Wilcie L. Rea

**Wilcie L. Rea**, 97, of Dabney passed away Saturday, September 28, 2013 at the Manderley Health Care Center in Osgood. He was born near Dabney on the farm where he spent his entire life on September 3, 1916 the son of Herschel and Lula Semon Rea. He was married to Neva Jackson Laswell on June 6, 1953 and she preceded him in death on November 11, 2005. Survivors include one son Rev. Mearl (Beverly) Laswell of Billings, Missouri; two daughters Marilyn (Robert) Adams of Reynoldsburg, Ohio and Myrna (Doug) Cox of Holton; 6 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by his parents, and his grandson Douglas Mearl Laswell. Mr. Rea attended the Dabney School through the eighth grade and was a 1934 graduate of Holton High School and a 1939 graduate of Central Normal Teachers College in Danville. His teaching career spanned 40 years where he taught briefly at Milan and also at Zenas High School in Jennings County. The majority of his career was spent teaching typing, shorthand, and bookkeeping at Holton High School and also serving as school treasurer. After the consolidation of the Holton High School in 1969, he continued to teach at Holton on the junior high level until his retirement in 1978. He was also a farmer and had maintained the same bloodline of shorthorn cattle started by his father in 1905. Mr. Rea was an 82-year member of the Dabney Baptist Church where he served as a Sunday School teacher, youth leader, a total of 60 years as church clerk, and for 46 years as a deacon. He was also active with men's work through the Indiana Baptist Convention and was former president of the Sandcreek Association ABM. Mr. Rea was also a member of the Indiana State Retired Teachers Association and the Ripley County Retired Teachers. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 2 at 10:30 am at the Dabney Baptist Church with Rev. Mearl Laswell and Rev. Michael Bell officiating. Burial will be in the Holton Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4 pm to 8 pm at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles and from 9:30 am until time of services Wednesday at the church. Memorials may be given to the Southeastern Baptist Youth Camp at Westport in care of the funeral home.