Dewey Criddle

GENESEO, Ill. -- Dewey L. "Doc" Criddle, 88, died Sunday, March 26, 2017, at Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Geneseo.

Dewey was born Sept. 4, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, the son of William and Verda Stroder Criddle. He married Joyce Carr on April 6, 1980, in Sterling, Illinois.

Dewey, nicknamed "Doc," was preceded in death by his first wife, Rose Mary Campbell Criddle and an infant daughter, Paula Rose Criddle; his mother and father, Verda Irene Stroder Criddle and William Smith Criddle Jr.; two brothers, Everett Eugene Criddle and James William Criddle; and a sister, Mary Janice Criddle Marlin Fadden.

Surviving are his wife, Joyce Eloise Will Carr Criddle; two sons, Randy (Cheryle) Criddle of Mount Morris, Illinois, and Eric Criddle of Jackson; two stepsons, Dion (Mary) Carr of Geneseo and Dana (Nancy) Carr of Davis Junction, Illinois; seven grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.

Doc served in the Army for two years, from Aug. 28, 1951, to Aug. 5, 1953. He spent 17 months in Korea during the Korean War.

He was a teacher and started teaching in August 1948. He taught at Helderman School in Cape Girardeau County; Festus, Missouri; Elvins, Missouri; Koshkonong, Missouri; and Prophetstown, Illinois; then Rock Falls, Illinois. He taught a total of 33 years, most of it (26 years) in Rock Falls.

Dewey was a member of Rock Falls United Methodist Church, where he served on the board of trustees in the past. He had been a member of the Rock Falls Good Fellows and Rock Falls American Legion Post 902.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at McDonald Funeral Home in Rock Falls and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating. Burial with military rites will be at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Good Samaritan Society-Geneseo Village or Rock Falls United Methodist Church.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.