Abraham L. ‘Abe’ Scoles, 80, St. Elmo
Abraham L. “Abe” Scoles, 80, of St. Elmo, died at 5:36 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009, at his residence.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Kessel Funeral Home in St. Elmo. Burial with military rites will be in Maplewood Cemetery in St. Elmo. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home, with masonic rites at 8 p.m. Memorials: St. Elmo Veterans’ Memorial, P.O. Box 132, St. Elmo, 62458.
Mr. Scoles was born on Feb. 12, 1928, at Howard’s Point (St. Elmo), the son of Benjamin M. and Nellie Mae Tipsword Scoles. He married Lina L. Haslet in Effingham on Dec. 7, 1946.
He was previously employed as an oilfield operator by Grady Marchman and RH Troop of St. Elmo. From 1969 until his retirement in 1993, he was employed by the Department of Energy as a senior technician at Salt Dome Storage Facilities in Hattiesburg, Miss.; Palestine, Texas; Moab, Utah; Detroit, Mich.; Lake Charles and Baton Rouge, La.; and Jackson, Ala. After relocating back in St. Elmo in 1994, he enjoyed his retirement as a maintenance technician at the St. Elmo Golf Course for several years, and from 1997 to present, he was a “permanent fixture” at Tropical Snow in downtown St. Elmo. He was an avid fisherman, woodworker, and deer and mushroom hunter, and he enjoyed playing on the computer. He was a member of St. Elmo Masonic Lodge No. 769 A.F. & A.M. and the Ainad Shrine of East St. Louis.
He is survived by his wife; son, Rick Scoles and his wife Lori of Tucson, Ariz.; daughters, Lynda Joyce and Annette Ray, both of St. Elmo; grandchildren, Tony Werner and his wife June Feng, Jennifer and her husband Clay Trussell, Jeff Werner and his wife Kelly, Amanda Ray and her husband Donnie Payne, Kelly and her husband Steven Chaet, and Meagan, Kevyn and Kennedy Ray; great-grandchildren, Logan Kilsby, Warren and Clair Trussell, and Sydney and Francesca Werner; brothers, Ray Scoles and his wife Diane of Edgewood, Frank Scoles and his wife Bernice of St. Elmo, and John Scoles and his wife Joann of Dora, Mo.; sisters, Jean Mefford of St. Elmo, Zola and her husband Jerry Limes of Farina, Lola Hawkey of Smithville, Tenn., Barbara Goldsberry of Brownstown, and Mary Eagan of Sandoval; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Willard Werner; brothers, Jess, Merle, Len and Harry Scoles; sisters, Pauline Johnston and Lucy Davis; and brothers-in-law, Kenneth Hawkey and Charles Mefford.