David Gene McGhee, 82, of Thayer, MO passed away peacefully in his home on May 22, 2025. David was born February 19, 1943 in Myrtle, Mo to Carl and Imogene (Campbell) McGhee. He married his wife Nancy Pritchard on November 8, 1961 in Poplar Bluff, MO. To this union three daughters were born: Kathy (Dan) Donahue, West Plains, mo, Branda Carman, Thayer, Mo, Susan (David) Cunningham Thayer, Mo. Six grandchildren Whitney (Logan) King, Wesley Honeycutt, Hayley (Chris) Johnston, Amber (Terry) Flynn, Lacie Donahue, Austin (Elizabeth) Donahue. Six great-granddaughters Zoey, Brynlee, Izzy, Everleigh, Sadie, Maella.
David was a lifelong farmer. He spent the summers combining fescue seed and was proud to be the oldest combiner in the county. He raised beef cattle, and his dislike for herefords was never kept a secret. He was fearless when it came to just about anything.
He was proud of his daughters, but his greatest title was Papa. The man who didn’t want anyone in his food let the grandkids eat right off his plate and put olives on their fingers. You rarely saw David without his grandson Wesley David. They did everything together from checking cows to running errands.
He was there to rock grandbabies, look at the fish you caught, and was always the first outside to see the deer you killed. He will be sorely missed while the hay is cut and the new calves hit the ground.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his mother and father-in-law, John and Dessie Pritchard, sister-in-law Joyce Pritchard, 4 sisters Wanda, Patsy, Charlotte, and Janey, and one brother Donnie McGhee.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy, his daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, one brother, Carl McGhee, Jr, and a very special cousin, Darrell McGhee.
Pallbearers – Austin Donahue, Logan King, David Cunningham, Wesley Honeycutt, Terry Flynn, Dan Donahue, Chris Johnston
