James E. "Boat" Boatright

James E. “Boat” Boatright, 76, of Mascoutah, IL, born Sept. 2, 1938 in Paducah, KY, died Monday, Mar. 16, 2015 at Kindred Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

Boat worked for the railroad for 42 years with five different companies before retiring from Gateway Western Railroad.  He was a member and past music director of Faith Baptist Church in Freeburg, IL; past music director of Spring Valley Baptist Church in Shiloh; a member of Abraham Lincoln Presenters Assn.; he sang with the music group “Hick’ry”; and he served in the Army National Guard and the U. S. Air Force.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Galen James and Mary Barbara, nee LeVan, Boatright; a daughter, Mary Beth Boatright, a half brother, Melvin Sanderson; and a niece, Mary Faith Sides.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth Anne, nee Jandacek, Boatright whom he married in Flint, MI on June 9, 1962; four children, Timothy Boatright, and Stephen (Annette) Boatright of Mascoutah, IL, Michelle (Cameron) Collins and Johanna Dreher of Anchorage, AK; three grandchildren, Joshua Boatright of Belleville, IL, and Emily and Michael Dreher of Anchorage, AK; a brother, Galen (Sue) Boatright of Mustang, OK; a sister-in-law, Sylvia (Richard) Graves of Grand Rapids, MI; a niece and two nephews.

Memorials may be made to American Parkinson Disease Assn., Greater St. Louis Chapter, 1415 Elbridge Payne Rd., Suite 150, Chesterfield, MO 63017, or Faith Baptist Church, Freeburg, IL 62243.

Visitation :  visitation will be from 4 to 8 PM Friday, Mar. 20, 2015 and 9 to 11 AM Saturday, Mar. 21, 2015 at Faith Baptist Church in Freeburg, IL.