JOHN H. SCHEFFER SR.

CHARLESTON -- John Henry Scheffer Sr., 68, Charleston Route 2, died Thursday, May 13, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.

He was born Oct. 22, 1924, in rural Charleston, son of Clem and Emma Gibbear Scheffer. He and Rita Magdeline Urhahn were married Feb. 1, 1947.

Scheffer was the retired owner and operator of Scheffer's Printing and Mississippi County Times Newspaper. He was a member of St. Henry's Catholic Church, where he served as eucharistic minister and lector; member of St. Henry's Home and School Board, member of Charleston VFW Post 4294, past member of Parish Council and Knights of Columbus.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and received a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars.

Survivors include his wife; five sons, John Jr., Gregory and Charles Scheffer of Greensboro, N.C., Stephen Scheffer of Ft. Worth, Texas, Richard Scheffer of Charleston; five daughters, Ruth Kollmeyer and Rose Lund of Minneapolis, Minn., Mary Sue Geraghty of Greensboro, Mary Rita Wilson of Charleston, Alice Harvell of DeQueen, Ark.; three brothers, Joe Scheffer of Ellis Grove, Ill., Clem and Berisimo Scheffer of Sikeston; four sisters, Christine Senciboy of Perkins, Margaret Proctor of Benton, Pauline Scheffer and Frances Slayden of Charleston; 25 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, daughter, two brothers and two sisters.

Funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Henry's Church. The Rev. James Reynolds will officiate, with burial in Calvary Cemetery.

Friends may call at McMikle Funeral Home after 5 p.m. today. A prayer service will be held at 7.