Ralph Carr Jr.

CHARLESTON -- A funeral Mass for Ralph Reece Carr Jr., 68, will be celebrated on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005, at 10 a.m. at St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston with Monsignor Richard Rolwing, senior pastor of the St. Francis Xavier Church in Sikeston, serving as celebrant.

Burial will follow in the Calvary Cemetery under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home with the Missouri Military Honor Guard providing military graveside rites.

Mr. Carr, a resident of Charleston, died at 7:35 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, 2005, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Nov. 7, 1936, in Charleston, son of the late Ralph and Geneva Murphy Carr. He graduated from St. Henry Catholic School in May of 1954. He enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserve on June 30, 1954. While enlisted he received his pilot's license. Some of his active duty assignments included piloting C-123, C-130s as load master in the Vietnam War. His plane was one of the last to leave Vietnam. During his time of service, he received several awards including Air Force Longevity Service Award (with three services), Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Reserve Service Medal, National Defense Medal and Senior Air Crew Member Badge. He retired from service in April 1986.

During his life he was a member of Knights of Columbus, Charleston VFW Post 4294, St. Henry Catholic Church and Civil Air Patrol Leader. He had also been a flight instructor with a reputation for quality training. He played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Mississippi County Airport. In addition to the above, he spent much of his life as a landowner and farmer.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Mea Lou Butler and Patricia Ann Evans.

Survivors include: two daughters and one son-in-law, Julie Elizabeth Davis of Charleston and Carrie Lynn and David Elliott Williams of Cape Girardeau; one sister, Mary Elizabeth Shrum of Charleston; one grandson, Johnathan Zirkle of Charleston; several nieces and nephews; and a special friend, Della Fern Goodin of East Prairie.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Pallbearers will be: Elliott Williams, Brad Tanner, Avery Hutcheson, Richard Hutcheson, Joe Shrum and John Shrum.

Paid obituary