was born into a very industrious and hard-working family of Scottish and Danish descent. They farmed several farms with the help of a hired man. Horses were the main source of power until 1936 with the purchase of a new John Deere A tractor. Harold often said he would not have become a farmer if he had to do it with horses. His father liked Western work horses as they could work long and hard; but they could be hard for a young boy to control and had an inclination to run off, which they often did. Harold showed his industrious side at an early age when he made a harness for his pony to pull a little red wagon full of wood to the house to use in the stove. At age 9, he was using the new John Deere A to plow 80 acres of ground for planting wheat. Harold remembered the sad day when they received the news that their hired man had been killed in Europe during World War II. Harold had long before taken over the hired man's duties of milking, planting, haying, threshing, and all of the other chores of farm life in the 30's and 40's. A happy memory of Harold's youth was his father buying the first combine in the neighborhood. Despite his neighbors' doubts, it worked just fine and ended the long and dirty days of threshing. In the 40's the family moved to Wayne County, Iowa where land prices were more affordable. Harold and his father farmed a total of 480 acres using both horses and the John Deere A. Harold met the love of his life, Yvonne Burkman, and married her on September 2, 1949 at the First Baptist Church in Corydon. They made their home on a farm 8 miles northeast of Corydon. They were joined by sons Gregory Dean in 1951 and Kendall Eugene in 1959. For many summers, Yvonne's younger sisters Nancy and Anna Lee came from Lisle, IL to work and play with their nephews, Greg and Kendall, and enjoy life on the farm. Hard work and long hours were always a part of Harold's life. In addition to establishing their farm, Harold worked various jobs to supplement their income, including Craig Miles' Elevator, Baldwin Elevator, Bishop Trucking, Lindow Trucking, Gilman Carpentry, Owens Carpentry, Corydon Lumber Yard, Millerton Lumber Yard, and HyVee Warehouse. Life on the farm consisted of the usual tasks of planting, harvesting, haying, milking cows, and caring for the various livestock. Harold was especially passionate about keeping his machinery clean and in good repair and his farm neat and tidy. No matter what job Harold undertook, he always gave 110%. Harold had little free time, but when he did, he was a vivacious reader of anything related to farming and livestock. He enjoyed music, gospel and Big Band among his favorites. Vacations were unheard of when Harold was a child, so he made sure to do some traveling with his own family when time permitted. Favorite destinations were the State Fair, trips out of state, farm shows, and trips back to Nebraska to visit old friends and family. Family gatherings for birthdays and holidays were very important. Simple pleasures of a Sunday drive to check the crops, riding the 4-wheeler with the dog, Queenie, teaching the grandchildren to feed a bottle calf, or a picnic lunch in the field were part of the joys of farm life for Harold. The years passed quickly, and eventually Harold found the need to cut back on his workload, but he never lost interest in farming. He still liked to learn about new technology and kept up with trends in the farming industry even as he gradually stepped away from it. He was proud of the life he had made for himself and his family as a 4th generation farmer. Most of all, Harold was a loving husband, father and grandfather. His wife was the light of his life, his sons his proudest accomplishments, and his grandchildren his greatest joy. Survivors include his wife Yvonne Hemphill, sons: Gregory Dean Hemphill (Jean), Kendall Hemphill (Laurie), grandchildren: Andrew Hemphill (Heather), Angela Elings (T.J.), Ashley Hemphill (Garrett), Madison Hemphill, Lucas Hemphill and numerous extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Glenn Hemphill. A public visitation will take place Friday, June 12, 2020 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at Thomas Funeral Home in Corydon. Due to the COVID-19 Virus, the family will not be present. Mr. Hemphill will be buried in Corydon Cemetery in a private ceremony with his family present. Memorials may be given to Prairie Trails Museum or EveryStep Hospice. Condolences may be shared at www.thomasfh.com or facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Harold "Deanie" Hemphill please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details Corydon Cemetery S. West St. & Co Park Road
Corydon, IA 50060 Visitation JUN 12. 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (CST) Thomas Funeral Home~Corydon 303 E. JeffersonCorydon, IA 50060[emailprotected]
What’s your fondest memory of Harold?
What’s a lesson you learned from Harold?
Share a story where Harold's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Harold you’ll never forget.
How did Harold make you smile?