Russell Duain Meinecke, 90, of Bethany, Missouri and former resident of Cainsville, Missouri passed away Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at Northcare Hospice House in North Kansas City, Missouri.
Russell was born October 31, 1925 to Oral Franklin and Helen Lois (Wood) Meinecke I Mercer County, Missouri. He attended Cain School his first grade. His family moved to Maysville, Missouri in 1933 and he finished school there. In 1942, his family returned to their farm in Mercer County. In 1944, he was inducted into the Army and served as a Machine Gunner with the 69th Infantry Division serving in Germany, France and England until he was honorably discharged in April 1946. He married Rosanna Hamilton in Olathe, Kansas on October 5, 1946, and they lived in the Cainsville area until 2012 when they moved to Bethany, MO. They had three daughters: Donna Marie, Rhonda Lee and Julie Ann. Russell received Jesus as his Savior in January 1951 and faithfully served Him as a member of the Cainsville First Christian Church holding several offices in the church and the community. Russell was a farmer and worked very hard to support his family by doing custom combing and hay baling as well as raising crops and livestock of his own. He sold Mormon’s Feed in 1962-1963. He was the first Madison Township assessor and clerk and was on the township board for several term. Russell was on the Cainsville R-1 School Board for five years, serving as the Board President two of those years. He sat on the Cainsville City Board for ten years, on the Zoar Cemetery Board until 2012 and was active in working with the Cainsville Betterment Committee for many years. He was a lifetime member of the Cainsville American Legion Post.
In his younger days, he enjoyed baseball and played on the Cainsville ball team for fourteen years. He loved fishing, hunting, spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and rooting for the Kansas City Royals either watching on television or by going to the games with his family. He had so much fun watching them last year in their race for pennant.
Russell loved to travel and was able to visit most of the lower 48 states. He and Rosanna were able to attend several 69th Infantry reunions in various places around the country where he could visit with his old comrades.
Russell was preceded in death by his parents; his wife: Rosanna; two brothers: Billy Lee and Larry Dale; sister: Winnifred Ruth Hoskin; brothers-in-law, niece and nephew.
Russell is survived by three daughters: Donna (Larry) Polley, Rhonda (Steve) Hamilton both of Cainsville, and Julie (Dave) O’Neal of Grain Valley; grandchildren: Andrew (Jeannette) Hamilton and Jamie (Beth) Hamilton both of Cameron, Ann (Kelly) Kohler, Scott (Mona) Polley both of Bethany; Great-grandchildren: Rachel Hamilton, Cody Kohler, and Gannon, Linlee, Hailey and Hayden Hamilton; nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
Funeral Services were held Friday, January 29, 2016 at the First Christian Church at Cainsville. Burial was in the Zoar Cemetery at Cainsville. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to the Zoar Cemetery in care of Bethany Memorial Chapel, P O Box 341, Bethany, MO 64424.