Frederick Hughes Ferrell, 78, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 26, 2019.

He was born on February 24, 1941, in Charleston, Missouri, and was the only son of Delmar and Dona Ferrell of Charleston.

Fred married Marilyn Bell Ferrell, of St. Louis, on February 8, 1964, and she survives the home.

Fred was a 1959 Graduate of Charleston High School, where he lettered in football and baseball.

In 1964, he graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Husbandry. While at Mizzou, he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. Following his graduation from the University of Missouri, Fred returned home to Charleston and began farming with his father, Delmar Hughes Ferrell. He began with an operation of 600 acres consisting of corn, soybeans and cotton, coupled with a registered Angus cow/calf herd of twenty head. Later, he served in the Army National Guard as a Private with 1140th Engineering Battalion of Cape Girardeau, where he escorted the Battalion Commander.

In 1977, he was instrumental in altering the way crops are grown in the Bootheel. He and his partners founded Mid-Valley Irrigation, Inc. and helped introduce center pivot irrigation to Southeast Missouri. In 1996, his son, Britton Hughes Ferrell, joined the farming operation. At one time, they farmed 3500 row crop acres of corn, wheat, and soybeans as well as a registered Chianina/Angus cow/calf herd.

Recognizing the importance of agriculture on a local and state level, Fred actively served as the Chairman of the Board for the Progressive Farm Services as well as the Missouri Federation Board, Farm Credit. In addition, Fred was a member of the University of Missouri Delta Center Advisory Board, and Southeast Missouri State University Agriculture Advisory Board. He served as an Advisory Board Member for the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) and the Missouri Food and Fiber Board (Scott County Soybean Bagging Facility). Fred was also named Director of Agriculture for the State of Missouri. He was a past President for the Valmont Industries Dealer Council, Charleston Kiwanis Club and a founding member of the Delta Growers Association Cooperative. He also served as President for the St. James Drainage District and as Finance Committee Chairman of the Charleston United Methodist Church.

In addition, he spent several years as a volunteer Little League Football Coach in Charleston and Little League Basketball Coach in East Prairie. From 1975 – 2001, Fred was an active member of the Nelson Memorial United Methodist Church in East Prairie, where he served on numerous committees and the church board. In 2001, he transferred his membership to the Charleston United Methodist Church, where he was a faithful member until his passing.

In 2007, Fred was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and became an active supporter of the American Parkinson's Disease Association. He participated in their annual walk in St. Louis and organized a team of local volunteers to raise funds in support of research.

Fred is survived by his wife, Marilyn Bell Ferrell, of Charleston; son, Britton Hughes Ferrell (Anna Peters Ferrell) of Charleston; daughter, Brooks Ferrell Yoviene (Jonathan Paul Yoviene) of Kirkwood, Missouri; five grandchildren, Anna Riley Yoviene, William Hughes Ferrell, Jonathan Ferrell Yoviene, Elise Timmerman Ferrell, and Laurel Elizabeth Yoviene; sisters, Marjorie Ferrell Jones of Sikeston and Pamela Kay Ferrell of Charleston; niece, Lee Ann Jones Nace (William C. Nace) of Sikeston, great niece, Caroline Nace Littleton (Justin Littleton) of Sikeston and a host of other family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents as well as his father, Delmar Hughes Ferrell; mother, Dona Brooks Ferrell; and brother-in-law, Vernon (Bud) Jones.

Funeral Services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 29, 2019, at the United Methodist Church in Charleston with the Rev. J. Robert Webster, pastor, officiating.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at the church.

Interment will follow at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be: Emmett Burke, Jim Burke, Charlie Clark, Jr., Bobby Joe Clark, Will Ferrell and Ferrell Yoviene.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Charleston United Methodist Church, PO Box 351, Charleston, MO 63834 or the American Parkinson's Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com