Marion H. "Mike" Dever

Born June 8, 1934 in Brookfield, Missouri to Noel and Rachel (Leffler) Dever, he married Barbara (Beever) Kester. He later married Norma Faye (Cullison) Knight. He married Carol Lynn (Trollard) Buttram on January 28, 2005 in Palmyra, Missouri. She survives.

Also surviving are five daughters, Christine Skelton of Pekin, Susan Dever of Canton, Julie (David) Atchison of Ozark, Missouri, Lisa Lairson of Pekin, and Andrea (James) Randall of Sanford, Florida; two sons, Noel “Mike” (Sue) Dever of Mapleton and Greggory (Lisa) Knight of Pekin; twenty-two grandchildren, Alan Busby, Amy (Brandon) Kretchman, Tiffany Skelton, Rachael (Chris) Wolfe, Michael Dever, Samuel Dever, Danielle (Nathanial) Bradley, Stefanie (Brian) Stoneking, Theodore (Annie) Atchison, Fredrick Atchison, Noah Atchison, Stephanie (Bill) Menininger, Renay Kennedy, Charisa (Clint) Baumgartner, Megan Knight, Ashley Britton, Justus Knight, Kyle (Shani) Womeldorff, Karmin (Donnie) Grant, Andrea (David) Kellum, Misty (Jason) Krouth, and Jeff Randall; twenty-four great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and two brothers, David (Nancy) Dever of Fayetteville, North Carolina and Gene (Lynne) Dever of Quincy.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Patrick Dever and Rickie Knight; four grandchildren, Adrian Skelton, Jill Wilson, Sally Wilson, and Christopher Womeldorff; two great-grandsons; one sister, Marietta Boley; and two brothers, John Dever and Harold Dever.

A United States Navy veteran of the Korean War, he served from 1951 to 1953 and was on the USS Coral Sea in the Mediterranean Sea.

Mike owned and operated Dever Builders in Pekin since 1974. Previously, he had worked on the railroad, operated the D-X Gas Station at the corner of Derby and South Second Streets in Pekin, operated a Volkswagen repair shop, and was a truck driver for R.A. Cullinan & Son and later for Farm Service.

He attended Pekin First Church of the Nazarene. He was a member of the Empire Masonic Lodge #126 AF & AM in Pekin.

Mike enjoyed restoring old Ford tractors and was a St. Louis Cardinal’s fan. His greatest joy was his family.

His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at Pekin First Church of the Nazarene. The Rev. W. Lloyd Brock will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Burial will be at Woodrow Cemetery in rural Pekin, where military rites will be accorded.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Pekin First Church of the Nazarene Building Fund, 3514 East Broadway Road, Pekin, IL 61554 or to the Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center, 1618 Valle Vista Blvd, Pekin, IL 61554.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com