WILLIAM KERRY STOKES, age 71, a resident of Charleston, died Friday, May 28, 2021 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.

He was born February 24, 1950 in Cairo, IL to William and Edwina Sullivan ""Winnie" Stokes Jr.  A graduate of Cairo High School, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla.  He was employed with Nooter Corporation in St. Louis for ten years before returning to Southern Illinois where he owned and operated DynaKleen, a fire aftermath restoration company. In 1998, he accepted a position with the State of Missouri to oversee the construction of the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston. Following completion of that project in 2001, he was called into ministry and served as Youth Pastor for the First Baptist Church in Charleston.  On October 18, 2011 he was ordained into ministry, and accepted the call of the First Baptist Church in Parma, where he served as pastor until his death.

On March 8, 1997, he married Linda Alexander who survives of the home.

Also surviving are five children, Kara Stokes and Nathan Stokes both of Cairo, IL, Josh (Inez Leeanne) Stokes of Olmsted, IL, Jessica (Thomas) Jackman of Cape Girardeau and David (Allison) Boyer of Granite City, IL; also 13 grandchildren, Alexis, Christine, Robert, Finn, Issac, Lydia, Jonathan, Lorlie, Annabelle, Weston, Clayton, NaRiah, and Noel.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Celebration of Life Service will be conducted at 2:00 pm on Sunday, June 6, 2021, at the First Baptist Church in Parma.  Rev. Joe Mooney, pastor of the Christian Church in Charleston, will officiate.

Services under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to First Baptist Church, 302 N. East Street, Parma, Missouri 63870.