If there was one thing for which Norman Harty wished to be remembered, it was his love of children. The late Dexter businessman had no biological children of his own, but in his lifetime and beyond, he assured an improved quality of life for generations ahead by affording them opportunities through literacy and advanced medical care.
Humble beginnings
An aged black and white photo taken at the height of World War II shows Norman Harty in second grade. Proudly posing with his classmates in front of a one-room schoolhouse in rural Puxico, he is barefoot, donned in overalls. He often told of selling Hallmark cards and delivering the Grit newspaper on his bicycle as his earliest business ventures.
Harty was a self-made man - a devout Christian man -- who left his mark on Stoddard County through a number of endeavors. Some of those endeavors were known to the public, but many were not realized until after his death in August 2017 at the age of 81. He was a private man in many ways, and yet he relished appearing publicly if the occasion was celebrated to enhance the betterment of a community, and especially if it involved children.
Business
Harty attended Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, as did his wife of 47 years, the late Billie Lemons Harty. He later earned a degree from Arkansas University. To say that he adored his wife is an understatement. When Harty spoke of his wife, it was only with accolades. Prior to joining her husband in the business partnership of N.B. Harty Contractors, Billie served as a school counselor in the Bernie school district. Children seemed to be drawn to her, and it was perhaps that quality in his wife that played such a significant role in Harty's eventual charitable gestures with the welfare of children in mind.
Harty's business involved utilizing explosives in removal of industrial slag. The process he developed is estimated to have saved the power industry billions of dollars in downtime. He conducted his business with an impeccable record of safety. He later established First Commercial Bank and over time would accumulate 10 First Commercial branches across Southeast Missouri.
Taking care of his own
Before his death in August 2017, Harty laid out a plan for his stock in N.B. Harty General Contractors to be divided by varying percentages to 14 of his longtime, loyal employees. It would be one of a number of bequests Harty would make to illustrate his gratitude to those who were loyal to him over the years.
Additionally, his two nephews - his late brother's sons - would be designated to receive proceeds from the sale of land in Butler County. Close to his heart was a livestock farm there, where he could often be found before his health declined. Proceeds from the sale of livestock and equipment on that farm was equally divided among four churches in the area.
Harty carefully laid out his last will and testament long before his death, but the details changed often in his final months as he sensed his life's end. He clearly wanted the bulk of his estate to benefit children in need. Today, even his closest friend and confidant - who happens to be one of his five legal representatives - marvels at the generosity of his late friend and the expanse of the fortune he left behind.
A lasting friendship
Norman Harty and C.H. Parsons became acquainted in a unique fashion in 1964. Parsons was still in law school, and Harty was just establishing his contracting business. They opposed each other, along with the incumbent party, in the primary to determine the Democrat candidate for state representative of the local district. The incumbent won, but from that race, there developed a bond between the two that lasted a lifetime.
For many years, the pair could be seen just after sunrise walking the streets of downtown Dexter. It was Harty who observed his friend's healthy habit nearly 15 years ago and asked one day if he might join in the morning ritual.
"We covered a lot of ground over the years," Parsons recalls, "literally and figuratively."
Walking two to three miles each morning, five days each week, the two discussed everything from family to fortune and all things in-between.
"Norman was somebody who made it on his own, without help from anyone," Parsons explains, "and in the end, he determined that there was nothing more important than helping children in need."
"His gifts are astronomical," Parsons says. "And those gifts have come not just in his death. He gave tremendously over the past 10 to 15 years."
Passing it forward
Two significant gifts to local communities came in recent years to the cities of Puxico and Bloomfield. Harty was an avid reader. He greatly appreciated the written word, and would often cut out quotes and words of wisdom he found inspiring. Volumes of favored words of inspiration would be found in his desk drawer following his death. Additionally, he authored detailed diaries of his daily routines from the time he established N.B. Harty General Contractors until the time of his death. He often used the diaries as a reference in his business and personal dealings.
Harty believed in passing his good fortune forward, and in his birthplace of Puxico, he provided $650,000 to build an annex to the town's tiny log cabin library. The original log cabin would not be disturbed, except to open it up to a spacious, state-of-the-art facility that will benefit the citizens - especially the children - of his beloved Puxico for generations to come.
Similarly, when there was a need in recent years for the city of Bloomfield to expand and improve their library, Harty provided a $125,000 gift to accomplish the task. Today, children of all ages are accommodated in an updated and technologically advanced facility, thanks to his generosity.
While the library gifts were substantial, Harty's most significant gifts were yet to come. He gave generously to SoutheastHEALTH in Dexter. The entrance to the recently established emergency and behavioral services addition carries the names of Norman and Billie Harty.
The children
Norman and Billie Harty made their home at the south end of Rannells Street in Dexter. It is a spacious, brick, two-story home in the woods. In 2016, he designated several acres adjoining his home lot to be used as a refuge, bequeathing the land to the city with the provision that it was not to be built upon, but rather to be enjoyed for its wildlife and natural growth.
Prior to his death, Harty designated his home to be given to the Stoddard County Children's Home. Proceeds from the home, which listed for over $200,000, would go to support the children's home. And yet, there was more.
His greatest gift
The 10 branches of First Commercial Bank have now been acquired by Southern Bank. A multitude of factors will play into the final figure of the banks' worth. In his final and most significant gift to assure the welfare of children - especially with regard to health care - proceeds from the sale of First Commercial banks will be distributed equally to three hospitals that were near and dear to the heart of Norman and Billie Harty. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Shriners Hospitals for Children in St. Louis and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota are the designated recipients.
Norman Harty gave on a lesser scale to countless friends and neighbors in his lifetime. He did so without notoriety, as he preferred. For the past several years, as Christmas neared, he could be found driving his red pickup around town, loaded down with holiday hams. He took as much pleasure in those gestures as he did distributing his fortune to various charities.
The joy of giving
That was, perhaps, the quality of Norman Harty that will best be remembered by those who knew him well - the joy he received by giving. That joy, in itself, was perhaps his greatest gift of all.