Ray Eugene Harwood's Obituary
Ray Eugene "Gene" Harwood passed away on Sunday, September 26, 2004 at the age of 75. He was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, October, 3, 1928 to Ray and Anna Harwood and married Ila Trene Andrews of Cecil, Arkansas, on February 2, 1952.
Gene attended Fort Smith public schools, proudly graduating from Fort Smith High school where he was a star football and track athlete. He graduated from Arkansas Tech University where he was a scholarship athlete in football and track, a 4-year letterman, and Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference Football Champions during each of the years he played. He coached football and track at Fort Smith Junior High and Fort Smith High School.
He worked for the Arkansas Vocational Rehabilitation Services from 1963 until 1993 serving as the Head Administrator for the Hot Springs Center from 1976 until he retired in 1993. In 1991, he received the prestigious Voyle C. Scurlock award for leadership, dedication, and devotion in serving peoples with disabilities. Gene served his country in the Air National Guard from 1954 until his retirement and honorable discharge at the rank of Major in 1982.
With a life both professionally and personally dedicated to assisting and serving others, Gene was very active in the Hot Springs community where he was an involved participant in First United Methodist Church serving as a Church School teacher and frequent lay-speaker, a member and delegate to the Annual Little Rock conference, on the Church Board of Trustees, and numerous other church-related activities and leadership. He was a member of the Hot Springs Downtown Rotary Club, Past President of the Garland County United Way, a member of the Hot Spring chapter of the Civil War Roundtable, and President of the Hot Springs Chapter of the Retired Officers Association. He was President of the Arkansas Tech University Alumni Board and had been inducted into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother Jack. He is survived by his spouse Ila Harwood now of Fayetteville, his daughter Melissa Harwood-Rom and her husband Curt R. Rom of Fayetteville; two grand daughters, Ms ZoÙ Harwood Rom and Ms Clio Grace Rom; two brothers, Lloyd Harwood and Jimmy Harwood, both of Fort Smith, AR, and a sister, Joyce Harwood Jacobs of Chattanooga, Tn.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made in honor of Gene Harwood at First United Methodist Church of Hot Springs. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2004, 9:00am at First United Methodist Church of Hot Springs.
Visitation Date Time None Visitation Location Service Date Time Saturday, October 2, 2004 9:00 A.M. Service Location First United Methodist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas
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