Fred Boatright

(From Clark Funeral Home)

Fred Boatright, 80, passed away on January 8, 2015, at his Neosho home following a lengthy illness.

 He was born on March 13, 1934 in Berryville, Arkansas, to Charlie and Anna (Hopper) Boatright. His family moved to Powell, Missouri during his childhood. He worked in manufacturing and precision machine shops, a trade learned as a young man when he moved to Southern California. After stops in Texas and Kansas City, he returned to Neosho in 1957 and started work at Rocketdyne where he remained until 1968 when he then moved to McAlester, Oklahoma, to continue work for Rocketdyne. Within the year, he joined G&R Industries in Monett, where he worked until he founded his own company, FABCO, Inc., in Neosho in 1974. Spanning nearly thirty years, FABCO, Inc. was his life’s work until retirement in 2002. 

Fred married the former Shirley Henson on November 4, 1954. The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this past year. Shirley survives. Too, he is survived by the couple’s children, Lea Ann Findley (Kent), Bruce Boatright (Karla), all of Neosho, and daughter, Lori Boatright of San Diego. The surviving grandchildren are Jennifer Funke (Matt) of Poplar Bluff, Colin Findley of Austin, Texas, Katlynn Bishop (Joey) of Seneca and Carter Boatright (Jenna) of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Surviving great grandchildren are Jack, Claire and Jude Funke of Poplar Bluff and Georgia Kay Bishop of Seneca. Many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends mourn his loss. His surviving sibling is Joe Boatright of Manteca, California. Fred was preceded in death by his parents, three older brothers and two sisters.

 Fred was a long-standing member of First Christian Church of Neosho. In addition to being an outdoorsman and an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, Fred was proud of his community – he was a former member of the Rotary Club of Neosho as well as a member of the Board of the Crowder College Foundation.

Viewing

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Saturday, January 10, 2015
Clark Funeral Home
312 S. Wood St. Neosho, Mo 64850
There will be no formal visitation

Church Service

2:00 PM, Sunday, January 11, 2015
First Christian Church
1314 S. Oak Ridge Dr Neosho, MO 64850