G.W. Allen

CHARLESTON - G.W. Allen, 71, died at 7 p.m. March 14, 2005, at his rural Mississippi County residence.

Born Oct. 23, 1933, at Wolf Island, to the late George M. and Bessie Hockersmith Allen, he lived all of his life in Mississippi County where he was a farmer and a member of the New Bethel Baptist Church. A member of the Charleston Masonic Lodge 407 AF & AM, he was also a 32nd degree Master Mason.

On Oct. 4, 1953, at Holly Springs, Miss., he married Shirley Weekley, who survives.

Other survivors include: two daughters and a son-in-law, Marcalea and Russell Ryan of Sikeston and Sharon Schulte of East Prairie; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Vivian and Joe Watson of East Prairie and Maxine and Doc Laster of Bertrand; two grandchildren, Brad Ryan of Sikeston and Elizabeth Schulte of East Prairie; and one great-grandson, Dakota Ryan of Sikeston.

Five brothers and one sister preceded him in death.

Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Shelby Funeral Home where Masonic rites will be conducted at 7 p.m. by the Charleston Masonic Lodge. Services are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with Tim Miller officiating.

Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Jack Feezor, Johnny Shoffner, Dale Glenn, Max Carlyle, David Ezzell and Matt Morrow.

Honorary pallbearers will be Gary, Glen and Greg Nunn, Robert Hohler, Joe Allen, Josh Sullivan and David Bible.

- - -

Memorial contributions may be made to:

New Bethel Baptist Church

731 North 407th Road

Charleston, MO 63836

or the American Cancer Society

201 N. New Madrid St.

Sikeston, MO 63801

or VNA Hospice, 112 W. Commercial St.

Charleston, MO 63834