Maurice Lavern Fugate

Maurice Lavern Fugate was born on May 21, 1937, to Maurice “Buddy” and Dortha (Smith) Fugate on a farm in rural Cedar County, northeast of El Dorado Springs. He was the first of seven children. Maurice attended elementary school through the Eighth Grade at Union Point Country School near Tiffin. He then attended High School in El Dorado Springs, graduating in May 1955. Following high school, Maurice delayed going to college for a year. He worked on the farm and grew crops to pay for and put himself through college, which he continued to do while attending college. He attended Southwest Missouri State University for one year, then transferred to the University of Missouri to finish out his college degree. He graduated from Mizzou with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in May 1961.

Maurice joined the Missouri National Guard in 1961, serving until 1967 in multiple locations around Missouri. Maurice was hired by the USDA and worked for the Department of Soil Conservation Service from November 1962 until September 1971. In 1968, he started raising cattle and did so until the time of his death. The following year, Maurice and Ardella purchased their family farm. In July 1971, Maurice started selling insurance and opened up Fugate Insurance in downtown El Dorado Springs. In 1977 he moved the business to a new location on Hwy. 32, where it remained until he retired in April 2018. He was also the Director of Cedar County Farmers Mutual for 47 years and the President for several years. Maurice got into the real estate business in the late 70s and stayed active in it until the early 2000s. In 1980, he started selling and building log homes for the Real Log Homes company until 2004, stopping only due to injuries sustained from a previous accident. Maurice was elected to and held the position of the Cedar County Commissioner from 1983 to 1987. Maurice also dabbled in the used car business for several years during the late 80s and early 90s. He served as a member in both the Jaycees and Lions Club for many years.

Maurice married Ardella Smith on June 3, 1962, at Concord Missionary Baptist Church in Cedar Springs. To this union three children were born; Deanna, Brian and Kirk.

Preceding him in death were both sets of grandparents, his parents, an infant brother, his brother Jack, and grandson Dustin Littlewood.

Maurice is survived by his wife, Ardella, of the home; daughter, Deanna Littlewood; son, Brian (Janelle) Fugate; son, Kirk (Kristi) Fugate; grandson, Lance Littlewood; granddaughter, Cassidy Littlewood; grandson, Turner Fugate; grandson, Aidan Fugate; sister, Judy (Bill) Fenzl; sister, Sharron (Tom) Toellner; sister, Donna (Wesley) Greenstreet; brother, James “Doug” (Cindy) Fugate, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services for Maurice were held Saturday, Sept. 16. Lewis Eslinger was the minister. His final resting place is El Dorado Springs City Cemetery.