Dr. Ferrell Leon Puckett, 92, of Mt. Vernon, died at 9:55 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, at his home in Mt. Vernon.

He was born Oct. 26, 1921, in Arthur, the son of Dr. Leo V. Puckett and Ruth (Gibson) Puckett. He married Kathryn J. Stockman in 1948.

Dr. Puckett is survived by a daughter, Cheryl Puckett Page of Mt. Vernon; grandchildren, John P. Williams, Trenton Page, Brandon Page, David Puckett, Mary K. Puckett and Charles "Chuck" Gibson Rossol; brother, Robert E. Puckett and wife Elizabeth of Cherry Hill Village, Colo.; sister-in-law, Dorothy Puckett of Mt. Vernon; granddaughter-in-law, Tara Page Morgan of Mt. Vernon; special friends, Tyson Hungate and Doris Dennis of Mt. Vernon; and several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife; one son, John G. Puckett; one brother, Thomas Allen Puckett; and one sister-in-law, Marjorie Fry Puckett.

A 1939 graduate of Mt. Vernon Township High School, Ferrell attended Southern Illinois University for two years before transferring to Iowa State University where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1944. He was a veterinarian associated with his father in the operation Mt. Vernon Animal Hospital for many years.

He participated in the Army Specialized Training Program during World War II and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict. He was retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1981 in the grade of Lieutenant-Colonel.

He was a member and past president of the Southern Illinois Veterinary Medical Association, a member of Mt. Vernon Elks Lodge 819, Mt. Vernon American Legion Post 141, Turn Roehm AMVETS Post 4, the Jefferson County Historical Society, the Old Timers Car Club and the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. He was a a former member and past president of the District 80 Board of Education and Central Christian Church in Mt. Vernon.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with Mr. Randy Sells and the Rev. Brad Henson officiating. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon. Members of Mt. Vernon American Legion Post 141 will conduct full military honors at the cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Central Christian Church in Mt. Vernon.

For those who wish, memorials may be given to the Jefferson County Historical Society and to Mt. Vernon American Legion Post 141 and will be accepted at the funeral home or mailed to Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mt. Vernon, Il. 62864.

Source: Mt. Vernon Register News
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Submitted by: Jerry Sammons