Harriet Ann Blair Neely, 93, daughter of Howard "Red" and Elizabeth Wilkin Blair, died February 17, 2020 in Springfield, MO.  Born September 30, 1926, in Akron, Ohio, and called "Hassie" by her family, she moved to Springfield in 1938 when her father was hired as football coach of Southwest Missouri State College.  She was a graduate of Greenwood High School, Springfield, and SMS.  She married James Neely on December 27, 1947.

Harriet enjoyed an active outdoor life.  As a teenager, she learned to ride and show horses from her father and won many awards in local horse shows.  She was captain of the girls' basketball team in high school at a time when organized sports for girls were rare.  Later, she and James enjoyed baling hay and raising cattle together.

Harriet spent 25 years teaching children with learning disabilities, first in the Easter Seals program, then at Rountree, Delaware, Wilder, and Teft schools in Springfield.  She was a member of Chapter IA of PEO, a member of First & Calvary 49ers Sunday school class and served as a Stephen Minister for over 20 years, providing one-to-one care to people experiencing a difficult time in life.  She always tried to have a positive attitude, and her patience and ability to see things from another's perspective gave her a special touch in helping others.

She valued her family and loved caring for her grandchildren and watching her great-grandchildren learn to read and discover the world.  She hosted Thanksgiving dinner for the extended family for many years and enjoyed collecting Blair and Purinton pottery made by her aunt and uncle.  She and James were founding members of the Ozark Trails Studebaker Drivers Club and hosted ice cream socials at their home every summer.

Harriet was preceded in death by her parents, husband James, son David, brother John Blair, and sister Louise Wammack.  She is survived by son Jack (Sharol) Neely and daughter Ann (John) Collard, Springfield; grandchildren John (Hannah) Neely, Minneapolis, Mary Neely, Springfield, Elizabeth (Dan) Turner, Rogersville, and Austin (Erin) Collard, Columbia, MO; and great-grandchildren Sam and Aaron Neely and Alex and Adelyn Turner.  Survivors also include her sisters, Nancy Blair Moon, Santa Fe, NM and Suzanne Blair, South Haven, MI.

Visitation will be from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Friday, February 21, 2020 in Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.  Funeral Service will follow at 11:00 AM in the funeral home.  Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.