Roy Alburn Cheek, 98, of Lawson, MO passed away Sunday, June 12, 2022.

Roy was born Aug. 29, 1923, to Alburn Matthew Cheek and Minnie Maude (Lane) Cheek on a farm near Holt, MO. He attended Riggs Country School and graduated from Lawson High School in 1941. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served in WWII as a ball turret gunner on a B-17. He and his crew were shot down over Holland on their 14th mission and Roy was immediately welcomed into the Dutch underground where he remained MIA for 11 months.

Upon returning to the US, he attended college at NWMSU and earned a teaching degree. He taught two years at Lawson High School. He married Shirley May Davis on July 3, 1952. They would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this year.

Roy joined the National Guard and worked at the Nike Base near Lawson until it closed and then went to work for Union Electric, retiring in 1987. He was a lifelong active member of the United Christian and Presbyterian Church and a proud member of the Lawson VFW. Roy loved all sports and he spent a lot of time playing golf with his friends and relatives up into his 90’s. He was an avid fan of the KC Royals and Chiefs

Roy was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Ray and James; sisters, Edith Cheek, Louise Jackson and Emma Lee Drew; and son-in-law Michael O’Dell.

Roy is survived by his daughters, Barbara (Larry) Lanning and Sherry O’Dell; grandson, Chris Lanning (Sheryl Applebee); granddaughters, Erin (Scott) Murphy, Lani O’Dell, and Micaela (Quinn) Murdock; and great-grandsons, Conner Murphy, Chase Murphy and Carter Lanning.

 A visitation for Roy will be held Monday, June 20, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Lawson United Christian and Presbyterian Church with funeral service following at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Lawson Cemetery.