Ivan McLain

Ivan Ernest McLain, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Sunday, June 1, 1930, in Cape Girardeau to Monroe and Myrtle Comer McLain.

Ivan was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the Navy.

He and Betty Lois Jauch were married June 19, 1954, at Oriole, Mo.

Mr. McLain worked for the Cape Girardeau Police Department from September 1955 to November 1966 and was the sheriff of Cape Girardeau County from November 1966 to January 1977. He was in real estate sales from 1977 to 1980, and worked for the Gene Rhodes Oil Company from 1980 to 1983. Ivan was chief of police in Chaffee, Mo. from 1983 to 1992. He retired from Wal-Mart after being a greeter from June 1992 to December 2010.

He was a member of the Cape County Cowboy Church and attended Red Star Baptist Church. He also was a member of the VFW Post 3127 in Chaffee, Mo.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Lois McLain of Cape Girardeau; sons, Ivan (Aida) Santos of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Randy (Judy) McLain of Cape Girardeau; daughters, Cathy Proffer of Advance, Mo. and Penny (Curt) Johns of Jackson; a brother, Jack (Jean) McLain of Cape Girardeau; sisters Carrie Wilhelm of Florida and Mary Wissmann of Cape Girardeau; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers, two sisters and two grandsons, Rusty Watson and Colin McLain.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel and from 10 a.m. until time of service Tuesday at Cape County Cowboy Church in Oak Ridge.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with the Rev. Jim Matthews and Rev. Rick Crump officiating.

Burial will be in the Missouri State Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo. at 3 p.m. Tuesday, with full military honors by VFW Post 3838 and the Missouri Honors Teams.

Memorial contributions may be given to Red Star Baptist Church or McLain Cemetery Association.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.