Oral Gower

MARION-Oral F. `Mickey` Gower, 75, passed away at 12:55PM, Thursday, July 1, 2004 at Sikeston Health Care Center in Sikeston, Missouri. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at the Blue Funeral Home in Marion with Rev. Danny Gray officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, July 5, 2004 at the funeral home. Military rites will be held at the cemetery by VFW Post #1301 and American Legion Post #147. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or the Alzheimer`s Association; envelopes are available at the funeral home or may be sent c/o Blue Funeral Home, PO Box 411, Marion, IL 62959. Mr. Gower was born on September 17, 1928 in Williamson County to William Aud and Pearl (Ownes) Gower. He married Joan Ann Gower and she preceded him in death of March 13, 1980. Survivors include son, William R. and Vicki Gower of Marion; daughter, LouAnn and John Hill of Marion, Tammy and Jim Roberts of Marion; grandchildren, Tim and Amber Gower, Jeremy Gower, Jamie and Brian Albright, Cortney Hanks, Travis Hill, Robert Tidaback, Casey Tidaback, Chris Lahr and Brian Lahr; great grandchildren, Montanna, Summar and Landon Albright, Kaeden Albright, Timmy Aaron Gower; sisters, Linda Clark of Crainville, Maxine and Lester Emery of Marion, Dorothy Loyd of Marion, and Shirley and Danny Summers of Marion; brothers, Auddie and Betty Gower of Johnston City, Paul and Shirley Gower of Marion, and John and Debbie Gower of Marion. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter, Carole Kay Gower and brother, Virgil Gower. Mr. Gower was a retired coal miner. He was a member of Second Baptist Church in Marion. He served his country in the U.S Army during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the VFW Post #1301 in Marion. He enjoyed camping and he loved his family