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Jim Abernathy
CAPE GIRARDEAU -- James William "Jim" Abernathy was born Aug. 26, 1920, in Lutesville and passed away Jan. 13, 2008, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.
Jim's parents were Delmar and Ora Choate Abernathy.
In 1941, he married Mary Margaret Brorein, a music teacher at Lutesville High School. They lived in St, Louis where he worked at Curtis-Wright Corporation until he was inducted into the U.S. Army. After training, he was assigned to a headquarters company and stationed at Camp Walthers in Mineral Wells, Texas.
After being discharged from the Army in 1945, he farmed and lived near Sikeston and attended the Agriculture Extension School from the University of Missouri. He continued farming until the year 2000.
Jim was on the ASCS Farm Board in Benton and served as the president of the University of Missouri Extension Council. He was also a member of the first Head Start Board of Directors. As an appraiser, he worked for the Federal Crop Insurers.
Jim proudly served on the Rural Electric Board in Sikeston, chaired the M&A Board in Poplar Bluff for a number of years, was treasurer for the Associated Electric Board in Springfield, and was elected a state executive council member of cooperatives in Jefferson City.
He spent many years as a board member of the Sikeston Special Road District.
In 2000, Jim and Mary Margaret retired and moved to Saxony Village in Cape Girardeau.
He is survived by: his wife, Mary Margaret Abernathy; two daughters, Nancy Haertling and Karen Fox of Cape Girardeau; two granddaughters, Laura Fox and Krista Sharpe of St. Louis; two grandsons, Greg Haertling and wife, Tiffany, of Dallas and Brad Haertling and wife, Shelia, of Jackson; three great-
granddaughters, Dru Haertling, Kelsey Haertling and Isabella Fox; one great-
grandson, Kyle Haertling; one brother, William (Bud) Abernathy of Cape Girardeau; and one sister, Marie (Cissy) Dugger of Cape Girardeau.
In addition to his parents, Jim was also preceded in death by one sister, Rosemary Abernathy Murphy, and one brother, Benjamin Franklin Abernathy.
Jim was a former member of the First Methodist Church of Sikeston and transferred his membership to Centenary United Methodist Church of Cape Girardeau.
He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 63 in Cape Girardeau and the Farm Bureau of Missouri.
Jim spent his last years in the outstanding care of the Missouri Veterans Home.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today at the Ford and Sons Funeral Home Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau where services are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday with the Rev. Jeff Long officiating.
Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield with military rites by the Missouri Honors Team.
Memorial contributions may be sent to:
the Missouri Veterans Home Perpetual Trust Fund Attn: Accounting 2400 Veterans Memorial Drive Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
or
Centenary United Methodist Church 300 N. Ellis St. Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
or
First United Methodist Church 1307 N. Main St. Sikeston, MO 63801
Paid obituary