Vanoy Himel

Funeral services for Vanoy Himel, 88, of Bunkie will be held Saturday, August 29th, 2009, 10:30 am at David Haas Memorial United Methodist Church of Bunkie, with Pastor Joe Hoover officiating. Visitation will be from 8 am at the church until the services. Internment will be at the Pythian Cemetery in Bunkie. Mr. Himel's burial will be under the direction of Hixson- Ducote Funeral Home of Bunkie.

Mr. Himel was born May 14, 1921 to Harry Julien Himel, Sr., and Virginia Elizabeth Winfiele Himel and passed from life Wednesday, August 26, 2009, at his home in the Manor at Kirby Pines Retirement Community in Memphis, Tennessee.

Vanoy was preceded in death by his parents of Bunkie; brothers, Marion Himel of Port Allen, Harry Himel, Jr., of Bunkie, Newton Himel of Pineville; one sister, Anita Himel Thayer of Bunkie and Vanoy's grandson, Matthew Sterling Himel of Naperville, Illinois.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Wanda Alice Roy Himel; two sons, Dr. Van Terry Himel married to Dr. Theresa Mabel Himel of Memphis, Tennessee, and Mark Sterling Himel married to Francis Mary Sebastian Himel of Naperville, Illinois; his beloved four grandchildren, Ryan Vaughn Himel of Knoxville, Tennessee; Ellen Claire Himel Keeler married to John Keeler of Naperville, Illinois; Bethany Jean Himel of O'Fallon, Illinois, and Scott Sterling Himel of Durham, North Carolina; two great grandchildren, Kate and Sean Keeler of Naperville, Illinois.

He was a graduate of Bunkie High School and Spencer Business College of New Orleans. He had many years of dedicated work as cashier with the Avoyelles Trust and Savings Bank of Bunkie and in drilling and production with Amerada Hess Corporation for 25 years. He then retired 16 years later from Pioneer Oil Drilling and Production. Mr. Himel enjoyed woodworking and crafted many decorative wood items for the families, churches, and friends.

Please send personal condolences to Wanda Himel at 3535 Kirby Road, Apt. D302, Memphis, TN 38112. The family requests donations in lieu of flowers to be sent to David Haas Memorial United Methodist Church, Box 680, Bunkie, La. 71322; Odyssey Vista Care, Hospice Foundation, 717 N. Herwood St., Suite 1500, Dallas, Tx. 75201; or the charity of your preference.