Memorial service: 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, Cantlon Otterness & Viets Funeral Home, with snacks and refreshments to follow at the home of Judith Batson.
Elgin J. Batson, 82, was born March 15, 1936, near Louisburg in Dallas County, Mo. He died Jan. 17, 2019. He fought a long, hard battle against stage four prostate cancer.
He enlisted in the Army in 1954, served two years and was honorably discharged in 1956. The next four years, he was in the Army Reserve and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he earned the rank of first class boatswain's mate. He was involved in the German occupation and did three tours in Vietnam. After 13 years of service, he was honorably discharged in 1967.
He worked at many occupations — mostly power and telephone lines.
Elgin was preceded in death by his father and mother, Elgin Green Batson and Dorothy Ann (Medcalf) Batson.
On June 4, 1988, he was united in marriage with Judith J. (Allen, Rupp) Batson and became stepfather to her son, Garry E. Rupp. He was the father of a beautiful daughter, Diana (Batson, Hilts) Rogers and her husband, Robert Rogers; and grandfather and great-grandfather to Steven Hilts, his two children, Silas and Johnnie; Sandy (Hilts) Wilson, her husband, Danny, and two children, Mallory and Brandon; and Geoff Hilts and his daughter, Samantha. His local relatives include Lee and Anita Medcalf, Ricky, Heather, Chase and Coltin Medcalf, as well as Abe Medcalf and son, Trey, and Amee Medcalf, Cheryl and Bob Brown, Loraine and Tom R. Redd and family.
