Vernon Clark McKeel

Vernon Clark McKeel, 90, of Rector, died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004, at National HealthCare in Kennett.

He was born March 25, 1913, in the Ebenezer community near Rector, to the late William and Dora Utley McKeel.

He was a retired truck driver for Complete Auto Transit, and a member of the Local Teamsters #604 in St. Louis.

He was a member of the Church of Christ.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Gertrude Bowen McKeel; one daughter, Judith Ann Brooks; two sisters and their spouses, Anna and Amos Pruett and Jewell and Clyde Henley; a granddaughter, Melonie Ann Brooks, and a nephew and his wife, Laverne and Geneva Pruett.

He is survived by one daughter, Jackie Howell of Arnold, Mo.; five nieces, Nita and Vernon Johnson, Nelda and J.D. Chadwick, Barbara Whitehill, Betty Sue Jester and Ardis Hassott; three nephews and their spouses, Bill and Jane McKeel, Wayne and Violet Pruett and Robert and Gloria Fisher; three grandchildren and their spouses, William and Julie Brooks of Forest Lake, Minn., James Allen and Sherry Howell of Dittner, Mo., and Darlene and Jeff Hopkins of St. Louis; six great-grandchildren, Kyle and Kaleigh Brooks, Courtney, Lauren and Lindsey Howell and Andrew Lyons, and a lifelong friend, John Gordon.

Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 29, at Mitchell Funeral Home Chapel in Rector with James McKeel officiating. Burial was in Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector with Mitchell Funeral Home of Rector in charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers were Bill McKeel, Bill Brooks, Robert Fisher, Allen Howell, Andrew Lyons and J.D. Chadwick.

Honorary pallbearers were Wayne Pruett, John Gordon and Harold Utley.