To give you an opportunity to see what's new, and what has changed, we have taken the paywall down temporarily.
Currently, there is no need to log into the site.
We will provide instructions for creating new account and resetting passwords when the paywall is turned back on.
Shirley Lavaughn (Francis) Harp of Holiday Island passed away in Springfield on June 7, 2023, at the age of 85. She was born September 9, 1937, to Lynn and Ruth (Oxley) Francis at Bado, Missouri. The family later moved to Mountain Grove, Missouri where Shirley graduated from High School, after which she attended Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, after that she was employed by various large businesses throughout her career.
Shirley loved gospel music and grew up participating in a southern gospel quartet with her parents who did weekly live radio shows over various radio stations and doing personal appearances throughout the area in Missouri. She was also a member of a girl’s quartet during her High School years who had Sunday morning appearances on live radio shows. Shirley also accompanied her husband’s “Big Band” on many occasions, and she also was with him for moral support when he played taps on his trumpet for hundreds of military and Veterans funerals, nursing homes, etc.
In 1988 Shirley was united in marriage in Honolulu, Hawaii to Laddie Joe Harp of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. They then located to Eureka Springs to assist his parents with their family businesses until their deaths.
After then they spent several years traveling across country with Shirley’s dad in their motorhome and attended various national quartet conventions and other gospel concerts while sight-seeing along the way, but returning to their home in Florida to spend the winters. In 2006, they returned to Eureka Springs and located at Holiday Island.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Laddie Joe Harp; parents, Lynn and Ruth Francis of Mountain Grove, Missouri; her sister and brother-in-law, Delores and Allen Lindley of Roswell, New Mexico; brother and sister-in-law, Eugene and Mary Francis of Callahan, Florida; grandparents, Charles and Cora Francis of Bado, Missouri, John and Margaret Oxley of Cabool, Missouri; several uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Survivors include niece, Marjorie Bohnker of Deland, Florida; nephews and their wives, Gene and Julie Lindley of Springfield, Missouri, Buddy and Rhonda Francis of Jacksonville, Florida, Lynn Francis of Florida, Larry Lindley of Riverside, California; step-son and wife, Mark and Cindy Harp of Springfield, Missouri; step-grandson, Joey Harp and Danielle of Springfield, Missouri; step-great-grandson, Jason Harp of Springfield, Missouri; and a host of great-nephews, great-nieces, great-great-nieces and greatgreat- nephews and cousins.
Note: This obituary was drawn up by Shirley L. (Francis) Harp in her own words.
Graveside service was 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at Eureka Springs Cemetery alongside Shirley’s husband. In lieu of flowers, Shirley has requested donations to be made to Veterans organizations or the Elks Lodge, 4 Parkcliff Drive, Holiday Island, AR 2631, or Holiday Island Community Church of Holiday Island, Arkansas. Arrangements under the direction of Nelson Funeral Service. Online condolences may be sent to nelsonfuneral. com.
