Melvin E. “Gene” Stegall, son of the late Benjamin Stegall and Elizabeth Hancock Stegall, was born on February 6, 1926 in Gideon, Missouri and departed this life on September 1, 2014 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau at the age of 88.

Mr. Stegall was affiliated with the First Baptist Church of Dexter, had worked in construction for Rockford Blacktop in Rockford, Illinois, was a resident of Dexter and a veteran of the United States Army.

On June 11, 1955, he was united in marriage to Betty Sue Hartsfield in Malden, Missouri.  Mrs. Stegall survives at the home. 

In addition to his wife, he is survived by one son, Rod Stegall and wife Marsha of Byron, Illinois; by one daughter, Theresa Reynolds and husband Donnie of Dexter; by five grandchildren, Ali Harms of Lindenwood, Illinois, Cole Stegall of Byron, Illinois, Dawson Reynolds and Dakota Reynolds of Dexter and Vasile Siminitchi of Houston, Texas; by two great-grandchildren, Maklaya Harms and Donavon Harms of Lindenwood, Illinois; and by one sister, Alice Berry of Dexter.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers and one sister.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. 

Graveside services will be conducted at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. Rich Lee officiating. 

Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Memorials may be made to the Dexter Lady Bearcats Scholarship, Attn:  Laura Miller, 1031 Brown Pilot Lane, Dexter, Missouri 63841.