Dwayne Edwin "Dickie" Givens

Dwayne E. "Dickie" Givens, age 72, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away at 4:52 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

Dwayne, son of the late Operetus and Rudolph Tomlin, was born Feb. 25, 1943 in St. Louis, Mo. He moved to Bakersfield, Calif. as a young boy and graduated from Bakersfield High School with a dream of becoming a music teacher. He was extremely talented and could play any instrument he picked up after observing it for a while. He took piano lessons for six months but quit after surpassing all expectations from his teachers. Dwayne accepted Christ at an early age. In later years he returned to Poplar Bluff, where he met Donna Kay Cole. They were married on Sept. 24, 2003.

Survivors include his wife of 16 years, Donna Kay of the home; two daughters, Yvette Rayshawn Givens of Florida and Tina Brooks of Bakersfield, Calif; two step-daughters, Linda Newman and Martha (Edward) Johnson of Sikeston, Mo.; a step-son, Robert Newman of Parma, Mo.; an adopted grandchild, Deterio Newman of Sikeston; seven grandchildren; a sister, Theopha Bagsby of Los Angeles, Calif.; three aunts, Norene Sloane of Poplar Bluff, Joyce Smith of Bakersfield and Venoise Carter of Riverside, Calif.; an uncle, Willie Curtis Clopton of Bakersfield; and a host of nieces and nephews. We all can imagine that he is up in Heaven finding something to do.

Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff, with the funeral service following at noon. The Rev. Cory Wicker will officiate. Burial will take place in the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery.