Joe Curtis Harrod

Joe Curtis Harrod, age 83 and a resident of Gulfport, died on Thursday, February 12, 2015, in Gulfport.
Mr. Harrod was a native of Frankfurt, KY and moved to Hattiesburg in 1933. He graduated from Hattiesburg High School in 1949 and graduated from Louisiana State University, 1954-1958 ""The Glory Years."" He served in the United States Navy from 1950-1954, and served in the Korean War. Mr. Harrod had been a resident of Gulfport since 1958, and was a longtime employee of Moses Electric. He was also an industrial contractor for over 50 years.
Mr. Harrod treasured his many friendships, spending time with his family and designed lighting for LSU stage productions and various little theater productions in his younger years. He enjoyed suduko, LSU football, watching the New Orleans Saints, and he loved movies, especially musicals and westerns. Mr. Harrod was a member of Handsboro Baptist Church, was a former Rotarian. He quietly helped others and always had a smile with a joke to tell.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Grover Cleveland and Minette Stegar Harrod; his spouse, Gladys Joan Gussler Harrod; his siblings, Sadie Irene Harrod Dean, William Dallas Harrod, Malcolm Barksdale Harrod, Grover Clellan Harrod, George Chesterfield Harrod, Sr., Richard Orion Harrod, Mary Selma Harrod Biggs, Mildred Moody Harrod Montague, and Franklin Delano Harrod and his stepson, Roger Price Gussler, Jr.
Mr. Harrod is survived by his children, Elizabeth Harrod (Brett) Keenan, Darlene Gussler (Bert) Nelson, Jayna Gussler Horne (Edward Herman), and Debbie Gussler Johnson; his grandchildren, Andrew Joseph Keenan and his fiancée Lucy deSaussure Sass, Laura Melissa Keenan, Angie Cooper (Kirk) Simmons, Michael ""Shane"" (Bonnie) Cooper, Maghan Randall (Aaron) Foos, Michael Wayne (Kristen) Walker, Jr., Jeffrey Brandon LeFevre, and Cody LeFevre; ten great grandchildren, many beloved nephews and nieces, his ""Big"" sister-in-law, Lynelle Harrod Hassell and many special friends with whom he solved all the world's problems.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 15, 2015, from 5pm-7pm at Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road in Gulfport.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, February 16, 2015, at 11am at Handsboro Baptist Church, where family and friends may visit one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Long Beach City Cemetery.
Pallbearers for Mr. Harrod's service will be: Andrew Keenan, Shane Cooper, Mike Walker, G. Chesterfield ""Chet"" Harrod, Jr., Terry W. Cowley, and Hunter Simmons.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Handsboro Baptist Church, 1421 E. Pass Road, Gulfport, MS 39507 or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
For more information, please call (228) 539-9800.