Prentiss “Perry” Custer Jr., 74, son of Prentiss Marvin Custer and Elsie Jeanette Haley Custer, was born Dec. 24, 1933, at West Plains. He died Jan. 6, 2008, after suffering a massive heart attack at his home near Houston on Sand Shoals Road.
One of 16 children, he served on the USS Eversole during the Korean War. He was awarded the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.
He established oil field maintenance and storage unit businesses at Huntington Beach, Calif., where he lived for 40 years. He and his wife moved back to southern Missouri, where they have lived for the last 2.5 years.
He served on the boards of two churches in California as advisory to the pastors.
His primary loves were his family and music.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Leo Custer, Cleo Custer, Wayne Custer, Robert Custer, Glen Custer and Jerry Custer; and sisters, Maxine Custer, Penny Atchison, Corabelle Smith, Kathryn Teasley and Anna Sue Custer.
Surviving are his wife; children, Debra Newton, Steve Custer, Sgt. Curtis Custer, Clay Custer and Julie Custer; one brother, Henry Custer; three sisters, Jeanette Crowther, Martha Young and Judy Ortega; and a granddaughter.
Services are 10 o’clock Friday at Faith Fellowship with the Rev. Bill Villapiano officiating. Burial with full military honors is 2 o’clock at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Springfield under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
Visitation is 6 to 8 o’clock tonight (Thursday) at the Evans chapel.
