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Note: February 15, 2015 1:00 am(0) Signatures WEST FRANKFORT -- Eric B. McKee Jr. and Imogene Hayes McKee passed awayMonday, Jan. 19, 2015, in Physicians Regional Healthcare System inNaples, Florida.
Eric was born Nov. 14, 1921, in West Frankfort, to Eric B. McKee Sr. andEstella Anderson McKee. He was married to Imogene Hayes McKee for 67years. He preceded her in death by seven hours and being a gentleman heheld the door open to heaven for her.
He was a lifetime member of First Baptist Church of West Frankfort. Heretired from SIU as the chief engineer of the power plant. Previous tothat he owned McKee Refrigeration Service.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Eric was a lifetime member of American Legion and Refrigeration ServiceEngineers Society. He was 1993 Man of the Year for the Illinois Chapterof the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society. He was also an activemember of Class of 1939 Reunion Committees.
After retirement Eric enjoyed family, friends, and fishing. He spent halfof the year in Marco Island, Florida fishing.
Imogene Hayes McKee was born July 3, 1923, in West Frankfort, to Lemanand Edna Pearl Hayes. She married Eric B. McKee Jr., on April 10, 1947.They had been married for 67 years when she followed him to heaven. Shewas a lifetime member of the First Baptist Church of West Frankfort, andalso attended First Baptist Church of Marco Island when she was stayingthere. In her professional life she worked at the Banterra Bank (formerlyBank of West Frankfort), Bonifield Trucking Company, Jacobs Lane Jewelersand the Daily American. She was a member of the Business and ProfessionalWomen’s Club.
After retiring Imogene and Eric took ballroom dancing lessons and theyspent many hours enjoying their new pastime. Imogene loved needlework,traveling, and her family and friends.
Eric and Imogene were true lovebirds. Everyone who saw them always said“what a cute couple!” Theirs was a love that did not end in death butcontinued into eternity. They will be greatly missed by their family andby all their West Frankfort and Marco Island friends.
Eric and Imogene are survived by two daughters, Jeri (Tim) Ridenour ofBartlett, and Joni (Mark) Merideth of Solgohachia, Arkansas; fourgrandchildren, Eric (Nikki) Merideth, Nicole (Jeremy) Merideth, Samantha(Jeremy) Kling, and Daniel Ridenour. They had four great-grandsons, DavidShawn Merideth, Bryan Asher Merideth, Eric Connor Merideth and Jacob LeonMerideth. Eric leaves behind one sister Helen Wright of Marion, andImogene leaves behind her brother, Richard Hayes of Arnold, Missouri.
The loved ones that preceded them are Eric and Estella McKee; Leman andPearl Hayes; and brothers, Bill McKee and Lincoln Hayes.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, in Parker-Reedy FuneralHome in West Frankfort, with the Rev. Mike Cash officiating. Burial willbe in the Denning Cemetery on Orient Road. Visitation will be from 9 to11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
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