Vilas "Brew" Oglesby, who owned and operated the Blue Town Tavern and several other popular entertainment spots in St. Joseph, passed away May 22 at Heartland Regional Medical Center. He was 85.
Remarkably well read and almost entirely self-educated, Vilas retired from the bar business more than 10 years ago, to the chagrin of loyal customers throughout the region. During his lifetime he shared the company of people from all walks of life and was strongly committed to the concept of human equality.
He was a caring and empathetic person, with a unique and infectious sense of humor, but also a man of strong beliefs, always eager to discuss politics – or anything else you might have cared to debate.
As a young man he played basketball, baseball and softball and was an ardent Royals and Chiefs fan later in life. He loved to travel, especially by car, and often found his way to Wyoming during Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Vilas was born March 10, 1929, in Ravenwood, Missouri, to Obed and Ethel (Holtsclaw) Oglesby. He attended Ravenwood High School and was a World War II- and Korean War-era veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. At different points in his life he was a member of the American Legion; 40 & 8; IOOF; the Marine Corps League; his local Selective Service Board; the Oregon, Missouri, Library Board; the Masonic Lodge, and the Volunteer Fire Departments of Oregon and Maryville.
He was married three times, to Shirley Samson in 1948, to Joy Summers in the early 1970s and to Linda Tompkins in 1996. His first two marriages ended in divorce, but to the end he enjoyed amicable relationships with both of his previous wives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Kirby Oglesby; two brothers; a sister, and a daughter-in-law, Karla Oglesby.
Survivors include his wife, Linda, of the home; sons, Roger Oglesby (Colleen), Dana Point, California, Steve Oglesby, St. Joseph, and Terry Oglesby (Jacque), Maryville; daughters, Janice Kobzej (George), St. Joseph, Trudy Reynolds (Randy Foley), Wathena, and Cindy Roach (Charlie), Maryville; step-children, Heather Seever (Andrew), St. Joseph, Jennifer Tompkins (Ryan), St. Joseph, Shaun Tompkins, St. Joseph, Stephen Tompkins (Misty), Wathena; two children of his first wife, Jennifer Vanice, Parkville, and Ivan Reynolds (Lindsey), Maryville; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Services: 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
Remarkably well read and almost entirely self-educated, Vilas retired from the bar business more than 10 years ago, to the chagrin of loyal customers throughout the region. During his lifetime he shared the company of people from all walks of life and was strongly committed to the concept of human equality.
He was a caring and empathetic person, with a unique and infectious sense of humor, but also a man of strong beliefs, always eager to discuss politics – or anything else you might have cared to debate.
As a young man he played basketball, baseball and softball and was an ardent Royals and Chiefs fan later in life. He loved to travel, especially by car, and often found his way to Wyoming during Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Vilas was born March 10, 1929, in Ravenwood, Missouri, to Obed and Ethel (Holtsclaw) Oglesby. He attended Ravenwood High School and was a World War II- and Korean War-era veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. At different points in his life he was a member of the American Legion; 40 & 8; IOOF; the Marine Corps League; his local Selective Service Board; the Oregon, Missouri, Library Board; the Masonic Lodge, and the Volunteer Fire Departments of Oregon and Maryville.
He was married three times, to Shirley Samson in 1948, to Joy Summers in the early 1970s and to Linda Tompkins in 1996. His first two marriages ended in divorce, but to the end he enjoyed amicable relationships with both of his previous wives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Kirby Oglesby; two brothers; a sister, and a daughter-in-law, Karla Oglesby.
Survivors include his wife, Linda, of the home; sons, Roger Oglesby (Colleen), Dana Point, California, Steve Oglesby, St. Joseph, and Terry Oglesby (Jacque), Maryville; daughters, Janice Kobzej (George), St. Joseph, Trudy Reynolds (Randy Foley), Wathena, and Cindy Roach (Charlie), Maryville; step-children, Heather Seever (Andrew), St. Joseph, Jennifer Tompkins (Ryan), St. Joseph, Shaun Tompkins, St. Joseph, Stephen Tompkins (Misty), Wathena; two children of his first wife, Jennifer Vanice, Parkville, and Ivan Reynolds (Lindsey), Maryville; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Services: 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
Vilas "Brew" Oglesby, who owned and operated the Blue Town Tavern and several other popular entertainment spots in St. Joseph, passed away May 22 at Heartland Regional Medical Center. He was 85.
Remarkably well read and almost entirely self-educated, Vilas retired from the bar business more than 10 years ago, to the chagrin of loyal customers throughout the region. During his lifetime he shared the company of people from all walks of life and was strongly committed to the concept of human equality.
He was a caring and empathetic person, with a unique and infectious sense of humor, but also a man of strong beliefs, always eager to discuss politics – or anything else you might have cared to debate.
As a young man he played basketball, baseball and softball and was an ardent Royals and Chiefs fan later in life. He loved to travel, especially by car, and often found his way to Wyoming during Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Vilas was born March 10, 1929, in Ravenwood, Missouri, to Obed and Ethel (Holtsclaw) Oglesby. He attended Ravenwood High School and was a World War II- and Korean War-era veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. At different points in his life he was a member of the American Legion; 40 & 8; IOOF; the Marine Corps League; his local Selective Service Board; the Oregon, Missouri, Library Board; the Masonic Lodge, and the Volunteer Fire Departments of Oregon and Maryville.
He was married three times, to Shirley Samson in 1948, to Joy Summers in the early 1970s and to Linda Tompkins in 1996. His first two marriages ended in divorce, but to the end he enjoyed amicable relationships with both of his previous wives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Kirby Oglesby; two brothers; a sister, and a daughter-in-law, Karla Oglesby.
Survivors include his wife, Linda, of the home; sons, Roger Oglesby (Colleen), Dana Point, California, Steve Oglesby, St. Joseph, and Terry Oglesby (Jacque), Maryville; daughters, Janice Kobzej (George), St. Joseph, Trudy Reynolds (Randy Foley), Wathena, and Cindy Roach (Charlie), Maryville; step-children, Heather Seever (Andrew), St. Joseph, Jennifer Tompkins (Ryan), St. Joseph, Shaun Tompkins, St. Joseph, Stephen Tompkins (Misty), Wathena; two children of his first wife, Jennifer Vanice, Parkville, and Ivan Reynolds (Lindsey), Maryville; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Services: 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
Remarkably well read and almost entirely self-educated, Vilas retired from the bar business more than 10 years ago, to the chagrin of loyal customers throughout the region. During his lifetime he shared the company of people from all walks of life and was strongly committed to the concept of human equality.
He was a caring and empathetic person, with a unique and infectious sense of humor, but also a man of strong beliefs, always eager to discuss politics – or anything else you might have cared to debate.
As a young man he played basketball, baseball and softball and was an ardent Royals and Chiefs fan later in life. He loved to travel, especially by car, and often found his way to Wyoming during Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Vilas was born March 10, 1929, in Ravenwood, Missouri, to Obed and Ethel (Holtsclaw) Oglesby. He attended Ravenwood High School and was a World War II- and Korean War-era veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. At different points in his life he was a member of the American Legion; 40 & 8; IOOF; the Marine Corps League; his local Selective Service Board; the Oregon, Missouri, Library Board; the Masonic Lodge, and the Volunteer Fire Departments of Oregon and Maryville.
He was married three times, to Shirley Samson in 1948, to Joy Summers in the early 1970s and to Linda Tompkins in 1996. His first two marriages ended in divorce, but to the end he enjoyed amicable relationships with both of his previous wives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Kirby Oglesby; two brothers; a sister, and a daughter-in-law, Karla Oglesby.
Survivors include his wife, Linda, of the home; sons, Roger Oglesby (Colleen), Dana Point, California, Steve Oglesby, St. Joseph, and Terry Oglesby (Jacque), Maryville; daughters, Janice Kobzej (George), St. Joseph, Trudy Reynolds (Randy Foley), Wathena, and Cindy Roach (Charlie), Maryville; step-children, Heather Seever (Andrew), St. Joseph, Jennifer Tompkins (Ryan), St. Joseph, Shaun Tompkins, St. Joseph, Stephen Tompkins (Misty), Wathena; two children of his first wife, Jennifer Vanice, Parkville, and Ivan Reynolds (Lindsey), Maryville; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Services: 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
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