Rev. Charles Chester Stigers, 98, died Feb. 28 at Kansas City Hospice House.
He was born on Jan. 19, 1918, to Charles C. and Myrtle Lee Deardorff Stigers in Gallatin, Mo., the youngest of four children.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from William Jewell College and a Master of Theology Degree from Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
He enlisted in the U. S. Army during WWII and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service.
He met Anna Mae Rodenburg of Lansing, Kan., at Central Seminary, and they married on Jan. 28, 1940. They raised four children.
He was a Southern Baptist minister for more than 50 years in northern Missouri.
They moved in 1972 to Jefferson City, Mo., where they lived until her death in 1986. He then married Eulah Drinkard of Jefferson City; she died in 2004.
He moved to Kansas City in 2012 to be closer to family.
In addition to his wives, Rev. Stigers was preceded in death by his parents; siblings John, Jennie and Mary Leola; son-in-law Clifton Overbay; stepson Jerry Drinkard; and step son-in-law Joe Davis.
Survivors include children Twilight (Marc) Freedman, Houston, Texas; Charles (Margaret), Butte, Mont.; Jean Overbay, Independence, Mo.; and John (Karen), Kansas City, Kan; stepchildren Doris Davis, Mankato, Minn., and Tommy (Karene) Drinkard, Jefferson City, Mo; 11 grandchildren, Scott (Kelly) Overbay, Travis (Amy) Overbay, Jennifer (Ray) Holsomback, Gary (Tessa) Anderson, Brian (Justine) Anderson, Wendy Freedman, Monica (Warren) Snideman, Christopher (Valeta) Stigers, Kimberly (Robert) Lavoie, Joshua (Heidi) Stigers and Emily Stigers; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services and burial were at White Chapel Gardens in Gladstone, Mo. Donations are requested to Memorial Bibles Gideon’s International or M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
