Vernon Abernathy, son of the late Edward and Myrtle Boyd Abernathy, was born in Advance, Missouri on May 10, 1929, and passed away at his home near Puxico, Missouri on February 21, 2018, at the age of 88 years, 9 months and 11 days.

He had lived in St. Louis and moved to Puxico in 1966. He was a member of the Christ Gospel Church in Millersville and was attending the Duck Creek Baptist Church near Puxico. He had worked for Hubert Browning Trucking, and farmed most of his life. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and working in his shop.

1On May 23, 1952, he was married to Dortha Dunning in Marble Hill, Missouri.

Surviving are his wife Dortha Abernathy of Puxico; two daughters & husbands, Bernadean (Miles) Anselm of Poplar Bluff, Debbie (George) Strombach of Puxico; one grandson & wife, Ben (Sally) Hancock of Puxico; one granddaughter & spouse, Danielle (Esther) Steinman of Seattle, Washington; three great grandchildren, Ezra Steinman, Avery and Addison Hancock; two sisters, Rosemary (Eldon) Stroup of Puxico, Betty Lou Poe of Brownwood. Other relatives and many friends also survive. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Vernas Abernathy and Hubert Browning and one sister, Lucille Walker.

Visitation will be Monday, February 26, 2018, after 10:00 am at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico until time for services at 1:00 pm at the funeral home chapel with Bro. Buck Cruse of Puxico officiating.

Interment will be in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with full military honors. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico, Missouri in charge of arrangements.