Jerry Dee Tankersley, son of the late L.E. Tankersley and Charity Schreiner Tankersley, was born on December 2, 1938, in Medford, Oregon, and departed this life at Puxico Nursing and Rehab in Puxico, Missouri, on October 5, 2012, at the age of 73.

Mr. Tankersley was a member of the Lake Wappapello United Methodist Church in Wappapello, Missouri, worked as a quality control engineer for nuclear construction projects, and was a veteran of the United States Army. He was also a member of the Wappapello Lions Club and Charter member of the Elks Tri Cities Lodge #2755 in Richland, Washington.

He was united in marriage to Dorothy P. McCollough on August 8, 1988, in Bakersfield, California.  Mrs. Tankersley survives at the home in Wappapello

In addition to his wife, he is survived by one brother and sister-n-law, Larry Lee and Lynette Tankersley of Soldotna, Alaska; one daughter, Wendy D. Tankersley, of Moses Lake, Washington; by one son, Kenneth Tanner, Jr., of Knoxville, Tennessee; by two grandchildren, Kimberly Tanner and Ian Chandler Clark; and by one sister-in-law, Jeanie Tankersley.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Gene Tankersley.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., Sunday, October 7, 2012.  Funeral services will be at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel, Monday, October 8, 2012, at 11:00 A.M.  Interment will follow at the Dexter Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri.