Donald William "Don" Burwell, 86, of Wellsville, passed away at 12:05 p.m., Sunday, January 31, 2016 at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett, Missouri.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, February 4, 2016 at the Myers Funeral Home in Wellsville. Rev. Mike Carmi officiated. Serving as organist was Mary Goodman.

Burial was in the Wellsville Cemetery in Wellsville, Missouri. Serving as pallbearers were Lester Blackshaw, Glenn Freyer, Chris Robbins, Matt Scott, Robert Smith and Charlie Wohlbold. Honorary pallbearers were Mike Arens, Harold Enslen, Don Poole and Carl Schmidt.

Visitation was held from 5:00-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at the funeral home.

Mr. Burwell was born February 7, 1929, in Mexico, Missouri, a son of Randall Derby and Clara Pauline Wicklein Burwell.

He was a 1946 graduate of Wellsville High School.

On September 23, 1962, at the First Christian Church in Wellsville, Missouri, he married Dorothy Mae Maxfield Wolverton. They shared over 53 years together.

Don lived in Wellsville all of his life. He was a member of the Wellsville First Christian Church, where he had served as Elder as well as the Board President and Sunday School Superintendent.

Don was a self-employed businessman, owning and operating Burwell's Department Store from 1965-1993 in Wellsville. He also owned and operated Gambles Hardware Store in Wellsville with his brother, Bob, from 1948-1965.

He was a former member of the Wellsville Chamber of Commerce for many years, serving as President along with many other positions. Don was also a former member of the Wellsville Swimming Pool Board. He was a former President of the Parent Teacher Association. Don also belonged to the Musicians Union in St. Louis for several years.

Don enjoyed playing the trumpet. He began playing at the age of 7. By the time he was 12, he was playing with local bands on the weekends. Don played with Sonny Lefholz and the Jazz Generation Band along with numerous other bands in Missouri. He played "Taps" for many years for the local veteran services. Don said because of his eyesight being bad he wasn't eligible for the military so this was something he could do to honor our veterans.

Don is survived by his wife, Dorothy Mae Burwell, of Monett; daughter, Denise Ann Rapp and husband, Mike, of Aurora; son, Donald Dale "Donnie" Burwell and wife, Kyle, of Springfield; grandchildren and spouses, Christopher Mitchell and Samantha Robbins, of Marionville, Sara Ann and Robert Smith, of Aurora, Hillary Katharine and Matthew Scott, of Springfield and great-grandchildren, Olivia Grace Robbins and Kylie Elizabeth Robbins, of Marionville and Amalia Ann Smith and Micah Levi Smith, of Aurora.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Randall and Clara Burwell; son, David George Burwell and brother, Robert Dale "Bob" Burwell.

Memorial contributions were suggested to the Wellsville First Christian Church c/o Myers Funeral Home, 203 East Bates Street, Wellsville, MO 63384.

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