Virge Linville "Sonny" O'Bannon

Virge Linville "Sonny" O'Bannon of Farmington passed away on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at St. John's Mercy Medical Center, at the age of 86 years. His loving wife and other family members were at his side. He was born on November 23, 1924, at Ironton, son of the late Virgil and Bertha (Linville) O'Bannon. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by four sisters who he always felt blessed to have. They were Mary Jo Duree, Roney Louise Parsons, Imogene O'Bannon and LaNelle Gardner. Virge proudly served 23 years in the military, retiring in 1966 as a Master Sergeant. He was a lifetime member of the Farmington VFW. As a combat veteran of World War II, he earned many honors and decorations. There are two decorations which Virge cherished the most, the Combat Infantry Badge and his coveted Air Force Commendation Medal awarded to him for outstanding individual services in England from 1955 to 1959. He fondly remembered Harry Truman saying "I would rather have earned a combat infantry badge than be President of the United States". Other than his adopted family, including great-grandchildren, Virge loved sports and collecting antiques. Growing up in his beloved Fredericktown he was influenced to a great extent by early players and coaches of the Fredericktown Boosters Baseball Organization, managers like Wayne Hovis, Perry Johnson, Ed Masterson, Fat Mooney and even Frank Gillette for the Sunday School Baseball League. Sports and recreation and the welfare of others filled his life to overflowing. Even while employed by the military during post-war years, Virge was privileged to administer and participate in Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs as part of his full time employment. After his retirement from the military he worked for East Missouri Action Agency from 1994 to 2000 as a summer youth counselor and later as an employment advisor. These years in which Virge worked with so many dedicated people serves as a fitting and final tribute to a life long lived and one which was certainly enjoyed to the fullest. Virge often declared himself the luckiest man in the world in regards to marriage. In 1954 he married Jessie Jane Davis in Florala, Alabama. Jessie died in 1979 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. In 1986 Virge married Margaret "Mickey" Canterbury Harrell at the Methodist Church in Fredericktown. With the death of Virge, one chain of the O'Bannon family comes to an end. There was no biological offspring from Virge and none from his sisters. One first cousin, Mary Louise Wendell Stafford, who lives in Lamesa, Texas is the lone O'Bannon survivor. Virge and Mickey Harrell's marriage was blessed because of Mickey's wonderful family. The step-children who survive are Davida (Mrs. Fred) Kimble of Douglasville, Georgia, Leslie (Mrs. Chris) Smith of High Ridge, and Damon Harrell and wife Tina, of St. Louis; grandchildren, Shawn Kimble and wife Jenifer of Atlanta, Billy Smith and wife Leah of High Ridge, Raquel Kimble Cox of Villa Rica, GA, Kristina Nulsen and husband, Scott of High Ridge, Tiffany Harrell and Dylan Harrell, both of St. Louis; great-grandchildren, Kylie Kimble, Kegan Cox, Ethan Kimble, Ashton Smith, Bryson Kimble and Daisy Jo Nulsen. Additionally Virge is survived by his sister-in-law, Sue Canterberry and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Friends may call at Cozean Memorial Chapel from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 12. Visitation will resume Friday at 7 a.m. with a funeral service at 10:30 a.m. in the Cozean Chapel. Entombment will follow at St. Francois Memorial Park in Bonne Terre. Memorials may be made to the Kidney Foundation. View the tribute video and share your condolences and memories at cozean.biz.