William J. Mesplay, 78, of Hillsboro died Oct. 24, 2016, at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County. Mr. Mesplay was a supervisor with Associated Grocers and was a member of Morse Mill Baptist Church. He also coached with the Jasper’s Boys Club. Born Feb. 25, 1938, in St. Louis, he was the son of the late William L. and Bertha D. (Davis) Mesplay.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years: Betty (Erxleben) Mesplay of Hillsboro; three children: Tracy (Mike) Pick of Hillsboro, Cherie (Larry) Horton of Hillsboro and Vicki (Todd) Johnson of Hillsboro; a brother: Don (Fran) Mesplay of High Ridge; eight grandchildren: Elisa Pick of Springfield, Christy (Andy) Wilder of Rogersville, William Swofford of Norfolk, Va., Joseph Swofford of Cape Girardeau, Katelyn and Andrew Johnson of Hillsboro, Sarah Krueger of Collinsville, Ill., and Chris Horton of Barnhart; two great-grandchildren: Tesla Krueger of Collinsville, Ill., and Jordan Horton of Barnhart; a brother-in-law: Gary (Mariann) Erxleben; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Morse Mill Baptist Church. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the church, officiated by John Weaver. Burial is in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Morse Mill Baptist Church. Arrangements are under the direction of McLaughlin Funeral Home in St. Louis.