OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Otha "Gene" McKee, 65, of Olive Branch died Saturday, Aug. 31, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Jan. 13, 1937, at Olive Branch, the son of Otha and Addie Madora Connel McKee. He married Loawana "Dottie" Bregger on Nov. 16, 1957. She survives.

He was a member of First Free Will Baptist Church In Olive Branch, where he served as a trustee and Sunday School superintendent. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a fuel specialist for 20 years. He served in the Vietnam War.

After his military career he was a mill operator at Unimin for 18 years.

He also is survived by three daughters, LaDonn Hilla of Miller City, Ill., LeiLani Prater and LaNaye Perkins, both of Olive Branch; two sisters, Betty Bishop of Bunker Hill, Ill., Barbara Storm of Olive Branch; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, a brother and a granddaughter.

Visitation was held Monday night at the Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill., and will be held from 8 a.m. until noon today at the funeral home.

Services will be at 1 p.m. today at First Free Will Baptist Church in Olive Branch with the Revs. Curtis Alderson and Billy Don Heady officiating.

Burial will be at Green Lawn Memorial Gardens with military graveside honors.