Virgil Earl Pankey 1915-2001

PANKEY, LUDINGTON, SNYDER

Posted By: Daniel Davis, Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/8/2010 at 08:31:47

Source: The Morning Sun News-Herald undated.

Virgil Earl Pankey, 86, of Bonaparte, died at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001, at Van Buren County Memorial Hospital in Keosauqua.

Born Aug. 8, 1915, in Lake City, he was the son of James B. and Mabel Woody Pankey. He married Lucille Snyder on Sept. 24, 1936, in Lake City. She died Aug. 17, 1998.

Mr. Pankey owned and operated Pankey Feed and Fertilizer in Bonaparte.

He was a member of Bonaparte United Church and the Mariners Club of the church, Order of Eastern Star, Shriners and a 50-year member of the Bonaparte Masonic Lodge, where he was a past master. He was a former mayor of Bonaparte, a charter member of Bonaparte Lions Club and chairman of the Central Committee of Van Buren County Republicans.

Survivors include four sons, Russell Pankey of Huntersville, N.C., Melvin Pankey of San Antonio, Gene Pankey of Burlington and LeRoy Pankey of Bonaparte; one daughter, Jane Ludington of Hamilton, Ill.; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one brother, Wilbur Pankey of Deltona, Fla.

Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation was on Thursday at Hofbauer Funeral Home in Farmington, where the family received friends in the evening.

The funeral for Mr. Pankey was at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Bonaparte United Church, with the Rev. Richard Smith officiating. Burial was in Bonaparte Cemetery, with Masonic rites.

Memorials were established for his church and Bonaparte First Responders. Contributions may be left at the funeral home.

Mr. and Mrs. Pankey are former residents of Morning Sun where he owned and managed the Morning Sun Rendering Works.