Donald “Dean” Childress, 76, died May 27, 2007 at “The Bluff’s” in Columbia.

   Dean was born March 4, 1931 to Lewis Lee and Eva Mary (Hayden) Childress in Lowell, Indiana. He married Geraldine Joan Inderski who preceded him in death.  To this union were born seven children, Karen M. Miller (David Brown) of Columbia, Bruce (Jeannie) and Brian (Diana) Childress of Memphis, Gary (Barbee) Childress of Greentop, Scott (Beckie) Childress of Edina, Kathy (Ron) Prater of Springfield and Chris (Mandy) Childress of Pilot Grove, MO.  Mr. Childress then married Sandra (Cook) Walden of Memphis and her children Lynette (James) Vasholtz of Memphis, Madrian (Monty) Gibson, Todd and Kyle Walden of Columbia, Shelly Walden of Port Charlotte FL, Dyke (Lisa) Walden of O’Fallon, MO.

   In addition to his children he is survived by one sister Jeannette (Carlton) Ebert, Milton, IA, and a brother-in-law Edward (Bettie) Inderski, Bloomfield, IA.  His sister Verna Kessell and brother Robert preceded him in death. Seventeen grandchildren have graced his life, Sarah McSparren, Christina and Charlie Vasholtz of Memphis, Mark Triplett of Virginia Beach, VA, Scott Triplett of Kansas City, Courtney Bonnell, Lacey Childress, Kayla and Abigail Gibson of Columbia, Jared and Luke Prater of Springfield, Blake Green, Brianna and Breyer Childress of Pilot Grove, Elizabeth and Andrew Walden of O’Fallon and Sydney Gibbs of Knoxville, TN and one great-grandson Brice Cowell of Memphis.

   Dean spent the majority of his life as an active farmer. The Childress family moved to Memphis in 1969 from Lowell, Indiana. He was the owner and operator of “Dean’s Liquors.” Public service was always a part of his life from serving as a deputy sheriff in Lake County, IN, bus driver for Scotland County or to serving on the Scotland County R-1 School Board, Scotland County Nursing Home Board and his final position as Scotland County Associate Commissioner. After retiring in 2004, he spent his good day’s outdoors– hunting, fishing or gardening.

   Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 2nd at the Memphis Funeral Home, following the 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. visitation. Internment will follow services in the Memphis Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Scotland County Cancer Fund, %Memphis Funeral Home, 378 S. Market Street, Memphis, MO  63555.

   Online condolences may be sent to Dean’s family mmphisfh@nemr.net.