obituaries

Rayburn Holyfield

Otterville |

Rayburn K. Holyfield, 86, died at 2:10 a.m., Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at his residence. 

He was born on August 19, 1936 in Hattieville, Arkansas and was the son of the late Orvil V. and Lucy (Rackley) Holyfield.

Ray was a United States Air Force Veteran and worked for many years with Teamster’s Local 618 in St. Louis, Missouri, retiring as Production Line Leader at Dial Corporation.

He married the former Margaret Dunning on May 10, 1959 in Matthews, Missouri and together they were the proud parents of five children. Their 63 years of marriage was blessed with many wonderful memories together, as well as many heartaches. Despite whatever life threw their way, their faith in God and love for one another always saw them through.

 Surviving are his wife, Margaret Holyfield of Grafton; three children and their spouses, Deborah and Jim Beasley of Grafton; Ellen and Mack Sitzes of Cisne; Amy and Darren Noel of LaPlata, Maryland; a daughter in-law, Kay Kang and her husband, Seokwoo, of Alton; seven grandchildren; two sisters and brothers in-law, Barbara and Mark Illers of Jackson, Missouri and Jane and Harold Pickerell of Indianapolis, Indiana; as well as his devoted caregiver, Megan Mouser of Jerseyville.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sons, Randall Holyfield and Roger Dale Holyfield Sr.; two grandsons, Roger Dale Holyfield Jr. and Jason Michael Holyfield; a great granddaughter, Kelsey Ann Lyons; four sisters, Emma Lee Hedrick, Joyce Staggs, Lou Etta Clark and Marilyn Holyfield in infancy; five brothers, Carl Lester Holyfield, O.V. Holyfield, Tom Holyfield, David Holyfield and Roy Holyfield.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville, where funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m., Thursday. Rev. David Brown will officiate.

Burial will follow at Noble Cemetery in Otterville, with full military honors being conducted by Jerseyville American Legion Post #492 Color Guard.  

For those desiring, memorials may be given to Dow Southern Baptist Church.

Memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.crawfordfunearls.com.


Obit Provided By:
Crawford Funeral Home

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