Edith Rose Antonel

Edith Rose Henry Antonel, 90, passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 7th at home just outside of Kirksville.

The daughter of Hazel Jones Henry and Paul M. Henry, she was born in Chillicothe, Missouri on June 10, 1920. Edith graduated from Kirksville High School in 1938. She possessed a beautiful mezzo soprano voice and was often the lead voice in the many musicals put on by the drama department at the school. She also had her own radio program in Kansas City, Missouri sponsored by a piano company and featuring the music of the day.

Edith met her husband in Kirksville while he was a student at Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery. After his graduation they were married in Albuquerque, New Mexico on September 8, 1941 and subsequently opened his first practice there. A move to Phoenix after his discharge from the Navy led them to open another practice and to spend a good portion of her life in that city. While there she worked first as a Licensed Practical Nurse in her husbands’ medical office and later as a special education teacher at Thomas A Edison Elementary School in the city. She received her nurses’ license through examination with the first nursing class ever at the University of Arizona. She received her Masters in Special Education from Arizona State University in 1972 where she was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi Honors sorority and Phi Kappa Phi Academic Society.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Lloyd B. Antonel, in 1988, her brother Paul Henry and her sister Mary Robinson.

Edith is survived by her children Rosemary Aune and her husband Keith Aune and Tim Antonel of Kirksville; her younger brother Larry Henry of Hot Springs, Arkansas; her grandchildren Sean Aune of Kirksville and Catamara Rosarium of Seattle, Washington.

She is also survived by nieces Virginia Galkowski and her husband Joe and family of St. Louis, Steve Robinson of St. Louis, Stephanie Henry and family of Texas, and nephews Bud Henry of Arkansas, Art Henry and Doug Henry of California. She is also survived by numerous great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

A fiercely independent woman, Edith was still driving herself and other elderly friends around until about a month before her passing and enjoying her weekly outings with the Lunch Bunch. She had long dedicated her life to volunteer work having given much time and effort to the St. Vincent de Paul charity in Phoenix while living there, and working for several years as a volunteer at Northeast Regional Medical Center. She also was a member of Still Partners and was used as a mentor for Osteopathic students learning skills such as bedside manner and physician etiquette.

She was laid to rest on Tuesday, May 10th, at the Highland Park Cemetery next to her husband, Lloyd.

The family respectfully asks that those who wish to honor Edith send their donations for the Butterfield Youth Services at, P. O. Box 333, 1126 East Highway WW, Marshall, MO 65340 or leave a donation at the Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer funeral Home.