Harold Saylor

Harold “Joe” Saylor, 77, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, formerly of Eldora, Iowa, died Saturday, October 4, 2008, at the Grand Bay Convalescent Home in Grand Bay, Alabama. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Friday, October 10, 2008 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Eldora. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Eldora with military honors provided by Walter-Sayer Post 182 of the American Legion and Roll-Harless Post 3974 of the VFW. Visitation is from 6 pm to 8 pm on Thursday at Creps-Abels Funeral Home in Eldora with prayer services beginning at 6 pm.

Joe was born June 12, 1931, in Rockford, Iowa, son of Glenn M. and Angeline M. (Paulus) Saylor. He graduated from Eldora High School in 1950. He attended the Iowa Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, Iowa on a football scholarship for a short time until he was injured losing his scholarship. He then joined the U.S. Navy serving from July of 1951 until May of 1955. Joe decided to make the military his career reenlisting with the Air Force, serving from January 1956 until February 1958, and then from February 1964 until January 1972 retiring as Tech Sergeant. He was a veteran of both the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War being stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Italy, and Turkey. Joe married Doris Stewart in 1965 and they later divorced.  After retirement Harold lived in Eldora for three or four years where he worked for Pine Lake Lumber and then retired to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He was a “friend of Bill W.” and celebrated 28 years of sobriety, also helping many others.   He enjoyed spending time with his nine grandchildren.

He is survived by his children, Joey Saylor of Grand Bay, Alabama, Johnny (Missy) Saylor of Ocean Springs, Jimmy Saylor of Ocean Springs, and Faith (Chuck) Szumigala of Ocean Springs; sisters, Rita (Jim) Pagel of Eldora, Donna Allbee of Eldora, and Karen (Jim) Priske of Eldora; sisters-in-law, Veronica Saylor of Eldora and Annette Saylor of Hill City, South Dakota; and by nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Maurice, Erwin, James, and Richard “Joe”.