Larry Gene “Peanut” Queen, age 77 of Salem, passed away at 5:23 pm on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon with his wife and daughter holding his hands. He had many years of heart trouble, and his passing was not due to Covid. Larry was a member of the Kell Missionary Baptist Church where he served as church treasurer for many years. He worked for Merz Vault Company and later went on to work for the United States Postal Service as a Clerk for 33 years at the Centralia Post Office. He was a trustee with the Zion Grove/County Line Cemetery for several years. Larry attended Centralia Grade and High School. He served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam Conflict where he was injured, upon his return to Centralia, he met his wife and they enjoyed just short of 52 years of marriage.
Funeral Services for Larry Gene Queen will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, January 23, 2022, at Crouse Funeral Home in Salem with Henry Hall, Jerry Montgomery, and Jimmie Fitzgerald officiating. Burial will be in Zion Grove/County Line Cemetery in Kell, with Military Rites at the grave by the Salem American Legion. Visitation will be held on Saturday, from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the funeral home. Those in attendance, are asked to please wear a mask and observe social distancing. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Zion Grove Cemetery Mowing Fund. Online condolences can be left at www.CrouseFH.com.
He married Judith “Judy” K. (Riley) Queen on February 15, 1970, at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Iuka and she survives in Salem. In addition to his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Lori Jean Van Horn and husband Dan of Carbondale; two grandchildren, Payton Daniel Van Horn and Karsyn Danielle Van Horn; half-sister, Terri Lynn Queen of Gulfport, MS; sister-in-law, Vickie Malan and husband David; brothers-in-law, Jack Riley and wife Jeanine and Ron Riley and fiancé Angela Wyatt; and several nieces and nephews.
Larry was born on December 18, 1944, in Centralia, the son of Howard Kenneth Queen Sr. and Doris Marie (Schuckmann) Queen. He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law and mother-law, Floyd and Doris (Bandy) Riley; sister, Shirley Ann Courtney and husband Jerry; and brothers, Howard Kenneth Queen Jr and wife Sue and Jimmy Ray Queen and wife Linda.
