Wilber Eugene “Gene” Ferrel, 81, of Warrensburg, died Wednesday, June 21, at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 26, at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home with Brother Charles Brant officiating. Interment will follow in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri, with full military honors. Pallbearers will be Jim Martin, Keith Martin, Jason Gilbert and Wayne Harrison. The family will receive friends from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 25, at the funeral home.

He was born April 2, 1936, in Prescott, Kansas, the son of Wilber W. and Doris Wood Ferrel.

On May 18, 1967, he and Janice Kay Martin were united in marriage in Miami, Oklahoma.

Wilber was a graduate of Miami High School. After high school, he served in the United States Army from 1956-59 in Korea. After his service, he went to work for General Motors in Kansas City for 28 years, retiring in 1988 from the assembly line. He was a member of the local United Automobile Workers post 93. He loved fishing and playing cards.

He is survived by his wife, Janice, of Warrensburg; a daughter, Rebecca Ferrel, of Overland Park, Kansas; a son, William Ferrel and wife, Stephanie, of Chillicothe, Missouri; four brothers, Richard Ferrel and wife, Debbie, of Green Ridge, Missouri, John Ferrel and wife, Sandy, of Warsaw, Missouri, Larry Ferrel and wife, Dodie, of New Mexico, and Jerry Ferrel and wife, Nancy, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; two sisters, Sharon Madison and husband, John, of Brownsville, Kentucky, and Jessalee Fritz, of Butler, Missouri; and three grandchildren, Matthew Peterson of Phoenix, Arizona, Lenna Peterson and Tricia Ferrel, both of Chillicothe.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Warrensburg Animal Shelter and can be left in care of the funeral home.