Robert Lee Exendine

Robert Lee Exendine, 103, of Mexico, died at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, July 16, 2017, at Pin Oaks Living Center in Mexico.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday July 19, 2017, at 2 p.m. at Pickering Funeral Home. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 p.m. 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.

He was born January 17, 1914 near Brownfield in Laclede County Missouri the son of Green Levingston and Lockey Jane Starnes Exendine. When he was a young man he was baptized in the Gasconade river. Robert married Lillie Geneva Crossland and had one son Robert Eugene "Gene" Exendine.

Robert is remembered by family and friends as a kind, gentle man. Robert known as Papaw to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and others spent his life taking care of his family. At age 15 he and a cousin, Homer Gan cut timber from what would become The Lake of the Ozarks using a two-man crosscut saw. Papaw worked for the Civilian Conservation Corp planting trees and worked in the WPA paving highway 66 by wheeling cement. During WWII when he was called to serve he had an emergency appendectomy. When he had recovered somewhat from the surgery he was told to report to Kansas to work in the Hercules Powder Plant making munitions for the war effort. In 1948 driving through Mexico, MO he saw that A.P. Greens was hiring so he thought he would work at Greens for a while which became nearly 32 years.

Papaw is survived by his son, Gene and daughter-in-law Jessie and his grandchildren; Sharon (Bruce) Swon, Karen (Greg) Haase, Rob (Leslie) Exendine, Rick (Julie) Exendine and Rhonda (Sam) Robinett; Great-grandchildren; Austin Swon, Casey Lawrence, Kadey Sartain, Kaleigh Exendine, Gabi Exendine, Morgan Robinett, Logan Robinett; Great-great-grandchildren; Ben and Annabelle Lawrence, Dale and Devin Sartain, and Will Swon; and a Brother, Truman Exendine of Oklahoma.

Papaw was preceded in death by his parents and brothers; Marion, Alfred, George, and Ernest; Sisters, Tilda Reid, Martha Rogers, Clara Allison, Nancy Gan and Lillie Fuller.