Loren A. Dryer

Loren A. Dryer, son of the late George James and Julia Bessie (Percival) Dryer, was born April 6, 1939 and departed this life on Saturday, June 27, 2026. Loren was born in Urbana, Missouri, one of nine children, being raised and living on the family farm during his childhood, and graduating from Urbana High School in 1957. During high school, he excelled at basketball, receiving a scholarship to play and attend Southwest Baptist College. He learned a strong work ethic working on the farm raising livestock, milking cows, walking the rows replanting corn, while fondly remembering having a good meal at dinner time. At a young age, Loren accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at Mission Ridge Baptist Church. He was an active member and deacon of the Louisburg Baptist Church many years before becoming an ordained minister and pastoring the Cherry Grove Baptist Church for more than 20 years. Loren wed Betty Jane Gamblin Dryer in May 1961 after meeting her at Mom and Pop’s Cafe in Louisburg where he claimed he was helping her with her math homework. They celebrated 61 years of marriage in 2022. To this union three sons were born, Samuel, Daniel, and Christopher. Loren worked in his early years at the MFA before working at MODOT where he ran the distributor, worked on the striping crew, and as shop foreman at Buffalo and Preston, before retiring to the farm. Loren was an avid coon hunter, walking thousands of miles with his renowned coon dog, Ginger. He also bred and raised many Walker coon hounds, shipping them across the country. He and Betty enjoyed following the St. Louis Cardinals, never missing a game on the radio or television. Loren could also be found every Monday at the Urbana sale barn visiting, reminiscing and telling stories with his many lifelong friends. Every other day of the week he would do the same at the Coffee Cup Cafe or Dairy Queen. His grandchildren have fond memories of him feeding cheese to the two family dachshunds, Brown Sugar and Scooter; his love for eating oatmeal cream pies; and always telling everyone to “come over.” Loren was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; his parents; four siblings, Bob Dryer, Jim Dryer, Willa Stark, and infant sister Ruby. He is survived by three sons, Sam and Tammie Dryer, Tunas; Dan Dryer and Debby Dryer, Buffalo; and Chris and Jennifer Dryer, Nevada; brothers Don and Jewel Dryer, Alvin and Lexia Dryer; sisters Faye Mahaffey, Eunice Rutherford; sister in law Doris Frye; grandchildren Nathan (Shannon) Dryer, Danai (Dakota) Yates, Jessica (Colton) Salmons, Calvin (Jamie) Dryer, Jackson Dryer, Jacob Dryer; great grandchildren Elisha and Ethan Dryer, Landyn Crawford, Taylyn Kindel, Nyla and Micah Yates, Cameron and Kennedy Salmons, Hadley, Whitley and Brooks Dryer. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 in the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home with Bro. Aaron Taylor officiating. Escorts will be Jackson Dryer, Jacob Dryer, Calvin Dryer, Colton Salmons, Nathan Dryer, and Dakota Yates. Honorary escorts will be his great-grandchildren. Interment will be in the Mission Ridge Cemetery under the care and direction of the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home of Buffalo. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Monday at the Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Mission Ridge Cemetery Fund.

Loren A. Dryer

April 6, 1939 - June 27, 2026