Hearl Vernon Gann of Springfield, MO has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved him.
The following words honor a life that mattered to many.
Hearl held deeply to the Baptist faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew him best.
Faith is a quiet companion through a long life. Hearl's walked beside him.
Hearl Vernon Gann, age 78, of Springfield, Missouri, passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife, children, and family on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at Mercy Hospital Springfield. He was born on February 28, 1948, in Springfield Missouri, the son of the late Hearl and Gloetta Gann. Vernon grew up in Southern California with summers spent at the Gann family farm in Conway Missouri. After graduation from Lawndale High School in 1966, Vernon started working full time with his father doing concrete and helping start Gann Construction. In 1967 Vernon married Nancy (Meek) Gann and was quickly drafted by the US Army in 1968 and sent to Fort Ord California for boot camp. Upon graduation from Boot Camp Vernon was sent directly to Korea where he served for two years. He finished with the rank of SP5 (Specialist 5) and received an Honorable discharge from the US Army in January of 1975.
After his overseas service in the Army, Vernon returned stateside to his wife Nancy, and continued in construction with his father. Vernon and Nancy started a family in Hawthorn California with a daughter (Angela) being born in 1973 and a son (Hearl "JR") born in 1975. In 1978 Vernon moved their family back to Missouri to start building a retirement home for his parents Hearl and Gloetta at the family dairy farm in Conway. Vernon continued growing Gann Construction throughout Southwest Missouri doing remodeling and building duplexes. In 1984 Vernon and Nancy welcomed their third child Joshua into the family at the "Hanover House". Vernon was very active in their church at Evangel Baptist Church until 2019 when he moved his membership to The Church at Webster Park serving as the Senior Adult Sunday School teacher until his recent illness. Vernon loved spending time with his family, church, farming, construction, going to fairs, auctions, and his original 1966 Ford Twin I Beam pickup. In retirement Vernon drove a bus for Springfield Public Schools for over 10 years until 2025. He was known by the hundreds of kids who rode his bus over the years as "Mr. Vernon" and considered by many as a "third grandpa".
Vernon is survived by; his wife Nancy (Meek) Gann of Springfield; brother Oscar Lavell "Bud" Gann and wife Carolyn (Behrens) of Marshfield and sister in-law Patte (Huckelberry) Gann (wife of the late David Gann) of Elkland; uncle Herman Gann of Springfield; several cousins; daughter Angela (Gann) White and husband Keith of Conway, son Hearl "JR" Gann and wife Laura (Ensor) of Springfield, son Joshua Gann and wife Ashley (Yount) of Springfield; nieces Maggie (Gann) MacDonough and husband Steve of St. Louis and Emily (Gann) Bigley and husband Jim of Elkland; twelve grandchildren, Kaitlyn (Gann) Underwood and husband Brett, Colton White, Jessalyn (Gann) Mahan and husband Malachi, Conner White, Cicely White, Rory Gann, Calloway Gann, Inara Gann, Oscar Gann, Amos Gann, Asher Gann, and Lylah Gann; three great grandchildren, Elliot Underwood, Ava-Lynn Underwood, and Arielle Underwood.
Graveside service will be held May 9th at 2:00 p.m. at Gann Cemetery in Conway Missouri for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made payable to The Church at Webster Park, 2727 East Division, Springfield, Mo. 65803.
