BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Gerald M. Bess, 84, of Bloomfield died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Oct. 1, 1923, in Advance, Mo., son of Beauford and Lona White Bess. He and Lenora Powers were married June 16, 1944. She died April 9, 1964. He and Bonnie Lee were married Dec. 24, 1968.

Bess retired in 1984 as a rural mail carrier with Bloomfield Post Office. He was a member and past master of Bloomfield Masonic Lodge 153 AF&AM, member of Scottish Rite, Valley of St. Louis, Bloomfield Order of Eastern Star Chapter 385, Bloomfield American Legion Post 382, and member and Sunday school teacher at Trinity United Methodist Church.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a prisoner of war.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Dennis Bess of Bloomfield; three stepsons, Carroll Boswell of Bowling Green, Ky., Eldon Boswell of Scott City, Tom Boswell of Puxico, Mo.; a stepdaughter, Connie Pixley of Bloomfield; 26 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, a brother and a sister.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Masonic rites will be at 7.

The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, with the Revs. Susan Hoyle and Kevin Eskew officiating. Burial will be in Bloomfield Cemetery.