Lawrence W. Kitchen

Lawrence Wendell Kitchen of Bourbon was born September 22, 1926, in Leasburg to Waldo and Geneva (Land) Kitchen and passed away on September 6, 2026, in Union.

After graduating from Cuba High School in 1943 and attending summer school at SEMO in Cape Girardeau he taught Maple Shade Grade School in 1943-1944.

In January of 1945, Lawrence was drafted into the U.S. Navy, after boot camp and service school at Great Lakes, Illinois, he was sent to Camp Elliott in San Diego, California to work in the personnel office. A short time later he was picked to work for Captain J.T. Brewer who soon became the base commander. Lawrence continued to work for Captain Brewer after the closing of Camp Elliott and a move to the Naval Repair base at San Diego. He remained in that position having attained the rank of Yeoman 2nd Class and was discharged on August 26, 1946.

On September 14, 1946, at Highlandville, Missouri, Lawrence was united in marriage to Ruthene Marie Shults, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Rev. Hugh Shults. Following their marriage, Lawrence taught school for three years before deciding to take a job driving a truck for Phillips Petroleum distribution to service a large area reaching from Mansfield, Missouri to the Arkansas line. After a year and realizing that time was running out to use his G.I. Bill, he gave up his truck driving job and returned to school, graduating from SMS in 1955 with a BS in Education.

Upon obtaining a job in Bourbon, Lawrence, Ruthene and by now three children, Kenneth, Ronald & LaDonna relocated to Bourbon. Lawrence’s job entailed several duties, namely, elementary principal, 8th grade teacher, bus driver, coach of 8th grade basketball, clock watcher for sporting events for the high school and 8th grades.

After 8 busy but enjoyable years, working with Bourbon youth, he needed to find more gainful employment and thus took a job in Hazelwood schools in North County St. Louis and remained there till retirement in 1980.

Shortly after retirement from teaching, he became a substitute rural mail carrier, working for a time with both Bourbon and Sullivan Post offices. Later he became a full-time mail carrier and retired in 1994. He was an avid blood donor and donor to local charitable events. He never passed up an opportunity to donate blood, attend a fundraiser or a hootenanny.

Lawrence and Ruthene were members of Calvary Baptist Church in Bourbon for 50 years, where Lawrence served as a Deacon before transferring their membership to First Baptist Church in Stanton. They remained as members there until their passings.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Ruthene Kitchen; parents-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Rev. Hugh Shults; parents, Waldo & Geneva Kitchen; sisters, Berniece (John) Eads; siblings-in-law, Normagene (Gene) Henry, Bernadine (Charles) Kessinger.

He is survived by his three children, Ken (Edna) Kitchen of Bay, Ron (Candy) Kitchen of Leasburg & LaDonna (significant other, Robert Rash III) Cain of Washington; brother, Elbert (Sandra) Kitchen of Sullivan; six grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.

A visitation will be Friday, September 11, 2026, from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. at the Mizell Funeral Home & Crematory of Cuba, Missouri. A funeral service will follow at 2:00 P.M. with Pastor Melody Pryor.

Interment with military honors will take place following the services at Lick Creek Cemetery in Cuba, Missouri.

If desired, memorials would be appreciated to Shriners Hospital for Children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The Mizell Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to be serving the family of Lawrence W. Kitchen.