George Wrape Sr.

George Heil Wrape Sr., 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born April 8, 1926, in St. Louis, eldest son of Velda and Gertrude Wrape. He and Elizabeth "Betty" Tuchschmidt were married Nov. 13, 1948. She died Jan. 13, 2002.

George had attended St. Vincent de Paul Church in Cape Girardeau and was a valued and respected volunteer at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

He graduated from Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind., with a bachelor of science degree in 1946. He attended Westminster, Central Michigan and Northwestern University previously in the U.S. Navy Air Corps program. He was a Naval officer from 1952 to 1954.

George moved to Cape Girardeau in 1963. He was president of Central Packing Co., later known as Central Foods Inc., a meat slaughter and processing company employing 120 people. Central Foods was sold in 1981. He moved first to Dallas, Texas, and then to Tyler, Texas, to help start Animal Technologies Inc., and was with that company 10 years.

He moved back to Cape Girardeau and sold real estate several years until his retirement in 2001. He had been a director of First National Bank, was president of Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce in 1970 and received the "Friend of Agriculture" award in 1971.

In 1981 he was a member of the Charter Commission of Cape Girardeau and served on the Planning and Zoning Committee. He was a member of Cape Girardeau Rotary Club, director of United Way three years, and was a trustee at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He is survived by a son, George "Skip" Wrape Jr. (Colette) of Cape Girardeau; four daughters, Mary Beth Denton (Steve) of Austin, Texas, Trudy Brandt of Cape Girardeau, Kitty Lacy (Glenn) of Collierville, Tenn., Ginny Johnston (Rich) of Erie, Colo.; a brother, Jack Wrapp of Boulder, Colo.; 14 grandchildren, Ashley, Tracie, Nikki, Mia, Deana, Chris, Elizabeth, Amy, Angie, Matthew, Kelli, Garret and Mitchell; 10 great-grandchildren, Trevor, Brennon, Chelsea, Kaitie, Sebastian, Micah, Allen, John, Luke and Sara.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and a brother.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

A service will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.