A farmer and a lifelong resident of the Ava Burrel Loftin, son of David Loftin and Ethel Robertson Loftin, was born on Aug. 19, 1916, in Douglas County, Mo., and passed away on Nov. 10, 2008 in St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, at the age of 92 years.
Burrel was a farmer and a lifelong resident of the Ava community. He had worked at Rawlings and was also a milk hauler for Carnation and was a mechanic for Kerr Chevrolet in Ava.
On June 6, 1942, Burrel and Marjorie Heriford were united in marriage in Ava, and to this union 11 children were born. Burrel was a Christian and a member of the Sweden Methodist Church.
Burrel was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Marjorie in 2005; two sons, Jerry and Timothy; a daughter, Donna; one grandson, Brent; one brother, Albert; and three sisters, Lela Loftin, Opal Forrest and Mabel Lakey.
He is survived by eight children: four sons and their spouses, Marvin and Mary June Loftin, Russell and Caroline Sue Loftin, Burrely and Penny Loftin and Mike and Lisa Loftin all of Ava, and four daughters and their spouses, Carole and Howard Gott, Janice Gray all of Ava, Patty and Bob Clevenhagen, Washington, Mo., and Lynda and Rick Snelson, Ava; 19 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; one sister, Lois Strong, Ava; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Services were at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, with the Revs. Oren Alcorn and Joshua Strong officiating. Interment followed in the Sweden Cemetery.
The family requests memorials to Loftin Cemetery, Sweden Cemetery or Gideons International. On line condolences may be made to www.clinkingbeardfuneralhome. com.
