JOHN LESTER (SKEETER) WISSMANN

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- John Lester (Skeeter) Wissmann, 83 years old, of Cape Girardeau Route 1, died Saturday, April 20, 1991, at his home following an extended illness.

He was born April 7, 1908 near Oriole, son of John and Ethel Perry Wissmann.

He married Marjorie Davis on Oct. 7, 1935 in St. Louis. She died Sept. 21, 1982.

Then, he married Jewel Colter on June 11, 1983 at Jackson. She died Jan. 27, 1986.

He then married Gail Emmons Nov. 15, 1986 in Cape Girardeau. She survives.

Wissmann had a number of children, all of them from the first marriage.

Besides his wife, survivors include four sons, Joseph Wissmann, Cape Girardeau Route 1, the Rev. Patrick Wissmann of Cape Girardeau; Thomas Wissmann of El Paso, Texas, and Gerard of Kansas City; two stepsons, Wayne Schleinger, Hundred, West Va., and J.B. McClard, Cape Girardeau; three daughters, Mary Ann Wissmann, Austin, Texas, Francine Haupt, Cape Girardeau Route 1, and Kathryn Lacewell, Shawneetown; four stepdaughters, Colleen Flowers, McAllen, Texas, Janice Gilkey, Austin, Texas, Diane Flowers, Dallas, Texas, and Dessilee Mueller, East Cape Girardeau, Ill.; two brothers, Herman Wissmann, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Jesse Wissmann, Cape Girardeau; five sisters, Marie Barrett and Mabel Reedy, both of Columbus, Ohio, Rose Grubbs, Cape Girardeau, Lula Palomarez, Golden Valley, Ariz., and Jewell Cantrell, Brownsville, Texas; 11 grandchildren; 14 step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.

Two brothers and a sister preceded him in death.

He was a member of Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church and a past member of the Knights of Columbus.

He was a well-known barber in Cape Girardeau for 47 years. For 45 of those years, he operated Wissmann's Barber Shop at 507 Broadway.

Friends may call at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel from 4 to 8 p.m. today. Parish prayers will be offered at 8 tonight.

Funeral mass will be held at 10 am. Monday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson with Wissmann's son, the Rev. Patrick Wissmann, and Bishop John Leibrecht officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.