Joseph Virgil Decker

Virgil Decker

BURLINGTON - Virgil Decker, 75, Burlington, died Saturday, March 6, 1999, at a hospital in Kansas City, Kan. He had leukemia.

He was born April 10, 1923, north of Burlington, to Joe and Flora Shannon Decker. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1942 and spent most of his life in Burlington. He worked for several automobile dealerships in Burlington and was service manager at Zscheile Motor Co., from 1970 until 1990 when he retired.

He served in the 33rd Armored Division of the Army and was a tank commander in Europe during World War II. He received the Silver Star medal.

He was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and Congdon-Kepler Post No. 38 of the American Legion, both in Burlington.

He married June Charles on Aug. 18, 1943, in Burlington. She survives. A great-granddaughter, Akaila Lynne Martin, died in infancy.

Other survivors include a son, Gary Decker, Lyndon; daughters, Carol Stump, Burlington, and Sharyl Ruiz, Lockhart, Texas; brothers, Elvin Decker, Emporia, and Lester Decker, Burlington; sisters, Hazel Ridpath, Wichita, and Gladys Mays, Burlington; and seven grandchildren.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Burlington. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Burlington. Mr. Decker will lie in state today at Jones Funeral Home in Burlington where a rosary at 7 p.m. will be followed by visitation.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia Society of America.

[Coffey County Today (Burlington, Kansas), March 10, 1999]