Harold Franklin "Hal" Rosscup

Harold Franklin “Hal” Rosscup, 81, passed away on March 21, 2016, in Vancleave, Mississippi. He was born in Rolla, North Dakota, on August 16, 1934, to Fred and Susie Rosscup. During his younger years, Hal worked at the grain mill and the railroad station unloading rail cars. He attended Rolla High School, where he loved to play hockey, football and basketball. He graduated in 1953. On September 14, 1953, Hal enlisted in the Army and completed boot camp at Fort Smith, Arkansas. He spent the remaining two years at Fairchild AFB, Washington, as a radio/radar technician. He was honorably discharged on September 15, 1955. Hal went on to College and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1961 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. With his former wife, Shirley, and four children, Hal left North Dakota to begin his career in Long Beach, California, working at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. In 1968, the company moved him to Hawaii for two years, after which he moved back to the Los Angeles area to work for Litton Industries. Hal was then transferred, in 1971, to what is now Ingalls’s Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi. He retired in 1996 after 26 years of dedicated service to his employer. After his retirement, Hal enjoyed many hobbies including fishing, woodworking, and model ship building. He really liked skeet shooting and won several shooting events at the shooting clubs in Gulfport and Woolmarket. He enjoyed working with his hands. Hal was an active member of the Vancleave United Methodist Church in Vancleave, Mississippi, where he served the Lord as both a member of the choir and as treasurer. Hal is survived by his wife of 27 years, Francine (nee Smith), son, Blaine (Elaine) Rosscup, son, David (Renae) Rosscup, sister, Susan Muralt, step-son-in-law, Arthur (Cindy) Smith, step-daughter-in-law, Nicola (Dusty) Connor, and sister-in-law, Phyllis Rosscup. Hal was a beloved grandfather to 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Donald and Robert, two infant siblings, his twin, Hollis and sister Eunice, in addition to his daughter, Sharon Barnes and son, Greg Rosscup. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 25, at Vancleave United Methodist Church at 10:00 a.m. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 11:00 a.m. The Vancleave Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge.