Carol Ann "Tootie" Hartog

1943 - 2024

Funeral services for Carol Ann "Tootie" Hartog, 81, West Plains, Mo., will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

She was born Aug. 18, 1943, to James and Gladys (Kruger) Egan in Ellsworth, Minn. Mrs. Hartog passed away Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the cardiac ICU at Cox Medical Center, Springfield, Mo.

She graduated from Luverne, Minn., High School in 1962. She lived in Sioux Falls, S.D. and worked in clothing retail until she met and married John Hartog on March 6, 1964. To this union two daughters were born, Linda Marie Hartog and Lisa Ann (Hartog) Aksamit.

Tootie and John lived in Adrian, Minn., for many decades. She was an extremely hard worker. She worked in a bakery along with helping her friend, Elaine, clean rooms at Elaine's Adrian Hotel. She also was a waitress at the local steak house. She and John also had what we called "the popcorn wagon" which in today's world would be a food truck. The popcorn wagon sat at the Adrian Ballpark all summer and into the fall tournaments. They also took the popcorn wagon to county and state fairs.

Tootie's mother also had a larger popcorn wagon in which she and Tootie made caramel corn and caramel apples from scratch. Together they would go anywhere that needed a mobile food truck including horse shows and auctions.

In 1978, she and John bought their first restaurant in Roc Rapids, Iowa. Carol drove 40 miles back and forth every day to run the restaurant until the Adrian Home Café became available. Her talent at cooking became well-known in the area. She operated the Home Café until John, who worked at the Safeway egg plant in Adrian, was relocated to Emporia, Kan., and then finally to West Plains, to be the maintenance manager for Safeway charcoal plant that was built on ZZ highway in 1983.

In West Plains, Tootie cleaned homes and would bartend. She then became the manager of the Bargain Mart. Eventually, she and John had the opportunity to purchase the Bargain Mart and changed the name to the Bargain Shop. She operated the Bargain Shop for a couple of years but her love for cooking and making people happy from her cooking was calling her.

In 1990, Helen's Hickory House became available and she and John purchased the restaurant and changed the name to TJ's Hickory House. It became the place to go in West Plains known for Tootie's amazing cooking and her giant personality. The restaurant was a staple for over 30 years. Even a fire in 1998 that nearly destroyed the entire building couldn't stop the popularity of TJ's. John rebuilt the restaurant and Tootie brought it back better and stronger than ever. Tootie was not only known for her amazing cooking, but for her generosity and compassion. Everybody who met Tootie grew to love and respect her. She will be greatly missed by all, especially her family.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, John Hartog, of the family home; her oldest daughter and "ride or die" Linda Hartog, West Plains; her youngest daughter Lisa Aksamit and husband Tony, Duenweg, Mo.; three grandchildren Josh (Alexis) Aksamit, Republic, Mo., Amanda (Jared) Loewenberg, Republic, and Carlie Aksamit (Garrett Klingler), Kansas City, Mo.; three great-grandchildren Kinleigh Harring, West Plains, Lilly Duncan, Republic, and Quinn Loewenberg, Republic; and many nieces, nephews and cousins who all loved her dearly in Minnesota.

Her parents Jim and Gert Egan, her precious grandson Creighton Harring, two brothers James Egan and Jerome Egan, one sister Marilyn Goembel and her in-laws Klaus and Sena (Heckor) Hartog preceded her in death.

Visitation services will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, in Langston Street Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in Howell Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Ralph Burnett Scholarship, Elks Lodge or National Diabetes Foundation and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 W. Main St., West Plains, MO 65775. Online condolences may be left at www.robertsondrago.com.