John Parnell

CAIRO, Ill. -- John Wheeler Parnell, 55, of Cairo died Friday, Dec. 26, 2003. He was born July 25, 1948, in Charleston, Mo., son of Jimmie and Mildred Smith Parnell. He married Mareva Flowers in 1968.

He worked as an assembly line worker for Burkart Manufacturing.

Survivors include two sons, Michael Smith of Dayton, Ohio, and Timothy Smith of Cairo; one daughter, Aundra Edwards of Toledo, Ohio; two brothers, Alvin Smith and Harry Williams of Cairo; five sisters, Earth Mae Warner and Cassandra Smith of Oakland, Calif., Loretta Morse of Chicago, Ill., Justina Kelly of Atlanta, Ga., and Clementine Smith of Cairo; and 13 grandchildren.

Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the Christ Temple Church of God in Christ in Cairo. The funeral will follow with the Rev. Terry Holder officiating. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery, near Charleston, with the L.R. Sparks Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.