David “Dave” Earl Hasty, 91, of rural Roanoke, passed away peacefully at his home, Bull Creek Farm, at 10:36am June 19, 2023, surrounded by family. Grateful for his blessings, he was proud of his farm, family, and career as a milk hauler. A gifted storyteller and gracious host, he always made friends, family, and neighbors feel welcome in his home. Strong in mind and body, Dave was “fantastic” till the end.
Born on Valentine’s Day in 1932, the eldest of Howard and Zona Fairchild Hasty’s five children, Dave was raised on the family farm in Whitley County. He met his wife of 70 years, Mary Elizabeth Hinen, when he rode his bicycle to the her family’s farm to visit her brothers and “found something more interesting.” He spent afternoons baling hay there to be close to her. They were classmates at Jefferson Center School. Together they worked hard, played hard, and surrounded themselves with family, and friends who are family.
At age 18, Dave purchased his first milk route, hauling can milk to Central Dairy in Fort Wayne. He and Mary had six children in six years and bought their farm in Huntington County to run their bulk milk hauling business. Dave loved visiting with farmers and being outdoors. Children on the milk route looked forward to the candy suckers he brought them each day. He kept the farmer’s milk tanks as sparkling clean as his truck, which was easy to spot on country roads. He was featured in Purdue University textbooks and materials training milk haulers on high standards for sanitization in Grade A milk. Dave ran his route seven days per week until he retired in 1997. He then drove for Hitzfield Excavating and enjoyed visiting with friends and neighbors at the crew’s daily breakfast. His words of farewell were often “watch your bobber.”
Dave raised his children on the farm and was a steward of the land. He taught his grandchildren to love nature – plants, insects, and animals. A man close to the earth, his words carried a poetic turn of phrase. His imagination soared with interests in innovation and technology advancement in agriculture, vehicles, and buildings.
Dave loved music and enjoyed listening to Classic Country artists like Eddy Arnold and Patsy Cline, who provided the soundtrack to he and Mary’s lives. They hosted many parties at their home, complete with live bands like Joe Taylor and the Red Birds.
Their hospitality and Dave’s storytelling extended throughout the United States. When tent camping in Colorado on their honeymoon, they hosted fellow campers with meals over the fire. Dave enjoyed spending time with the Anderson family at “The Pit” in Bicknell, with Hinen nieces and nephews on camping weekends, and with friends in the Little Turtle Trail Seekers and Indiana Meanders camping clubs. An adventurer at heart, he admired the beauty and wonder of state and national parks as they visited nearly every state in the U.S.
Dave was a co-leader of the Corn Cob 4-H Club and member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. They were awarded recognition for decades of demonstrating old-fashioned cream separating at the Pioneer Festival and demonstrated at community Plow Day fundraisers. Never boastful, Dave’s words of wisdom are “Don’t take too much credit for your better life, because there is a God up there who helped you. Take care of those who don’t have so much.”
He was proceeded in death by his wife Mary, son Mark, parents Howard and Zona Hasty, brothers Phillip and Howard Jr., sister Martha, daughter-in-law Anne, sisters-in-law Joan and Shirley Hasty; parents-in-law Henry and Irene Pequinot Hinen, brothers-in-law John, Ralph, Harry, Robert, Roy, Clarence, Arthur, and Frank Hinen, sisters-in-law Esther, Donna B. and Nancy, and Phyllis Pippin.
He is survived by children Michael, Andrew (Robin), Carl (Mark Glassley), June (Benjamin) Pulver, and Jeanne Hasty; sister Mary Ann (David) Howard, sisters-in-law Patricia Hasty, Patricia (Robert) Kehmeyer, Gaylen, Joyce, Donna, and Linda Hinen; dear cousin Deborah and friends Eric and Nancy, and Jean and Dallas. He loved and was loved by his grandchildren Erin (Tony) Dearduff, Josh (Tricia) Hasty, Nathan Hasty, Elizabeth (Sajay Sadasivan) Pulver, Brian (Eryn) Hasty, Taylor (Rachael) Hasty, Nathan (Kaitlyn) Glassley, and Philip (Stephanie) Glassley; and 16 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Monday, July 10, 2023 at 8:30am at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Roanoke. A funeral mass will follow at 10 am with burial of ashes immediately following at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Friends, family, and neighbors are invited to celebrate Dave’s life and share stories at Bull Creek Farm at 12 o’clock Noon. Dave’s favorite color is baby blue – feel free to wear your favorite blues!
Preferred memorials are to Huntington County 4-H and St. Joseph Catholic Church for masses in care of Myers Funeral Home, 2901 Guilford Street, Huntington, IN 46750.
To sign David’s on-line guest book visit www.myersfuneralhomes.com.
