Jesse Land, Jr.

JESSE EDWARD "SONNY" LAND, JR.

Jesse Edward "Sonny" Land, Jr., age 72, of Revere, MO, passed away Friday, October 6, 2006 in the Carthage Memorial Hospital in Carthage, IL.

He was born August 28, 1934 at Keokuk, IA, the first child of Jesse Edward and Sarah Beghtol Land.

He married Joyce Rosalie Phillips in July of 1952 at Keokuk, IA. They divorced on November 15, 1961. He married Connie J. Larson on June 1, 1963, at Pasadena, CA, who survives.

Other survivors include four sons: Jesse Edward "Ed" and his wife, Pat, of Hamilton, IL, John Eugene and his wife, Sally, of Glenarm, IL, Alan Wayne and his wife, Jolene, and Joseph Michael "Mike" and his wife, Debbie, all of Hannibal, MO; two daughters, Judy Henson and Janet Rahn and her husband, Lloyd of Hamilton, IL; five sisters: Dorothy Harwood of Burlington, IA, Janette Roberts of Keokuk, IA, Barbara Peterson of Fort Madison, IA, Bonnie Stills and her husband, John, of Pleasant Hill, IA, and Carole Olson and her husband, Jon, of Waukee, IA; one brother, John V. Land of Revere, MO; sixteen grandchildren: Tracy Arnold and her husband, Bill, of Hamilton, IL, Jennifer Land, Michael and Shaun Henson, John Eugene Land, Jr. and his wife, Beth, all of Hamilton, IL, and, John and Kristen Rahn, Hydee Belknap, Nathan, Jacob, Caleb, Rebekah, Sara, Allison, Michaela and Emily Land, all of Hannibal, MO; four great grandchildren: Chris and Landon Arnold, Ashley Lobetti and Kody Belknap; as well as nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse Land in 1980 and Sarah Land Mellinger in 2001; two sisters, Louise Phillips in 1962 and Marian Shaner in 2004; and a grandson, Jeff Land.

Jesse attended Keokuk Schools and graduated from Pasadena City College.

He was employed in the transportation industry most of his life, working on towboats on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers and with the Army Corps of Engineers. Moving to California, he held several positions in the trucking industry, including management of Altrans Express in Los Angeles. Returning to the midwest, he was a long distance driver, hauling to all forty-eight mainland states and Canada. He had won numerous awards in this field. He loved being on the road, often taking family members with him, and had a "virtual" roadmap of the U. S. in his memory. He also loved the river, fishing, boating and hunting, working in the timber on his farm.

He planted one of the best gardens in the area and friends and neighbors were recipients every year of buckets of vegetables.

He also was an avid reader and crossword puzzle enthusiast.

Funeral services are Tuesday, October 10, 2006, at 3 p.m. at the Bible Baptist Church in Kahoka with Pastor Orlie Yoder officiating and burial following in Revere Cemetery.

Friends can call at Wilson Funeral Home in Kahoka after 9 a.m. Monday with family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m.

Memorials may be made to the family.