James Trout

PUXICO, Mo. -- James William "Bill" Trout, 79, of Puxico died Friday, June 24, 2005, at Forest Park Hospital in St. Louis.

He was born Dec. 29, 1925, at Campbell, Mo., son of James Ora and Dottie Mae Wright Trout. He and Jean Gunter Whitsel were married Feb. 9, 1974, at Puxico.

Trout was a retired farmer.

He served with the U.S. Army during World War II in the Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. He received the American Theater Ribbon, European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon, two Bronze Stars, and Victory Medal.

Survivors include his wife; five sons, Billy Metcalf of Wappapello, Mo., Charles Trout of Bloomfield, Mo., Randy Trout of St. Louis, Jim and Dennis Trout of Puxico; two stepsons, Larry Whitsel of Puxico, Kent Whitsel of Black Forest, Colo.; a brother, Earl Trout of Dexter, Mo.; four sisters, Mary Hicks of Cape Girardeau, Virginia Lambert of Dexter, Mavis Gray of Puxico, Opal Wilson of Arnold, Mo.; 15 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a stepson, a brother and three sisters.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico, with the Rev. Jim LaFerney officiating. Burial will be in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield, with full military honors by Stoddard County Veterans Honor Team.