Minuard Bert Abney

Minuard B. Abney, of Ironton, MO, retired from this life on Monday, August 5, 2024, at the age of 83 years, 8 months, and 2 days. He was born December 3, 1940, in St. Louis, MO, to the late Bert and Gerriene (Britton) Abney. On December 31, 1987, Minuard was united in marriage to Carilyn Joan Wharton who survives. Also surviving are his three children from his first marriage, Michael Abney of St. Louis, MO, Bradley Abney of Czar Tower, MO, and Kim Abney of Pilot Knob, MO; the three children he gained when he married Joan, Margo Bradley of Desloge, MO, Ozie Prior, III of Banner, MO, and a daughter who he proudly adopted at a young age, Carilyn Abney and fiancé Travis of Ironton, MO; eight grandchildren Crickett, Mya, Corrina, Xander, Xandeleighia, Xadrian, Gray, and Wyatt; two great-grandchildren, one brother Tony Abney of Viburnum, MO, , and many more loving nieces, nephews, cousins, family members and friends. Minuard is preceded in rest by his parents, a sister Eleanore Leeman, and a brother Alfred Abney. After Minuard graduated from high school, he went right to work. He learned to work hard at a young age, but no matter how much he worked, he was starving, so he made the decision to move back to Czar Tower and joined the United States Army. After finishing his service in the Army, he went to work for the Doe Run Company at the Cominco Mines in Bixby, MO, and worked until his retirement in April 1999. Retirement, that’s a laugh! Minuard didn’t believe in retirement. Right after he left the mines, he bought his first dump truck the same year and Abney Trucking was born. Abney Trucking went from a small operation with one truck, to a large scall operation with 21 trucks and crew members. When you worked for Minuard, you were guaranteed to learn HIS work ethic, which was you worked from sunup to sunup the next day. You worked all day, you got back to base, and you worked all evening and night on the equipment to get it ready for the next day. You worked until the job was done or it was too dark to see. You weren’t on regular time, you were on HIS time, which was also known as “Viburnum time”. If you didn’t learn something from Minuard, whether it be how to work hard, how to treat your friends and family, or how to help those all around you, you weren’t listening to him and you missed out on valuable life lessons. When the Tom Sauk reservoir broke, Minuard had all his trucks there to clean up the damage and rebuild the Johnson Shut Ins Park. He even worked alongside one of his trucking competitors, Campbell Trucking. He saw the task which needed to be completed, and didn’t stop until it was, just like he taught so many how to. Minuard wasn’t just a hard and dedicated worker, he was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. When Carilyn went into the hospital to have her children, his grandchildren, he went when she went and stayed there until they were born. He was not going anywhere until he knew they were here and healthy. He would make his bed on a waiting room couch, which was much smaller than him, but he wasn’t leaving that hospital. He loved being a grandfather, and it showed when he was with them or telling friends about them; he was a proud grandfather. Minuard’s life was rich with friends. He cherished many, and said that if he didn’t have Bobby, he couldn’t have kept the trucking business going. Bobby was a blessing to Minuard in this aspect of his life, and as a friend. If he knew you, he wanted to help you. If he didn’t know you, and saw you needed help, he would help you. Minuard wasn’t just a boss to the young men who worked for him, he was a mentor, a leader, a father figure, a friend, and an example of what a man should be. He had a special place to sit when he had time, and it was the bench at Steve and Garrett’s, it was his chair and ottoman. He would rest there while waiting for Joan to come get him, and even had her drive for him a time or two so they could get a truck back home. One time while helping him bring home a truck, Joan got pulled over instead of Minuard, and he never let her forget it. Minuard said for years, he wanted to work to the very end, and wanted to go in either one of his trucks or on one of his machines, and well, he did just that. He drove his truck to the very end. He said, “If I stop working, I will stop living”, and that’s how it happened. He got to work to the very end. His work boots may have changed to comfy Crocs, but he still worked as hard as he could and never lost his work ethic. Minuard B. Abney leaves behind a legacy of hard work and many lessons. His friends on D Highway became family, and he will be missed by the Ushers, the Wadlow’s, the Inman’s, and many others who were his second family. A Visitation for friends and family to gather will be held on Sunday, August 11, 2024, beginning at 6:00 pm and lasting until 8:00 pm from the Cole Family Chapel. A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, August 12, 2024, beginning at 11:00 am. Interment will follow the services in the Cove Cemetery in Ironton, MO. Rev, Adam Logan will be officiating the services. Online condolences may be made at www.colefamilyfuneralhomes.com

Minuard Bert Abney

December 3, 1940 - August 5, 2024