Hugh Caswell Arant

Hugh Caswell Arant, 87, of Poplar Bluff died Sunday, April 24, 2011 at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff.

Mr. Arant was born Nov. 22, 1923 in Carroll County, Miss. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, and was a graduate of the Gradwohl School of Medical Technology in St. Louis, Mo., where he graduated with top honors. During his working career Mr. Arant served in the medical field as a lab and x-ray technician, as a pharmaceutical representative, and later as a hospital administrator in both Butler and Boonville, Mo. While living in Boonville, he served as president of the Lions Club and as president of the Chamber of Commerce as well. Mr. Arant was a WWII veteran having joined the U.S. Army Air Force at age 17. He flew 32 missions over Germany during the war as a ball gunner in a B-17 bomber, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the United States Air Medal. He flew his last mission on Easter Sunday, 1944, after his plane was heavily damaged. Mr. Arant enjoyed spending time with his family and fishing.

Survivors include a daughter, Sherry (Mike) Huffman of Mill Spring, Mo.; son, Steve (Vicki) Arant of Tulsa, Okla.; daughter-in-law, Libby Arant of Poplar Bluff; 9 grandchildren: Angie Swasho of St. Louis, Sherry Helm of Cape Girardeau, Keith (Sherry) Huffman and Stephanie (Terry) Misner all of Poplar Bluff, Trevor (Monica) Huffman of Jacksonville, Ill., Bryce (Donica) Huffman of Golden, Colo., Jason (Kim) Arant of Tulsa, Okla., Brian (Becca) Arant of Dallas, Tex. and Kendall Arant of Guayana, Puerto Rico; 24 great grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Betty Qualls of Decatur, Ala.; along several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Arant was preceded in death by his wife of almost 70 years, Juanita I. Boyet Arant, who died in September 2009, a son, Jerry Arant, his parents, Ben and Ruby L. Coward Arant, several brothers and sisters and a great-granddaughter, Traci Lynn English.

Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association., 10820 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 220, St. Louis, MO 63127 or to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. in the Chapel with Dr. William Vail officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Poplar Bluff.

Family and friends may share an online condolence or memory at www.cotrellfuneralservice.com