CHARLESTON, Mo. -- John Allen McMikle, 44, of Charleston died at 12:50 p.m. Thursday, April 18, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo.

He was born Dec. 2, 1957, in Sikeston, son of Elgin and Sue Allen McMikle.

John lived in Charleston most of his life, where he was a 1976 graduate of Charleston High School. A graduate of the Mid-America College of Funeral Service at Jeffersonville, Ind., he had been associated with the family business, The McMikle Funeral Home, as an embalmer and funeral director.

He was a member of Charleston Church of Christ and Charleston Masonic Lodge 407 AF&AM. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.

He and Debbie Griggs were married June 6, 1976. She survives of Charleston. He then married Carla Sue Cates Sept. 4, 1999. She survives of the home.

Also surviving are three sons, Joshua Adam McMikle of Granite City, Ill., Nelson Andrew McMikle of Charleston, Bryant Steven Welsh of the home; a daughter, Jenni-Claire McMikle of the home; his parents of Charleston; and a sister, Mary Katherine Branum of Charleston.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. Bill Bradley, minister with Morley Church of Christ, and the Rev. Gerald Collier, pastor of First Baptist Church of Charleston, will officiate. Interment will follow in I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston.

Pallbearers will be Bernie Roach, Bruce Roach, Stan McMikle, Lewis Jon McMikle, Todd Cates, Cory Cates, Scott Riley and Anthony Moody.

The family requests that memorial contributions may be made to: The McMikle Campus, Missouri Baptist Children's Home, 604 West Washington Street, East Prairie, Mo. 63845, or to Multiple Sclerosis Gateway Chapter, 1867 Lackland Hill Parkway, St. Louis, Mo., 63146.