Lonnie Gerlt, Nelson

Lonnie Gerlt, 89, of Nelson, died Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at The Living Center in Marshall.

He was born Dec. 3, 1918, in Texas County, a son of Lester Ellsworth and Rachel Cornelia Sidebottom Gerlt. On Dec. 27, 1941, he was married to Mary Alspaw, who survives of the home.

He lived in Saline County most of his life. He worked in construction. He attended First Assembly of God in Marshall and Nelson Baptist Church. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He enjoyed fishing and collecting Indian arrowheads.

Also surviving are four daughters, Patricia Ray, of Lincoln, Mary E. Larsen, and her husband, Robert, and Lisa A. Hays, and her husband, Gary T., all of Otterville, and Donna J. Weathers, and her husband, Howard E., of Cole Camp; three sons, Lonnie S. Gerlt, and his wife, Joyce M., of Jacksonville, Fla., Jesse L. Gerlt, and his wife, Sandra G., of Nelson, and David E. Gerlt, and his wife, Mary L., of Sumpter, S.C.; three sisters, Lela Bell, of Anderson, Calif., and Marguerite Edwards and Mary Virginia Edwards, both of California; a brother, Lester “Junior” Gerlt, of Louisiana; 24 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by a daughter, Shirley Lee Gerlt; a son-in-law, Harold F. Ray; two sisters; and three brothers.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Burial will be in Nelson Cemetery, with military rites at graveside. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Condolences may be left online at www.campbell-lewis.com.