Earl Peetz

Earl W. Peetz, 79, of Jackson, passed away Sunday, June 11, 2006, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Dec. 20, 1926, in Gordonville, son of Joseph and Wilhelmena "Minnie" Voges Peetz. He and Dorothy Marie Maag were married on Nov. 23, 1949. She passed away Aug. 16, 2000.

On April 29, 1946, Peetz was inducted into the U.S. Army. He was honorably discharged on March 17, 1947.

Earl was a member of the Emanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson, where he served as the former Sunday School superintendent for many years, worked with the youth, served on the church council and was the head usher. He was also a member of VFW 3838 in Cape Girardeau, the Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158 in Jackson and a former board member of the Tilsit Retreat Center. Earl worked for Jackson Auto Parts in Jackson for 28 years and formerly worked as a truck driver for Byron Lang Trucking, A.H. Macke Trucking and Clarence Springer.

Loving survivors include a brother, Marvin (Barbara) Peetz of Jackson; a sister Lorene Gross of Gordonville; three nephews, Kent and Scott Peetz of Jackson and Robert Heider of Hillsboro, Ore.; six nieces, Emma Brockmire of Cape Girardeau, Shirley McCormack of Jackson, Debbie Peetz of Arlington, Va., Karen Strong of Whitewater, Sherry Kasten of Perryville and Tammy Kasten of Uniontown; 17 great-nieces and nephews; and six great-great-nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two nieces, Ruth Stroer and Mary Jo Gross.

Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson and after 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Emanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church with Rev. Sam Roethemeyer officiating. Interment will follow in the St. James United Church of Christ Cemetery in Tilsit with graveside military honors.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Emanuel United Church of Christ Expansion Fund, Southeast Hospice or the Missouri Veterans Home.

Sympathy message may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.