Henry Cruse

Henry F. Cruse, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

He was born June 8, 1918, in Blytheville, Ark., son of Henry Frank and Lula C. Gilliam Crusel. He and Mary Ann Bohl were married 44 years.

Cruse was a civil engineer. He had worked at the U.S. Air Force Base in Vandenburg, Calif. He was a member of American Legion Post 63 and VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau, Retired Officers Association and Disabled American Veterans in Santa Maria.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and also served in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann; two sons, Henry Frank Cruse Jr. and wife Cindy of Cape Girardeau, Robert A. Dorado Jr. and wife Yvette of Nipomo, Calif.; a sister, Lois Skaggs of Park Hills, Mo.; and four grandchildren, Kristina, daughter of Henry and Cindy Cruse; Dylan, Jarred and Jordyn, children of Robert and Yvette Dorado; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank "Red" and Tom Cruse, and three sisters, Lorean Tumbleson, Helen Held and Evelyn Browne.

Visitation will be from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel.

A graveside service will be held at noon Friday at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, with the Rev. Bill Burke officiating. Full military honors will be conducted.

The funeral procession will be escorted by the Patriot Guard.

Memorials may be made to Missouri Veterans Home, 2400 Veterans Memorial Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701.

Family and friends are welcome from 2 to 3 p.m. at the American Legion hall in Cape Girardeau.