William Cayse Jr.

William "Bill" E. Cayse Jr. passed away Saturday, Nov. 30, 2002, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.

He was born on Dec. 25, 1919, in St. Louis, Mo., son of William E. Cayse Sr. and Hazel Dale Cayse. He married Virginia "Ginny" V. Henderson Cayse on May 30, 1947.

He graduated from Blewett High School in St. Louis.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the Army in Rhineland Central Europe in the European Theater from 1943 to 1945. He was a radio operator in the Signal Corp. He was awarded two Bronze Stars.

After the service, Mr. Cayse worked for Swift and Company until 1957. He also worked over 19 years for General Electric Supply, where he received the Executive Master Salesman Award.

While in St. Louis, Bill sang in the St. Louis Gospelaires quartet for 20 years and was active in Youth for Christ, serving on their board of directors.

He was a representative of World Wide Pictures, a division of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and directed the showing of five Billy Graham films in Cape Girardeau. They were "The Restless Ones," "For Pete's Sake," "Time to Run," "The Hiding Place," "The Prodigal" and "Joni."

He was previously an active member of First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, serving as deacon, Sunday school superintendent and teacher, training union director, and he was a member of the Sanctuary Choir and Melody Men quartet. He also sang in the Cape Choraliers.

He was a member and past president of the Breakfast Optimist Club. He was an avid handball player and played in the St. Louis Senior Olympics. Most recently, he was a member of Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape.

Loving survivors include his wife of 55 years and four daughters and sons-in-law -- Jackie and Larry Boyer of Norwalk, Iowa, Joy and John Pharis of Keller, Texas, Joan and David Goehring of Cape Girardeau and Janet and Wayne Harding of Jefferson City, Mo.; five granddaughters, Michele Boyer of Norwalk, Iowa, Kimberly and Brian Laube of Altoona, Iowa, Amy and Jeff Lane of College Station, Texas, Lesley Goehring of Dallas, Texas, and Lauren Goehring of Cape Girardeau; three great-granddaughters, Kelsey, Laura and Olivia Laube of Altoona, Iowa; one sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Tryon (Lindy) Lindabury; and nieces and nephews, Pam and Jim Kaye, Hal (Skip) Proske and Tryon (Smitty) and Anne Lindabury.

He was predeceased by his parents and a sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Harold Proske.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Lynwood Baptist Music Ministry and the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at the Ford and Sons Mount Auburn chapel, with the Rev. Elwood Doss officiating. Entombment will be at Memorial Park Mausoleum with full military rites conducted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3838 and the Missouri Honor Team.