Mckinley Sizemore Obituary (1923

McKinley Sizemore, age 89, a long time resident of Keyesport, Illinois passed away at 4:45 A.M. on August 3, 2012 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. He was born June 15, 1923 in Thousandsticks, Kentucky a son of James and Georgianne Sizemore. McKinley was a decorated combat veteran of W.W. II, He was a T-Sgt with the 345th Bomb Group and flew 45 combat missions over the Pacific as a B25 radio operator and gunner. After the war, he received his Masters Degree at Union College in Barborville, Kentucky, and worked three years as a school teacher in Kentucky. He moved to Illinois in 1954 and served 29 years as the Principal at Keyesport Grade School before retiring in 1983. He was baptized at the Keyesport Christian Church and attended Wisetown Baptist Church. He loved spending time with his family, walking his dog, Lucky, evening drives around Carlyle Lake, gardening, and telling captivating stories to family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Mary Sizemore of Keyesport; 7 children, Evelyn (Ken) Hayden of York, Pennsylvania, Mary (Ron) Mallory of Blairsville, Georgia, Lt. Col Bill Sizemore of Ponte Vedra, Florida, Ken (Nancy) Sizemore of Fleming Springs, Florida, Barbara (Randy) Roberts of Keyesport, Rick (Cynthia) Sizemore of Santa Clarita, California, and Karen (Dennis) Ellison of Portland, Texas; 15 grandchildren, and 30 great grandchildren living in British Columbia, Washington, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Arizona. He is also survived by a sister, Daisy Howard of Nashville, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Georgianne Sizemore, his twin sister, Gracie Couch, three brothers, Pleasie, Don and Keen Sizemore, and three sisters, Mae Sizemore, Nancy Sizemore, and Mollie Jones, and one grandson, Brian Ennen. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at the Wisetown Baptist Church in rural Wisetown, with Rev. Thomas B. Rankin officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at McKendree Chapel Cemetery near Keyesport. Friends may call at Zieren Day Funeral Home in Carlyle on Monday from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM. The family prefers that any expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorials to the Wisetown Baptist Church. Previous EventsVisitation Monday, August 6, 2012 Zieren Funeral Home 1111 Clinton Street Carlyle, IL 62231 Funeral Service Tuesday, August 7, 2012 Wisetown Baptist Church 173 Wisetown Road Greenville, IL 62246