Virgel Melvin Hasty, 97, passed peacefully into the presence of his Lord on March 18, 2020, after a brief battle with cancer. Virgel was born in Missouri on September 21,1922 to David and Martha Hasty, the second of their six children.
When WWII broke out, he answered the call by enlisting in the Navy. He served on the cruiser USS Raleigh in the Aleutian Islands. Later he was attached to the SeaBees in Saipan and Okinawa. He was very proud that 74 years later his grandson, Stephen, is serving in the Air Force on Okinawa.
After the war, he returned stateside and pursued a young woman he had met during the war when the Navy sent him to Engineering school in Detroit. In 1947, he married his “Skipper”, Mary Houck. They settled in Detroit welcoming a daughter, Nancy, and son, Randall.
Virgel’s career could be described primarily as in transportation with several years’ interlude of insurance sales. He worked as a Detroit Streetcar and Bus driver, as a Twin Pines Milkman, for an airline, a car dealership, and ultimately enjoyed many years as a long-haul owner-operator for Fleet Carriers.
Throughout his life, Virgel enjoyed flying.Thanks to the GI Bill, he earned his private pilot rating in 1947. He owned or co-owned and enjoyed flying many types of private aircraft well into his eighties. He was a regular at the local airport after moving to Arizona. He and Mary enjoyed traveling; and eventually, he was able to visit all fifty states.
Virgel’s Christian faith was his foundation. The family were active members of Berean Baptist (RBC) in Detroit until retiring to Arizona. For the following thirty years, they were members of Mesa Baptist and eventually, Tri-City Baptist. They served the body tirelessly - caring for sick and homebound members; providing transportation, meals, and words of encouragement; hosting innumerable Sunday School class parties and outings; and generally, encouraging those around them to seek Christ.
Virgel is survived by his youngest brother, Wayne (Eve) of Grove, OK; daughter Nancy Lindsey of Gilbert, AZ; son Randall (Pat) of Gilbert, AZ; grandchildren Stephen of Okinawa, David (Madeleine) of Flagstaff, AZ, Emily of Gilbert, AZ; great-granddaughter Hazel of Flagstaff. Also, numerous nephews and nieces in Washington, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, and Florida.
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