JOHN HENRY LUNSFORD

   John H. Lunsford, 94, of 3912 Marian Drive, died at 4:40 a.m. Saturday (October 6, 2007) in Blessing Hospital.
   Born March 14, 1913 in Macon, MO., John was the youngest child of nine children born to William Alonzo and Marietta Greathouse Lunsford. He married Mary Lamont Cannon on July 25, 1931, in Quincy, who pre deceases him.
   In 1928, at age 15, John hitchhiked to Quincy and lived all of his life here. Ever the consummate salesman, John, and his wife Mary, in 1953, started The Handi Rack Company, a non food distributor serving the retail grocery industry throughout Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. After selling that company in 1967, he became involved in commercial real estate and land development, which he actively continued to operate until recently.
   John enjoyed traveling and he and Mary traveled all over the United States, including Hawaii and an extended trip all through Alaska. Their travels also included trips through Mexico and to many European countries including England, France, and Germany. John was honored in 2006 upon the completion of earning his GED. He is one of the oldest persons on record to ever accomplish this achievement.
   John was over a fifty year member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) having served as a trustee. He held various offices in the church and served as chairman of the Property Committee providing leadership through two major building projects. He was also the oldest charter member of the Golden K Kiwanis Club in Quincy.
   Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Ann Sweeney and her husband, Gene, of Houston, Texas, and Mary Lou Rogers, of Quincy; a son, Stephen Lee Lunsford and his wife, Kathie, of Allen, Texas; 14 grandchildren, Stephanie Jan Sawyer and husband, Rob, John David Lunsford Jr. and wife, Wendy, of Germantown, Tenn., Carrie Halvachs and husband, Ken, of Fairview Heights, Il.; Catherine Hinton and husband, Robert, of Midland, Ga., Steven Sweeney and wife, Cathy, of Richardson, Texas, Kimberly Host and husband, Tim, of League City, Texas, Christine Tailford and husband, Michael, of Phoenix, Ariz., Melinda (Lindy) Rehrig and husband, Troy, of Quincy, Angela Cooper, and husband, Vincent, of Berlin, N.J., Mark Rogers of Mexico, Mo., Michael Rogers and wife, Lisa, of Edmond, Ok., and Lori Fowler and husband, Thomas, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., Ryan Lunsford and wife, Tisha, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Leigh Ann Cochran, and husband, Vince, of Rockwall, Texas; 34 great-grandchildren, and two cousins, Alan Lunsford of Macon, Mo., and Roy Lunsford of St. Charles, Mo., and several nieces and nephews.
   John was preceded in death by his parents, all of his brothers and sisters, his wife, Mary, a son, John David Lunsford Sr., a grandson, Thomas Reid Lunsford, and a son-in-law, Turner Rogers.
   Funeral Services will be held Wednesday morning at 10:30 in the First Christian Church. The Rev. Joby Brown and the Rev. George Sublette will officiate. Burial will be at Quincy Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home and Wednesday morning from 9:30 until the time of services at the church.
   Memorials may be made to the Blessing Foundation for Hospice Program.