Obituary of Forrest Leroy Gladney

Funeral Services for Forrest LeRoy Gladney of Elsberry, MO will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at New Hope Baptist Church in Elsberry. Rev. John Zellmer, church pastor, and Rev. Sammy Lorton, will officiate with burial in the Elsberry City Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be DeWayne Whiteside, Raymond Shaffer, Charles Watson, Alan Turner, Jesse Wilson and John Norvel; honorary pallbearers will be Jason Turnbull, Darrell Whiteside, Sammy Mayes, Jim Mayes, Ron Mayes, Scott Willis and Doug Todd. Mr. Gladney, 86, passed away Saturday afternoon, April 16, 2016 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born December 1, 1929 in the Okete community in central Lincoln County near Elsberry, he was the son of Clarence Sidney and Ima Grace Barrett Gladney. As a youth Forrest attended Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church in Okete, MO. Forrest was united in marriage on July 10, 1970 in Elsberry to Hazel Mae Barnes. He later became a member of New Hope Baptist Church. He served as trustee, head usher and door greeter during his years of membership. He was also a founding member of the Lincoln County Old Threshers and stayed active until 2008. Forrest farmed in the Okete area for over 65 years. He also worked as a tractor mechanic at LaRue and Fletcher’s during the 1970s. During the 80s, he was employed for a short time at Croft Electric in Troy, MO. Forrest took pride in everything he did. He could often be found cutting wood, planting garden, working on tractors or shining his truck while living on the farm. He also kept cattle, sheep, horses, mules, chickens and a slew of other animals over the years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Ima Grace Gladney; one son and his wife, Carl Eugene and Janet Gladney; two brothers: William Craig Gladney and Charles Sidney Gladney; and two sisters: Ruby Grace Wing and Reba Mae Gladney. Survivors include his beloved wife of 45 years, Hazel Gladney of Elsberry; four sons and two daughters: LeRoy Gladney and his wife, Patti, of Troy, MO, Judy (Gladney) Wilcox and her husband, Ben, of Troy, Bill McKay of Laramie, WY, Dan McKay of Houston, TX, Doug McKay and his wife, Barbara, of Troy, and Paula (McKay) Hoover and her husband, Carl, of Waco, TX; fifteen grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Forrest also leaves several nieces, nephews, in-laws, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Monday, April 18, 2016 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the New Hope Baptist Church Building Fund in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.