Walter Vinyard

Walter Earl Vinyard, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 30, 2007, at Missouri Veterans Home.

He was born Oct. 30, 1922, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., son of Walter L. and Beulah Holloway Vinyard. He and Ellen Dean Hartsell Vinyard were married Oct. 13, 1943, in Poplar Bluff. She died Sept. 3, 2002.

Vinyard served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

He was employed by Rust & Martin Furniture Store in Cape Girardeau as manager 38 years. He was a charter member of Cape West Rotary and received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International.

Vinyard was a member of First Christian Church. He served as a life elder and on various church boards.

He is survived by a son, Phillip Vinyard and wife Karen of Clarkson Valley, Mo.; a daughter, Pamela Fraley of Chester, Ill.; three grandchildren, Rebecca Palisch and husband Brent of Webster Groves, Mo., Christopher Vinyard and wife Andrea of Brentwood, Mo.; and Ryan Fraley of Chester.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Betty O'Connor.

Service will be at 10 a.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, with the Rev. Rodger Kiepe officiating. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church and Missouri Veterans Home.