Keith Whitehead

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Keith DeLane Whitehead, 64, peacefully passed away Monday, March 21, 2016, at his home in Charleston.

He was born May 30, 1951, in Cape Girardeau to the late Herald Eugene Whitehead and Bernece Imogene Revelle Whitehead.

He grew up in Advance, Missouri, where he graduated from Advance High School in 1969.

Upon graduation, he joined his father in operating the family trucking business, WW Transport Inc.

He continued to own and operate WW Transport until his retirement in 2012.

On Aug. 15, 1976, he married Mary Thompson Marshall of Charleston, who survives of the home.

He also is survived by two sons and two daughters, Graham DeLane (Ann Hunter) Whitehead of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Mary Whitehead Pelczynski, Jacqueline (Bleve) Willoughby and Rabb (Kelly) Whitehead, all of Charleston. Also surviving are six grandchildren, Sarah Dabney Whitehead, Miles Hunter Whitehead and Wade Chapman Whitehead of Hattiesburg and Bleve Thompson Willoughby, Graham Chambers Willoughby and Mary Louise Willoughby of Charleston. A sister, Linda Mayberry Slinkard of Advance, also survives.

Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Charleston. The Rev. David Collum, pastor, will officiate.

Interment will follow in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Monroe Black, Mike Buehler, Mark Dugan, Steve Griffith, Jamie Pollock, Larry Robbins, Marvin Rhodes, Steve Welch and David Williams.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to the Charleston United Methodist Church, 1700 E. Marshall St., Charleston, MO 63834.

Online condolences may be shared at mcmiklefuneralhome.com.