Herbert "Dock" Frazee

Herbert Lyle “Dock” Frazee, the first born child of Herbert “Bob” and Ruby Elizabeth (Wilkinson) Frazee, was born in Burnham in Howell County, Missouri, on April 7, 1930. He passed away August 8, 2019, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

Dock was raised on a farm near Willow Springs. He attended Stoney Point, a rural school, then went to high school at Willow Springs, graduating in 1948. In high school, he was encouraged to play football. His coach played a pivotal part in teaching him lifestyle habits that he maintained for the rest of his life: no drinking, no smoking, work hard, and play fair. During the summer months, in addition to farm chores, he worked for the Missouri Forestry Department, planting pine trees in the Mark Twain National Forest during 1946, 1947, and 1948. He also helped construct fencing and facilities at Noblett Lake. During the summer months of 1948, 1949, and 1950, he drove an RC Cola truck, delivering bottled sodas to many country stores at locations such as Ozark, Douglas, Texas, Carter, Wright, and Shannon Counties. As a result, he made lifetime friendships and learned all the rural locations on country back roads.

Dock attended junior college at Joplin but his dream was to play football with the Kansas State University Wild Cats. In the fall of 1949, he enrolled at KSU in Manhattan, Kansas, as a walk-on and made the team. He was able to play until a bone spur on his knee sidelined him and he required surgery.

With the Korean War in full swing, he joined the U.S. Navy on March 19, 1951. During the four years he served, he spent seven months on the USS Point Cruz in the Pacific, along with his brother. He had rekindled an acquaintance with Mary Ann Barker of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and they were married on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1953. Their first son, David, was born on the day Dock’s ship docked in San Diego following his cruise. After his service, they returned to Manhattan, Kansas, but he found that his interests had changed and they moved back to Mountain Grove.

Dock worked at Brown Shoe Company for a few months before gaining employment with the local post office as a clerk. He served from 1957 until he retired in 1989. In addition to his postal career, he and his wife had purchased a farm south of Mountain Grove where they raised registered Black Angus and other farm animals. He had a large garden and, especially after retirement, he would rise early, pick the produce, and leave for town with several bags of vegetables that he shared with the elderly, widows, and others he felt had a need. The generosity he exhibited in sharing his garden bounty, meat from his freezer, and Christmas turkeys with the Mountain Grove community was a testament of his caring for others.

Dock was proud of his military service. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion, and DAV. He was also a charter member of the World War II museum in New Orleans and the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. An ardent Republican, he has been a member of the NRA for 25 years. In 2004, on the anniversary of D Day, he took his youngest son to Europe. They walked on Omaha Beach and through the rows of crosses in the cemeteries. It was a tremendously emotional experience for him and his son learned of the sacrifices other young men had given.

Besides his parents, Dock was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Ann Frazee, of their home, a sister, Louise Woodring (Bob) of Willow Springs, Missouri, his children, David Frazee (Missy) of Springfield, Missouri, Stephen Frazee of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cindy Hassler (Michael) of Houston, Texas, Kathleen Lindsey (Steve) of West Covina, California, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He will be missed by many close cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as a host of barber shop buddies and friends.