ARVIN NEIL NAPIER, age 74, a resident of Charleston, died Friday, April 3, 2015, at the Charleston Manor.

He was born October 6, 1940, in Obion County, TN, to the late John and Annie Ruth Sizemore Napier Jr. In 1963 he graduated from University of TN at Martin with a Bachelor of Science in Education and moved to Cape Girardeau where he taught in Cape Girardeau Public Schools for 6 years. He received a Master's degree in Secondary Education from University of Missouri in 1967; his Specialist degree in Educational Administration from Southeast Missouri State University in 1983; then received a PhD in Educational Administration and Higher Education in 1997 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. While obtaining his advanced education he taught as a Graduate Assistant at SIU, was employed with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, then JAMP, a Special Education Cooperative. During his first 2 years with JAMP he served as coordinator of combined services for 15 districts then was promoted to serve as Director, holding that position until his retirement in 1993. At that time, he elected to accept the position of Coordinator of the Student Teacher program at SIU retiring in 2003.

In 1969 he was ordained as a Deacon in the First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. He continued to serve as a Deacon as his church membership moved to the First Baptist Church in Tamms, IL, Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, and then to First Baptist Church in Charleston. In addition to serving as a Deacon at First Baptist in Charleston he was a member of the Budget Committee, taught Sunday school, and was active in Mission projects in Napakiak, AK and MO Baptist Disaster Relief in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. He was member of the Charleston Kiwanis Club.


On September 10, 1961, he married Gwendolyn Ann Laird, who survives of the home.

Also surviving are one daughter and one son, Amy Dawn Tucker of Cape Girardeau, and Randal Shawn Napier of Charleston; three brothers, Mark Napier of Union City, TN, Stan Napier of Water Valley, KY, Eric Napier of South Fulton, TN; and two grandchildren, Jacob Randal Napier and Rachel Erin Tucker both of Cape Girardeau.

He was preceded in death by his son in law, Ron Tucker.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 6, 2015 at McMikle Funeral Home with Rev. Gerald Collier of Jackson and Rev. Ken Mathes, transitional pastor of First Baptist Church in Charleston, officiating.


Interment will follow in the IOOF Cemetery under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be: Joe Forrest, Ray Presson, Louis Bradley, Bob Graham, John Tucker and Eddie Barnhill.

Memorial Contributions may be given to the First Baptist Church, PO Box 442, Charleston, Missouri 63834.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.