John William Fuchs Sr., 56, of Sikeston, Mo., died at 7:24 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

He was born Nov. 25, 1952 in Cape Girardeau to the late Narcisse Edward Fuchs Jr. and Elizabeth Vaughan Bowman Fuchs. He attended St. Francis Xavier Elementary School, Sikeston Public Schools and graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis in 1971. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Mississippi in Oxford in 1975.

He was a former part owner of SEMO Motor Company in Sikeston, where he worked as a salesman and service manager. In 1994, he began a custom barbecue business and also was a substitute teacher for Sikeston Public Schools.

He was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and had served on the parish council. He had been an active member of the Sikeston Jaycees and the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, where he had served as the Rodeo Queen Contest chairman and co-chairman of the ticket office. He was an original member of the Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Stage Crew, and also had served as the stage crew chairman.

He was an avid fisherman, hunter and music enthusiast.

He was married June 17, 1978 in Athens to Nora Garth Gray, formerly of Elkmont, who survives of the home in Sikeston. He is also survived by one son, John William Fuchs Jr. of North Little Rock, Ark.; one daughter, Nora Garth Fuchs of Sikeston; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, N. Edward Fuchs III, Joseph P. and Nora F. Fuchs, and Robert B. and Cody Fuchs, all of Sikeston; seven nephews and two nieces.

He was preceded in death by one sister-in-law, Dee Perkins Fuchs.

Friends may call after 10 a.m. today at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. A funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. today at St. Francis Xavier Church with Monsignor Richard Rowing and the Rev. Scott Sunnenburg officiating. Cremation will follow with a private disposition of the cremains.

The family requests that donations may be made in his name to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 245 W. Front St., Sikeston, MO, 63801 or Sikeston Public Schools Foundation, 603 B, S. Main St., Sikeston, MO, 63801.