Harry Warren

CHARLESTON, Mo. ­-- Harry "Joker" Warren Jr., 90, died Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, at his residence in Charleston.

He was born Oct. 29, 1922, at Brock Ranch in Oregon County, Mo., to the late Harry Warren and Eva Risner Warren. In 1928, his family moved to Blodgett, Mo., where they farmed and raised cattle. His entrepreneurship started at an early age when he raised white mice and sold them to his schoolmates. In 1940, he moved to Charleston, where he embarked on many business ventures buying and selling cattle, land, oil and even caskets. He farmed, built and ran a motel, restaurant and bar, but the love of his life was the Charleston Auction Co., which had its first sale in November 1941. At one time Charleston Auction Co. was the largest livestock auction in Missouri, averaging 1,150 head of cattle per auction and as many as 1,000 hogs. Joker was a man with vision and was the first local farmer to install modern irrigation and the first to plant potatoes in Mississippi County.

On March 13, 1943, he married Julia Cooper, who survives.

Survivors include three daughters, Pam W. Crawford and Jamee Shelby, both of Charleston, and Dr. Lisa Cooper Warren of Salem, Va.; a sister, Greta Warren Watson of Mart, Texas; 10 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

A son, Harry Warren III; two brothers, John Warren and Bob Warren; two sisters, Ethel Duff and Charlene Merrick; and a grandson, Gregg Crawford, preceded him in death.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11 a.m. Monday at the First Baptist Church in Charleston. Rev. Michael Brewer, pastor of First Baptist Church, and Dr. Bill W. Stacy of Chattanooga, Tenn., will officiate.

Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Reginald Young, James Kenneth Reeves, Donny DeLine, Gregory Poyner Hall, Jerry Green and Robert Speckert.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

Online condolences may be shared at mcmiklefuneralhome.com