Lowell Tanner

POPLAR BLUFF - Lowell Russell Tanner, 78, died Sept. 30, 2002, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Born Dec. 25, 1923, at Calm, son of the late Robert Esco and Etta Miller Tanner, he graduated from Couch High School. He also graduated from Arkansas State University, where he played for the Arkansas Greyhounds Independent team. Tanner was a math and physical education teacher for 35 years in Couch, Risco, Bernie, Richland and Pacific. During his many years of coaching, he coached the Richland Rebels in 1964 who won second place in the state championship. He was a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association.

On May 2, 1942, in Alton, he married Reva Evelyn Reed.

He later married Ethel Marie Maples who survives of Poplar Bluff.

Survivors include: two sons and daughters-in-law, Russell Dale and Jeanice Tanner of Bernie and Randy Ellis and Tammy Tanner of Dexter; one daughter and son-in-law, Donna Louise and Harold Tucker of Oak Grove, La.; three stepsons, Jim Eubanks of St. Louis, Harold Eubanks of Carbondale, Ill., and Ossey Eubanks of Charleston, Ill.; and six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were one brother, Leamon Tanner; two sisters, Lena Reed and Bessie Jones; and one great-granddaughter.

Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter.

Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Chalk Bluff Cemetery near Dexter with Stan Dauck of Bernie officiating.