Harry Lee DeArmond, 86, was born on February 8, 1929, at Byron, OK, the fourth of five children born to Arthur James and Mary Catherine (Bullard) DeArmond.
He attended school in Amorita, OK, where he excelled at basketball and tennis and graduated in 1947.
Harry's life was hard, but he took pride in always taking care of those he loved. He started at age three, carrying firewood for his mother. By the time he was eight, he had a paper route. The summer he was fourteen, he went to Wichita and stayed with his older sister working for the railroad, loading and unloading cattle, pigs, and sheep. When work there slowed, he hitch hiked to Cheyenne Wells, CO and drove tractors for a company breaking acreages into sections for planting wheat. Every year until he married, he returned and worked for the same people.
On February 6, 1948, he met the love of his life, Dora Laurene Bowhay. They were married on August 28, 1948 and were married 66 years before Laurene passed away on November 19, 2014.
Harry worked at many different jobs. Anything that would pay enough to raise his family: gas station attendant, dry cleaner, truck driver, Maytag repairman, and the one job that always made his youngest daughter Rhonda laugh – milkman. In 1955, he found the job for which he was meant to do, electric lineman. He worked for the REA at Cherokee, OK until 1961 and then moved his family to Cunningham, KS, to be an isolated serviceman. There his girls graduated from high school and were both married. In 1974, he was offered a job with the same company in Coldwater, KS. He and Laurene moved and stayed there through the rest of their lives.
Harry never met a person who didn't become his friend. He was loved by and loved everyone who was part of his life. I guess his life could be summed up by repeating the words spoken over his bed at the hospital by a man he'd worked with. He turned back when leaving and said: "That is the best man I've ever known."

Harry died on September 5, 2015, at the Comanche County Hospital, surrounded by family and friends. He had battled prostate cancer for over 23 years.

Harry is survived by one sister: Jessie Arlene Ashlock of Cherokee, OK; two daughters: Deborah Arlene Burkes and Rhonda Kay Daniel (Dennis), all of Coldwater, KS; four grandchildren: Darren Alan Burkes and Darci Arhon Burkes, both of Coldwater, KS, Angela Dawn Steiner (Richard) of Winfield, KS, and Mindy Burris (Ethan) of Parsons, KS; sixteen great-grandchildren: Rebekah Bookout (William) of Fairview, OK, Jimmy Naasz, Ashley Naasz, Sean Pierson, William Steiner, Alannah Steiner, and Soloman Steiner, all of Winfield, KS, Terren Burkes and Harlee Burkes of Coldwater, KS, DaLoryn Burkes of Canon City, CO, Karissa Burkes and Haydyn Burkes of Enid, OK, Christopher, Maddison, and Jase Burris of Parsons, KS, and Dalton Bailey of Osborne, KS; two great-great-grandchildren: Addyleigh Naasz of Winfield, KS and Sebastian Bookout of Fairview, OK.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers: Delmer and John; one sister: Millie Munsil; his loving wife: Laurene; and one grandson: Justin Lee Bailey.

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life Service for both Harry and Laurene will take place at a later date.

Memorials may be sent to American Cancer Society or Alzheimer's Association in care of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, P.O. Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029.