The Southern Illinoisan, Sunday, September 20, 2015
JONESBORO - William R. " Doc " Abernathy , 89, died at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 27, 1926, in Anna, the son of Russell and Vesta L. Rendleman Abernathy . He married Joyce L. Dankel on April 4, 1950, in Anna. He later married Patricia "Pat" Casey on Dec. 18, 1982, in Carbondale. She preceded him in death on Jan. 31, 2014. Survivors include his son, Scott Abernathy of Wolf Lake; two daughters, Beth (Brad) Wilson of Tamms and Kristen (Mike) Eckert of Atlanta; four grandchildren, Matt Wilson, Kyle (Mindy) Wilson, Lindsey Del (Justin) Pender and Jordan Reid Abernathy ; two great-grandchildren, Cole Wayne "Bucket" Pender and Shelby Scott Pender; brother, Bill (Sue) Abernathy of Mount Pleasant; other relatives; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Patricia "Pat" Abernathy ; son, William Matthew Abernathy ; and sister, Elizabeth Pickett. Doc was a member of Mount Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After serving in the Navy, Doc attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he played football and captured the title of "Mr. Cape State of 48." Doc had a passion for the outdoors and people. During his career as a professor at SIU, he had the opportunity to meet with Eunice Kennedy Shriver to establish the first Special Olympics at McAndrew Stadium at SIU. In 1961, Doc was part of a group of men who started the first Buffalo Tro at Touch of Nature in Carbondale. Over the course of the last 54 years, Doc and his son, Scott, have cooked and traveled across the country, feeding and impressing hundreds of thousands of people. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna with the Rev. Dennis Scoville officiating. Interment will be in Anna City Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be conducted by Carroll P. Foster Post 3455 of the VFW in Anna and the Navy Funeral Honor Detail. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to SIU Special Olympics. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. To leave online condolences for the family, visit www.rendlemanhilemanfh.com.
JONESBORO - William R. " Doc " Abernathy , 89, died at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 27, 1926, in Anna, the son of Russell and Vesta L. Rendleman Abernathy . He married Joyce L. Dankel on April 4, 1950, in Anna. He later married Patricia "Pat" Casey on Dec. 18, 1982, in Carbondale. She preceded him in death on Jan. 31, 2014. Survivors include his son, Scott Abernathy of Wolf Lake; two daughters, Beth (Brad) Wilson of Tamms and Kristen (Mike) Eckert of Atlanta; four grandchildren, Matt Wilson, Kyle (Mindy) Wilson, Lindsey Del (Justin) Pender and Jordan Reid Abernathy ; two great-grandchildren, Cole Wayne "Bucket" Pender and Shelby Scott Pender; brother, Bill (Sue) Abernathy of Mount Pleasant; other relatives; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Patricia "Pat" Abernathy ; son, William Matthew Abernathy ; and sister, Elizabeth Pickett. Doc was a member of Mount Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After serving in the Navy, Doc attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he played football and captured the title of "Mr. Cape State of 48." Doc had a passion for the outdoors and people. During his career as a professor at SIU, he had the opportunity to meet with Eunice Kennedy Shriver to establish the first Special Olympics at McAndrew Stadium at SIU. In 1961, Doc was part of a group of men who started the first Buffalo Tro at Touch of Nature in Carbondale. Over the course of the last 54 years, Doc and his son, Scott, have cooked and traveled across the country, feeding and impressing hundreds of thousands of people. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna with the Rev. Dennis Scoville officiating. Interment will be in Anna City Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be conducted by Carroll P. Foster Post 3455 of the VFW in Anna and the Navy Funeral Honor Detail. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to SIU Special Olympics. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. To leave online condolences for the family, visit www.rendlemanhilemanfh.com.
The Southern Illinoisan, Sunday, September 20, 2015
JONESBORO - William R. " Doc " Abernathy , 89, died at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 27, 1926, in Anna, the son of Russell and Vesta L. Rendleman Abernathy . He married Joyce L. Dankel on April 4, 1950, in Anna. He later married Patricia "Pat" Casey on Dec. 18, 1982, in Carbondale. She preceded him in death on Jan. 31, 2014. Survivors include his son, Scott Abernathy of Wolf Lake; two daughters, Beth (Brad) Wilson of Tamms and Kristen (Mike) Eckert of Atlanta; four grandchildren, Matt Wilson, Kyle (Mindy) Wilson, Lindsey Del (Justin) Pender and Jordan Reid Abernathy ; two great-grandchildren, Cole Wayne "Bucket" Pender and Shelby Scott Pender; brother, Bill (Sue) Abernathy of Mount Pleasant; other relatives; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Patricia "Pat" Abernathy ; son, William Matthew Abernathy ; and sister, Elizabeth Pickett. Doc was a member of Mount Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After serving in the Navy, Doc attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he played football and captured the title of "Mr. Cape State of 48." Doc had a passion for the outdoors and people. During his career as a professor at SIU, he had the opportunity to meet with Eunice Kennedy Shriver to establish the first Special Olympics at McAndrew Stadium at SIU. In 1961, Doc was part of a group of men who started the first Buffalo Tro at Touch of Nature in Carbondale. Over the course of the last 54 years, Doc and his son, Scott, have cooked and traveled across the country, feeding and impressing hundreds of thousands of people. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna with the Rev. Dennis Scoville officiating. Interment will be in Anna City Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be conducted by Carroll P. Foster Post 3455 of the VFW in Anna and the Navy Funeral Honor Detail. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to SIU Special Olympics. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. To leave online condolences for the family, visit www.rendlemanhilemanfh.com.
JONESBORO - William R. " Doc " Abernathy , 89, died at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 27, 1926, in Anna, the son of Russell and Vesta L. Rendleman Abernathy . He married Joyce L. Dankel on April 4, 1950, in Anna. He later married Patricia "Pat" Casey on Dec. 18, 1982, in Carbondale. She preceded him in death on Jan. 31, 2014. Survivors include his son, Scott Abernathy of Wolf Lake; two daughters, Beth (Brad) Wilson of Tamms and Kristen (Mike) Eckert of Atlanta; four grandchildren, Matt Wilson, Kyle (Mindy) Wilson, Lindsey Del (Justin) Pender and Jordan Reid Abernathy ; two great-grandchildren, Cole Wayne "Bucket" Pender and Shelby Scott Pender; brother, Bill (Sue) Abernathy of Mount Pleasant; other relatives; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Patricia "Pat" Abernathy ; son, William Matthew Abernathy ; and sister, Elizabeth Pickett. Doc was a member of Mount Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After serving in the Navy, Doc attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he played football and captured the title of "Mr. Cape State of 48." Doc had a passion for the outdoors and people. During his career as a professor at SIU, he had the opportunity to meet with Eunice Kennedy Shriver to establish the first Special Olympics at McAndrew Stadium at SIU. In 1961, Doc was part of a group of men who started the first Buffalo Tro at Touch of Nature in Carbondale. Over the course of the last 54 years, Doc and his son, Scott, have cooked and traveled across the country, feeding and impressing hundreds of thousands of people. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna with the Rev. Dennis Scoville officiating. Interment will be in Anna City Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be conducted by Carroll P. Foster Post 3455 of the VFW in Anna and the Navy Funeral Honor Detail. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to SIU Special Olympics. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. To leave online condolences for the family, visit www.rendlemanhilemanfh.com.
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