Velories Matthew "Val" Harlan

Harlan, Velories Matthew "Val", 84, of Pinewood, Texas, formerly of Kansas, passed away peacefully on September 27, 2006 at Dubuis Hospital in Beaumont, Texas. He was born September 6, 1922 to the late Etta Watchous and Willis Bledsoe Harlan in Eureka, Kan. Val graduated from Eureka High School in 1939 then entered The University of Kansas on a scholastic scholarship. He was a member of the ROTC and entered the United States Army as a First Lieutenant. Following the war, he returned to The University of Kansas and graduated in 1947. Val served in the Korean War earning the rank of Captain before an Honorable Discharge in 1950. After a short employment with Kansas Gas and Electric he worked for Boeing Company in Wichita, Kansas and Everett, Washington. It was at Boeing that he met and married the love of his life, Juanita in 1959. Together they moved to Beaumont, Texas in 1969 and entered the Dairy Queen business with family. Retiring in 1973, they traveled the United States in their RV enjoying the outdoors and each other. They built beautiful retirement homes in both Durango, Colorado and Springfield, Missouri before moving back to Beaumont, Texas to be close to family. Val was a loyal member of the Bestor G. Brown Masonic Lodge #433 and the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Temple. A man of six foot seven inches statue, he was an outstanding and popular drum major of the Oriental Band and spent many happy years parading in community events as well as Imperial Sessions. He was a member of the Beaumont Elks Lodge #311 and the Sour Lake United Methodist Church. Val was preceded in death by his parents, Etta and Willis Harlan; brother, William Harlan; daughter, Sandra Kay Knittle; and son-in-law, Bruce Allred. He is survived by his wife, Juanita Gettle Harlan of Pinewood, Texas; daughter, Susan Cox; stepdaughter, Janet Allred of Beaumont, Texas; grandchildren, Patricia Moore and her husband David, and Brenda McMakin and her husband Doug, Christen Horn and her husband Mike, David Cox, Traci Worthen and her husband Steve; great-grandchildren, Emily Miller and her husband Chris, Dwight, Molly and Doug Moore, Caroline and Charles Klein, Art and Madalyn McMakin; and a great-great-grandson, Weston Miller. Service for Mr. Harlan will be 2 p.m. on Monday, October 2, 2006 at Trinity United Methodist Church with The Reverend Bob C. Shield officiating. A Masonic graveside service will be 2:00 P.M. October 7, 2006 at Wichita Park in Wichita, Kansas by the Bestor G. Brown Masonic Lodge #433 with Stephen Crane as presider. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children Burns Hospital-Galveston, 815 Market Street, Galveston, Texas 77550-9969.