by SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The home furnishings industry lost one of its longtime professionals on Friday, June 20, 2025, with the passing of George William “Bill” Hart after a courageous 2½-year battle with Bulbar ALS. He was 78.
Bill Hart’s name was well known across the industry, particularly in motion upholstery and case goods circles, thanks to a career that spanned more than 50 years and included key roles with some of the most recognized brands in the business. From the early 1970s until his retirement in 2022, Hart logged hundreds of thousands of miles representing manufacturers with unmatched professionalism, integrity, and a personal warmth that left a lasting mark on colleagues and customers alike.
Hart began his career as an independent sales representative for Canterbury House and later joined Mayfair, where he was soon recruited to sister company Berkline. For 19 years, he covered the Iowa and Nebraska territory for Berkline, earning numerous accolades and the trust of retailers throughout the region.
In 1996, Hart became the La-Z-Boy representative for Southwest Missouri and parts of Kansas, relocating to Springfield, Missouri. Not long after, he and his future wife, Kelly Crisco — as the former executive director of IHFRA, she is a well-known figure in the industry herself — began a professional and personal partnership that would define the next chapter of their lives.
The two married in 1999 and worked side-by-side for more than two decades, with Kelly managing the home office and market logistics while Bill traveled the territory. Their dynamic teamwork was well known and widely admired.
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Hart played pivotal roles in growing new territories for emerging companies, including Southern Motion during its early expansion years and Lifestyle Enterprises, where he worked until retiring in 2022. Known for his tireless work ethic, he often drove more than 50,000 miles per year and was consistently named Salesman of the Year by the companies he represented.
Bill and Kelly’s shared passion for the home furnishings business was matched by their sense of adventure and devotion to one another. Whether working markets in High Point or Dallas, calling on retailers throughout the Midwest, or building their dream home together in Missouri, the Harts approached life with purpose and enthusiasm.
Hart’s integrity, reliability, and genuine love for people earned him the respect of retailers and colleagues across the country. Many described him as “one of a kind,” and his reputation as a gentleman and consummate professional set a high standard for others in the field.
He is survived by his wife and business partner of 26 years, Kelly Crisco Hart; his son Ben Hart (Samantha) and granddaughters Daisy and Sidney of West Des Moines, IA; and a large extended family.
Funeral services and interment with military honors will be held on Friday, June 27, at James River Church in Springfield, Missouri, with arrangements under the care of Gorman-Scharf Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to medical missionaries Dr. Logan and Julie Banks, c/o James River Church, 6100 North 19th Street, Ozark, Missouri 65721.
Bill Hart’s legacy in the home furnishings industry is profound — not only in sales milestones and company growth, but in the lives he touched through his generosity, mentorship, and unwavering spirit.
