grave import

Obituary

Ronald Lee Carnes Sr., 74, of Mount Vernon, Mo., formerly of Burlington, died Monday, Sept. 10, 2007, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born May 21, 1933, in LaHarpe, Ill., he was the son of John and Doris Jewell Ferguson Carnes. In 1955, he married Joyce Joanne Sherman in Springfield, Mo. On Dec. 4, 1971, he married Nila Jean Gulick in Middletown. Mr. Carnes was a quality control inspector for Champion Spark Plug for 33 years. He attended schools in LaHarpe and Burlington and received his high school diploma in 1978. He was a corporal in the Marine Corps and served in the Korean War. He was a prominent bowler in Burlington and was in the Burlington Area Bowlers Association where he held many offices. He was inducted into the Burlington Area Bowlers Hall of Fame. He also held the office of Iowa State Senior Bowling Association secretary. He enjoyed golfing, NASCAR and sports of all kinds. In 1993 he moved to the San Diego, Calif., area where he lived for 11 years. He received a heart transplant at University of California at San Diego Medical Center. Upon his wife's retirement in 2004, he moved to Mount Vernon. Survivors include his wife; one son, Ronald Carnes Jr. of Burlington; one daughter, Cathy Vanover of West Burlington; two stepsons, Jack Gulick of Rockledge, Fla., and Brian Gulick of Davenport; nine grandchildren; one great-grandson; two sisters, Joanne Mescher of Knoxville, Ill., and Beverly Myers of Carman, Ill.; one brother, Laverne Mitchell of Carthage, Ill.; nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one son, two sisters and two brothers. The funeral for Mr. Carnes will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Lunning Chapel, with the Rev. Jack Daniel officiating. Burial with full military rites will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery. A memorial has been established.