Ira Avery Jr.

Ira Avery Jr. of Whitewater, son of the late Ira Sr. and Sophia Ann Kelly Avery, was born June 4, 1923, in Clines Island, Missouri, and passed away Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in Whitewater at age 96.

He was born, raised and attended church and school at Clines Island in Stoddard County. After eighth grade, he continued learning with the Civilian Conservation Corp (1939 to 1940) and the Merchant Marines as a seaman (1941 to 1945) based in New London, Connecticut.

On Dec. 22, 1945, he married Wilma Jean Brown in New London. She preceded him in death Jan 7, 2010.

He sharecropped his family's farm at Clines Island for 40 years with the help of his wife, Jean, and four sons, actively farming until he was 91 years old.

During the last 14 months of his life, a special caregiver looked after him at the farm he loved at Whitewater, with help from his neighbor, Greg Brawley.

Surviving are his sons, James Avery of Whitewater, Steve Avery of San Antonio and Dennis Avery of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Mary Bizzell of Statesboro, Georgia, and Nellie Thurman of St. Louis; and daughter-in-law, Ruth Avery.

He was preceded in death by a son, Mike Avery; brother, John Wes Avery; and sisters, Gladys Dowdy, Nola Campbell, Susie Smith and Mildred Moore.

Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.

Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with Pastor Dalton Avery of Republic, Missouri, officiating. Interment will follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery near Bell City, Missouri.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.watkinsfuneralhome.com.