Obituary for Jesse Ercil McNabb
Jesse Ercil McNabb, passed away April 14, 2023. He was born February 4, 1933 and was raised
on his family farm in Belgrade, Missouri as the 10 th of 12 children. After graduating from
Belgrade High School, Jesse joined the US Air Force and served from March 1953 to March 1957
as a weather observer and meteorologist serving one year in Korea. He was a member of the
Korean War Veterans Chapter in Jefferson County. Jesse participated in an Honor Flight to Washington DC on November 12, 2013.
After the military Jesse attended college at the University of Missouri at Rolla and received a
Mechanical Engineering degree. Jesse worked as a Professional Engineer in the fluid power and
motion control industries for 38 years. He was an inventor and designed and created
automated systems for major companies like Anheuser Busch. He performed service work on
river boats and the Earthquake attraction at Disneyworld. He lived in Oklahoma,
Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri.
Jesse was a member of Charter Baptist Church in Festus, Mo. for 45 years.
Jesse was an avid bicyclist, enjoyed hunting, fishing, country music, spending time with his
family and friends and good food. A quote from Jesse, “working hard and traveling has shown
me that there are other places worthwhile. My life memories are snow skiing the snowcapped
mountains of Colorado and Utah, biking and eating on the Mississippi River Front and the
French Quarter of New Orleans, fishing the Lakes and Streams of Canada and the beaches and
biking trails across the country.”
Jesse is survived by and will be missed and forever loved by his wife of 67 years Bernadine
McNabb (Younker). His children, Sonia McNabb Cowart (Dennis). Anthony McNabb (Kristi) and
Julie McNabb (Matthew Hatloy). His grandchildren Ryan (Kelsey) and Elizabeth
McNabb, Devin and Patrick Cowart, step grandchildren Amber, Dylan, and Austin plus five great
grandchildren, a brother Ralph McNabb (Diane) and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Kate McNabb, his sisters Nina, Dorothy,
Mary and Bonnie, his brothers Lynn, Frank, Herb, Harold, James and Kenneth.
In lieu of flowers, he family requests that donations be made in honor of Jesse McNabb to the
Charter Baptist Church 15267 State Hwy. T, Festus, MO 63028 or Missouri Veterans Endeavor (assisting homeless veterans) 8410 Engler Park Ct., St. Louis, MO 63114.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 11 AM until the time of his funeral service at 1 PM, held at DeClue Funeral Home, 301 East High Street, Potosi, MO 63664. Interment will follow at Caledonia Methodist Church with full military honors presented by the United States Air Force and VFW Post 6947.
DeClue Funeral Home was honored to have served the family of Mr. Jesse McNabb.
on his family farm in Belgrade, Missouri as the 10 th of 12 children. After graduating from
Belgrade High School, Jesse joined the US Air Force and served from March 1953 to March 1957
as a weather observer and meteorologist serving one year in Korea. He was a member of the
Korean War Veterans Chapter in Jefferson County. Jesse participated in an Honor Flight to Washington DC on November 12, 2013.
After the military Jesse attended college at the University of Missouri at Rolla and received a
Mechanical Engineering degree. Jesse worked as a Professional Engineer in the fluid power and
motion control industries for 38 years. He was an inventor and designed and created
automated systems for major companies like Anheuser Busch. He performed service work on
river boats and the Earthquake attraction at Disneyworld. He lived in Oklahoma,
Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri.
Jesse was a member of Charter Baptist Church in Festus, Mo. for 45 years.
Jesse was an avid bicyclist, enjoyed hunting, fishing, country music, spending time with his
family and friends and good food. A quote from Jesse, “working hard and traveling has shown
me that there are other places worthwhile. My life memories are snow skiing the snowcapped
mountains of Colorado and Utah, biking and eating on the Mississippi River Front and the
French Quarter of New Orleans, fishing the Lakes and Streams of Canada and the beaches and
biking trails across the country.”
Jesse is survived by and will be missed and forever loved by his wife of 67 years Bernadine
McNabb (Younker). His children, Sonia McNabb Cowart (Dennis). Anthony McNabb (Kristi) and
Julie McNabb (Matthew Hatloy). His grandchildren Ryan (Kelsey) and Elizabeth
McNabb, Devin and Patrick Cowart, step grandchildren Amber, Dylan, and Austin plus five great
grandchildren, a brother Ralph McNabb (Diane) and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Kate McNabb, his sisters Nina, Dorothy,
Mary and Bonnie, his brothers Lynn, Frank, Herb, Harold, James and Kenneth.
In lieu of flowers, he family requests that donations be made in honor of Jesse McNabb to the
Charter Baptist Church 15267 State Hwy. T, Festus, MO 63028 or Missouri Veterans Endeavor (assisting homeless veterans) 8410 Engler Park Ct., St. Louis, MO 63114.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 11 AM until the time of his funeral service at 1 PM, held at DeClue Funeral Home, 301 East High Street, Potosi, MO 63664. Interment will follow at Caledonia Methodist Church with full military honors presented by the United States Air Force and VFW Post 6947.
DeClue Funeral Home was honored to have served the family of Mr. Jesse McNabb.