Curt Vogel

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Curt M. Vogel, 90, of Perryville died early Friday, June 29, 2007, at Perry County Nursing Home.

He was born Oct. 19, 1916, in Altenburg, Mo., son of the Rev. Adolph and Magdalena Vogel. He married the former Billie Jean Bumgarner of Odessa, Mo., Feb. 7, 1941, at the Lutheran Church in Columbia, Mo.

Mr. Vogel passed the bar examination only months before the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946. During this tour he flew 30 bombing missions out of England into Nazi-occupied Europe. The B-24 pilot and his crew completed his tour, which included the bombing of Berlin the day before D-Day.

As an activated reservist, Capt. Vogel served another overseas stint, this time in South Korea, where he served from 1951 to 1952 in the Adjutant General Corps of the newly-formed U.S. Air Force.

As a young returning serviceman, Vogel entered the private practice of law, first as the associate of Samuel Bond, a former senator and the grandfather of former governor and current U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond; then with Roscoe Moore, a then future associate circuit judge, before striking out on his own in private practice.

Mr. Vogel served as prosecuting attorney of Perry County and later as city attorney of Perryville for many years, before completing his professional career as the associate circuit judge presiding at the courthouse in Perryville.

An active citizen in his community, Mr. Vogel held leadership positions in Perry County Jaycees, Perryville Chamber of Commerce, Perryville Lions Club and Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Dr. Curt Vogel II of Columbia, Dr. William Vogel of Pleasant Hill, Mo., David G. Vogel of St. Louis; two daughters, Mary Smith of Peoria, Ill., Laurel Rodini of Midlothian, Va.; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with service immediately following at the church. A graveside service with full military honors will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.

The family requests that any gifts be made to the Human Care Fund at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, or to the charity of choice.

Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville is in charge of arrangements.