DR. HERBERT ‘GENE’ CHILDRESS

Dr. Herbert E. “Gene” Childress, 71 of Lewistown, Missouri passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri; finally resting after a lifetime of service to others.

The son of Austin “Herb” and Pauline Stevenson Childress was born on July 10, 1952 in Arbela, Missouri. He was united in marriage to Peggy J. Smith on April 8, 1972 in the Durham Baptist Church at Durham, Missouri.

Gene graduated from Ewing, HS and served as a student representative on the board to set up Highland High School. Upon graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy on nuclear submarines and as a Hospital Corpsman where he learned he had a knack and passion for medicine. When he was discharged he went to college at Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman State, and received a degree in Nursing before entering Medical School at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Upon his return to Lewis County in 1984, Dr. Childress began his medical practice because there was a need for medical services that had been lacking since he was a child. He immediately poured all his efforts into serving the community and trying to help it grow in any way, shape, or form. He ran his practice with compassion, never turning anyone away - trading his services for baked goods, foraged fruits and mushrooms or wild game, taking phone calls at his house at all hours, and making house calls in any weather and down any road. He was the quintessential country doctor. He loved spending time on his farm, tending to cattle and fence and chewing the fat over the back of a truck or scoop of a tractor. He was a passionate outdoorsman. If you couldn’t find him in the clinic, he was in the outdoors sharing it with his friends. He also made time to be a family man, caring for his four sisters, and loved making memories with his children and grandchildren. In conversations with anyone, he would be quick to update them on his family’s current activities whether they asked for it or not. There isn’t enough space on this paper to list all his accomplishments and things that he was proud of, but being from and caring for the residents of Lewis County was #1 on the list.

Doc Gene was a member of the Lewis County Memorial Post #578 and the LaBelle Masonic Lodge #222 as well as numerous other civic organizations supporting the betterment of the community.

He is survived by his wife, Peggy Childress of Lewistown, Mo.; two sons, Christopher (Monica) Childress of Collierville, Tenn., and Nathan (Amanda) Childress of Lewistown, Mo.; six grandchildren, Caleb, Dalton, Bradyn, Asher, Reece and Adley Childress; four sisters, Joyce (John) Logan of Ewing, Mo., Kitty Shults of Ewing, Mo., Veda Shults of Lewistown, Mo., and Pamela Childress of Canton, Mo.; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Jerad Childress, and a brother-in-law, Kevin Shults.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Ewing, Missouri with Pastor Jason Geisendorfer officiating. Burial with Military Honors and Missouri EMS Funeral Response Team Honors will be in the Durham Cemetery at Durham, Missouri.

Visitation will be held Friday evening from 4 until 8 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Ewing.

Memorials may be made to the Lewistown Appreciation Day or to the Durham Cemetery Association.

Pallbearers: Brad Sharpe, Wes Sharpe, Troy TenEyck, Shane Bowen, Ryan Owens and Eric Corrick.

Honorary Pallbearers: Paul Washburn, Bill Childress, Bob Childress, Jason Stone, John Logan, David Kinney and Jason Legg.

Arrangements are with Arnold’s Funeral Home in Lewistown.