Morris Kester Hart

Morris Kester Hart, 97, Union City, Ohio, passed away March 16, 2020, at Village Green Assisted Living. Son of the late James Richard Hart and the late Elsie Kester Hart, Morris was born in Greensfork Township, Randolph County, Indiana. He graduated from Union City East Side High School. Morris was a machinist at the Backstay Welt Company for 35 years. He finished his career as a machinist at GCI, Winchester, Indiana. He was an avid woodworker. Morris served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was the last surviving member of the original crew of the B-24 Bomber 42-64486, (Little Moe, “The Piece-Maker”) 456th Bomb Group, 746th Squadron, 15th Air Force. He completed 50 missions as the bottom ball turret gunner.

Morris is survived by his daughter, Lorraine Hart, Arcanum, Ohio; daughter-in-law, Deborah Hart, Winchester, Indiana; brothers, gene Hart, Union City, Ohio and Byron (Barb) Hart, Greenville, Ohio; sister-in-law, Lois Grice, Greenville, Ohio; grandchildren, step-grandchildren, great grandchildren, step-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and one cousin, Ann (David) Sykora, Vandalia, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth E. (Dufur) Hart; sons, Donald Keith Hart and Dale Dean Hart; brother and sister-in-law, Wayne and Lucille Hart; sister-in-law, Etta Louise Hart; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, George and Lois Dufur; brother-in-law, Bill Grice; one great grandchild, three nephews, one niece and many cousins.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville. Burial will follow in Greenville Cemetery with full military honors conducted by the Greenville Veteran’s Honor Guard. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army, Darke County United Way or the charity of the donor’s choice in Morris’s memory.