Richard Lee Chedister, 66, of Doniphan, Missouri, died Sunday, October 14, 2007, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Mr. Chedister was born May 15, 1941, at Doniphan. He was an embalmer and funeral director and was co-owner of Edwards Funeral Home, Inc., from 1980-2002.

He was a member of the Doniphan Lion's Club, serving as president in 1968-69, and received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award from the organization in 2001. Mr. Chedister served three terms as city zone chairman and had been a member of the Board of Directors of U. S. Bank since January, 1985. He was a past president of the Dons Booster Club and was honored as the V.F.W. Man of Year in 1982. He was a member of the Ripley County Chamber of Commerce, honored as Man of the Year in 1982 and was a president of the Current River Country Club from 1991-1993.

Mr. Chedister graduated from Naylor High School in 1959 and received a B.S.E. degree from Arkansas State University in 1963. He graduated from the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1965 and had worked for Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Edwards at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan alongside business partner of 38 years, Mr. Howard Jackson.

On September 5, 1964, he was married to Patricia Ann Green at Doniphan and she preceded him in death on October 25, 1986. He married Janice Eugenia McCollum Morrow on January 18, 1992, at Doniphan and she survives.

Also surviving are three sons and daughters-in-law, Bob and Sherry Morrow of Doniphan and Kevin and Beverly Chedister and Rodney and Sandy Chedister, all of Jonesboro, Arkansas; eight grandchildren, Alysia, Katie, Devin, Alex, Stephanie, Dalton, Micah and Spencer; one sister, Mary Lynn Howell of Arlington, Virginia; one cousin, Margaret Edwards Wright of Grafton, Illinois; his mother-in-law, Ethel McCollum Coln and brother-in-law, John W. McCollum of Paragould, Arkansas; and his business partner and best friend, Howard Jackson of Doniphan.

Visitation will be Tuesday, October 16, 2007, from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan The funeral service will be Wednesday, October 17, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home chapel with Brother Kent Wilfong officiating. Burial will follow in the Doniphan Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Doniphan United Methodist Church or the Richard L. Chedister High School Graduate Scholarship Fund.