Charles Ghould Harkness

Charles Ghould Harkness, age 84, Went home to be with his Lord on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Charles was born on April 16, 1940, in Scott City, Kansas, the first of six children, to Elmer Schilling and Clara Lula (Moore) Harkness of Leoti, Kansas.

Charles grew up around Leoti most of his life and attended grades one through seven. The family moved and lived in Ashland, Kansas, from 1953 to 1959 before moving back to Leoti. Charles graduated from Ashland High School in November of 1966. He continued schooling at the University of Missouri in Kansas City in 1967 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas in the spring of 1968. Charles was a Staff Engineer and did Test Equipment Design for Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technology (formerly Allied Signal and originally Bendix Corporation), Kansas City, Missouri, for 36 years. He was a member of the Baptist faith. 

Charles married Bessie L. Geyer at the First Baptist Church. A daughter, Lula Louise “Tulie” Harkness was married on November 19, 1968. Charles and “Bessie” divorced on August 12, 1969. Bessie died on December 20, 2008.

He married his second wife, Flora Juanita Snedeger on May 22, 1971, in Kansas City, Missouri. Flora passed away on April 9, 2002.

Charles married his third wife, Linda Joyce Grissom, in Kansas City, Missouri on September 28, 2002. Linda passed away on January 1, 2018. She is buried in Kirksville, Missouri, by her parents and brother, who died in 1967 in the Vietnam War.

Brother, Tony Harkness moved Charles (2 dogs and 1 cat) from Oak Grove, Missouri, to Leoti, Kansas on July 21, 2021. On September 15, 2021, Charles was accepted at the Kansas Soldiers’ Home in Fort Dodge, Kansas. He helped and did Wednesday Bible Study, played bingo, Read books, used his computer and iPad, and enjoyed watching his alma mater KU games. 

Charles is survived by his daughter, Tulie Borwieck and husband Anthony, grandson Skyler Borwieck and girlfriend Skylar, all of Eugene, Oregon; sister Rita Perry and husband Don of Leoti, Kansas; brothers Jerry Harkness and wife Glenda of Marienthal, Kansas, and Tony Harkness and wife Darlene of Leoti, Kansas; Numerous nieces and nephews; and numerous great nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his wives; parents; grandparents Charles Emit and Delia (Deng) Harkness and Franklin Ghould and Tracy (Builta) Moore; sister Lula Bell Geyer/Holland; and brother Eugene Leon Harkness.

Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church in Leoti, Kansas on Friday, December 27, 2024, at 10:30 am with Rev. Aron White presiding. 

Charles will be laid to rest at the Old Salem Cemetery in Independence, Missouri, next to his second wife, Flora Harkness. on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at 2:00 pm with Rev. Aron White presiding.

Public visitation will be on Thursday, December 26, 2024, from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm at the Price & Sons Funeral Home, 202 N. 4th St., Leoti, Kansas, 67861.

Memorials may be made to “Leoti Fire Department” in Care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 161, Leoti, KS 67861.