Kenneth P. Oexner's Obituary
Kenneth P. Oexner, 94 years, of Columbia, IL, passed away on June 23, 2017 at de Greeff Hospice House, St. Louis, MO. He was born August 1, 1922, in Columbia, IL, son of the late Martin and Anna, nee Weilbacher, Oexner. He was married to the late Dorothy, nee Loehr, Oexner. She had passed away March 20, 2016.
Kenny had been a carman with the MO-PAC and Union Pacific Railiroad, and later a county truck driver during his time in Florida. He had served in the U.S. Army and was a WW II Veteran, a member of the Millstadt VFW Post #7980, and Columbia American Legion Post #581. He had also been a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the Columbia Senior Citizens. Kenny learned to play the guitar early in life, playing at local picnics and receptions. He played music with Les and the Columbians, the Nu-Tones (one of the first Rock and Roll bands in the midwest), and later, the Polka Spots. Later in life, he played for folks at the local nursing homes as Papa the old Guitar/Banjo Man, and as part of the Grumpy Old Men. If he wasn't playing music, he was fishing at any and every local fishing hole he could find. His three loves were family, music, and fishing.
Surviving are his three sons, Leon Oexner, Larry (Kim) Oexner, and Marty (Deb) Oexner; grandchildren, Chad, Quintin, Michael, and Lisa, four great-grandchildren, along with other relatives and friends.
He was also preceded in death by his two brothers, Sylvester Oexner, and Elmer Oexner, and a sister, Lucille Durrer-Stemler.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 29, 2017, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, at Lawlor Funeral Home, Columbia, IL. A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, June 30, 2017, 10:00 am, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Columbia, IL, with Fr. Carl Scherrer, officiating. Interment will follow in the Kolmer Memorial Cemetery, Waterloo, IL.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to: de Greeff Hospice House, 10016 Kennerly Rd., St. Louis, MO, 63128, Hospice of Southern Illinois, 305 So. Illinois St., Belleville, Il, 62220, or, St. Jude Children's Research Hospita,l 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN, 38105. For more information, please access our website, www.leesmanfuneralhome.com.
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