Ruth Polson
Ruth Elizabeth Polson of Armstrong died Wednesday, April 3, 2002, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 87.
Mrs. Polson was born May 29, 1914, in Harrisburg to M.A. and Lourinda Barnes Stone.
She married Russell Polson in March 1938 in Columbia. She was a member of the former Ashland Christian Church.
Mrs. Polson worked for many years at the National Garment Company in Fayette.
Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at Carr-Yager Funeral Home, 204 N. Linn St. in Fayette. Services will follow at 2 p.m. Burial will be at Fayette City Cemetery.
Mrs. Polson is survived by one daughter, Carolyn Henry of Columbia; two sisters, Osa Wells of Glasgow, Mo., and Ada Wells of Fayette; eight grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Her husband, three brothers and two sisters died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the University of Missouri Children's Hospital, c/o Children's Hospital Development Office, 1 Hospital Drive-DC066, Columbia, Mo. 65212.
Jack Campbell
According to Gwendolyn Campbell, her son, Jack Landon Campbell, was a quiet man who usually kept to himself.
"Most of the time he didn't want me to know about his suffering," she said. "He didn't want to be any trouble to me at all."
Mr. Campbell, of Columbia, died Monday, April 1, 2002, at Boone Hospital Center of kidney failure. He was 46.
Mr. Campbell was born Feb. 9, 1956, in Sedalia to Jack Wilson and Gwendolyn Campbell. He lived for 30 years on kidney dialysis. He was a social worker for 14 years.
Mr. Campbell loved guns, his mother said. He was a member of the Rifleman's Club of America and would target-shoot when he was able. Remaking bullets was a hobby of his. Besides a love for guns, Mr. Campbell liked to play the guitar and sketch in his free time. He was a member of Burns Chapel Freewill Baptist Church.
Although Mr. Campbell struggled through his illness for 30 years, his mother said he didn't complain.
"I think he did it to keep his family from worrying," she said.
Mr. Campbell wasn't able to go out much in the last five years of his life, but his mother said he kept in touch with friends and family through e-mail.
"He loved his computer," Gwendolyn Campbell said. "He would sit up late working on his computer when he couldn't sleep all night anymore."
Toward the end of his life, Mr. Campbell's kidney dialysis treatments stopped working, his mother said. He lived for 17 days without treatment.
"I feel that he's at rest now," she said. "He's not suffering."
Visitation for Mr. Campbell will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the H.T. May and Son Funeral Home, 400 W. Cooper St. in Sedalia.
Services, conducted by the Rev. E.T. Sims, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Burns Chapel Freewill Baptist Church, 205 E. Pettis St. in Sedalia. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Campbell is survived by his mother, Gwendolyn Campbell of Sedalia; one son, Jack L. Campbell Jr. of Columbia; one sister, Marilyn Campbell of Kansas City; and two brothers, Curtis Campbell and John Campbell, both of Sedalia.
His father died earlier.
Harold Coleman
Harold Coleman of Boonville died Sunday, March 31, 2002, at Lakeview Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Boonville. He was 70.
Mr. Coleman was born Oct. 31, 1931, in Boonville to Nelson and Exie Coleman. He attended Sumner High School in Boonville and was an Army veteran. Mr. Coleman was a member of Freewill Baptist Church in Blackwater.
Mr. Coleman is survived by his daughter, Tina Williams of Columbia; four sons, Mark Coleman of Baltimore, Darryl Coleman of Ocean Side, Calif., J.D. Coleman of Bloomington, Ill., and William Anthony Poole of Boonville; one brother, Nelson Coleman Jr. of Chicago; two sisters, Georgia Montgomery of Boonville and Gladys Cason of Sedalia; 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His wife, Lucille Perry, died earlier.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the H.T. May and Son Funeral Home, 405 Sycamore St. in Boonville. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Matthew AME Church in Boonville, 309 Spruce St., with the Rev. Horace Hopkins officiating. Burial will be in Boonville Memorial Gardens.
Brent Mayes
The First Christian Church of Centralia was Brent Mayes' life, his son Jerry Mayes, said.
"Whenever the church needed him, he was there," his son said. "Whenever a priest was out of town and someone was in the hospital, my dad was the one who went and visited them."
Mr. Mayes, of Centralia, died Monday, April 1, 2002, at Boone Hospital Center. He was 86.
Mr. Mayes was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church in Centralia. He served as chairman of the Church Board and was an elder emeritus.
"If my memory is right, him and his father were the only father/son pair to ever be voted in," Jerry said.
Mr. Mayes was born Aug. 30, 1915, in Rowena to Beverley and Effie Davis Mayes of Centralia. He graduated from Centralia High School in 1933 and married Edith Leach on Oct. 12, 1935.
"He was the best dad there ever was," Jerry said. "Other than the church, his family was number one."
In 1935, Mr. Mayes graduated from the Chillicothe Business College and worked for the A.B. Chance Company in Centralia for 45 years. He retired as credit manager in 1980. Mr. Mayes was a member of the National Association of Business Machine Accountants and served on the Centralia School Board for many years.
He is survived by his wife of Centralia; one son, Jerry Mayes of Centralia; one daughter, Cheryl Tuggle of Centralia; four grandchildren, Jeff Mayes, Julee Baugh, Katy Tuggle and Jeremy Tuggle, all of Centralia; and one great-grandson, A.J. Tuggle of Centralia.
Two brothers and one sister died earlier.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Meador & Son Funeral Home in Centralia. Services, conducted by the Rev. Ed Varnum, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Meador & Son Funeral Chapel in Centralia at the corner of Sneed and Rollins streets. Mr. Mayes will be buried in the city of Centralia cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the First Christian Church, 229 S. Rollins, Centralia, Mo. 65240.
Keith Melber
Keith Brian Melber of Centralia died Saturday, March 30, 2002, at his home in Centralia. He was 47.
Mr. Melber was born Oct. 14, 1954, in Hackensack, N.J., to Joseph and Elizabeth Oliger Melber.
Mr. Melber retired from the U.S. Army.
No services are planned.
He is survived by his father, Joseph Melber of Fort Ritdue, Fla.; two sons, Trey Melber of Centralia and Keith Melber Jr. of Germany; a daughter, Kelly Melber of Link, Mont.; two brothers, Joseph Melber of Toms River, N.J., and Richard Melber of River Edge, N.J.; two sisters, Ruth Jean Stapel of East Rutherford, N.J., and Kim Melber of the state of California.
His mother died earlier.
Albert Vincent Mathews
Albert Vincent Mathews hated the outdoors.
But the young men who became Eagle Scouts under his guidance never suspected.
"He wasn't much of an outdoorsman," his wife, Beverly Ann Mathews, said. "He was the old-fashioned, Victorian gentleman."
Though he would rather play chess, listen to classical music or attend ballets, Mr. Mathews served as a scout master for 12 years. His sons were among the 35 young men he helped attain the rank of Eagle Scout.
Mr. Mathews' rare spirit inspired devotion to church, family and community, family members said. Mr. Mathews died Friday, March 29, 2002, at University Hospital. He was 67.
Mr. Mathews was born July 3, 1934, in St. Louis to John F. and Mary LuLu Smith Mathews. He graduated from De La Salle Military School in Kansas City.
On Nov. 26, 1954, Mr. Mathews married Beverly Ann Clary in Kansas City. He worked as a business consultant and was a member of the Elks Lodge.
Mr. Mathews' wife and children described him as a man of tremendous faith. Mr. Mathews was the Sunday School superintendent at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Woodland Hills, Calif., and a church elder at Valley Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, Calif. He was also a member of the Innerfaith Council in North Hollywood, Calif. The council was designed to encourage people to be respectful of other people's religion.
In 1992, Mr. Mathews moved to Columbia from Simi Valley, Calif. He attended Campus Lutheran Church.
Mr. Mathews, who suffered from muscular dystrophy, donated his body to MU's anatomy department. His wife said he did so to help not only his family but also future generations.
Services, conducted by the Rev. David Benson, will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Campus Lutheran Church, 304 S. College Ave.
Mr. Mathews is survived by his wife, Beverly Ann Mathews of Columbia; two sons, David Vincent Mathews of Columbia and Robert Steven Mathews of Hallsville; a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Morris of Hallsville; and seven grandchildren.
His parents and one sister died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 1900 N. Providence Road, Suite 209, Columbia, Mo. 65203.
Wanda M. Lee
Wanda M. Lee, formerly of Boonville, died Friday, March 29, 2002, at St. Joseph Health Center in Kansas City. She was 65.
Mrs. Lee was born Feb. 12, 1937, in Boonville to S.L. and Mary Frances Crump Elbert. She graduated from Sumner High School in Boonville and later moved to Kansas City, where she worked at Truman Medical Center.
Graveside services, conducted by the Rev. Wayne Tooley, will be at 11 a.m. today at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Boonville. There will be no visitation.
Mrs. Lee is survived by her daughter, Cassandra Lee of Kansas City; one brother, Jerome Elbert of Kansas City; one grandson; nieces, nephews and cousins.
Her parents and two brothers died earlier.
Berniece Parkey
Berniece Parkey of Potosi, formerly of Columbia, died Sunday, March 31, 2002, at Potosi Manor. She was 91.
Mrs. Parkey was born Sept. 30, 1910, in Higbee to Luther and Minnie Shockley Avery. On Oct. 1, 1937, she married Carl E. Parkey in Columbia.
Visitation for Mrs. Parkey will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Don Snyder, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Fayette.
Mrs. Parkey was a Baptist and a homemaker.
Mrs. Parkey is survived by four nephews. Her husband, four brothers and one sister died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 30638, Columbia, Mo. 65205.
Walter C. Martin
Walter Carl "Curley" Martin of Fultondied Monday, April 1, 2002, at Fulton Manor Care Center. He was 86.
Mr. Martin was born Nov. 9, 1915, in Boone County to Walter Martin and Laura Frances Strodes Martin. On March 23, 1935, he married Hazel Hickam in Boone County.
Mr. Martin was a member of Ashland Baptist Church and served on Ashland's school and town boards. He was a self-employed electrician and plumber.
Visitation for Mr. Martin will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Robinson Funeral Home, 601 N. Henry Clay Blvd. in Ashland. Services, conducted by the Rev. Jim West, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Robinson Funeral Home. Burial will be at New Salem Cemetery in Ashland.
Mr. Martin is survived by his son, Larry Joe Martin of Fulton; two grandchildren, Tina Bartley and Todd Martin; three great-grandchildren all of Fulton.
His wife, three brothers and four sisters died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Ashland Baptist Church, 203 E. Broadway, Ashland, Mo. 65010 and the Southern Boone County Senior Center, 406 Douglas Drive, Ashland Mo. 65010.
Opal 'Pat' Rippeto
Opal "Pat" Rippeto of Ashland died Monday, April 1, 2002, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 93.
Miss Rippeto was born Jan. 28, 1909, in Easley to Horace and Effie Easley Rippeto. She was a homemaker and a member of Nashville Baptist Church.
Visitation for Miss Rippeto will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Don Snyder, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Nashville Baptist Church, 355 W. Nashville Church Road in Ashland. Burial will be in Nashville Church Cemetery.
Miss Rippeto is survived by Debbie Easley and DeeDee Easley Morris, both of Columbia, and Susan Easley Fischer of Richardson, Texas.
Her brother died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Nashville Baptist Church Cemetery, c/o Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W., Columbia, Mo. 65202.
Louise Alberty
Louise Alberty of Columbia died Monday, April 1, 2002, at University Hospital. She was 76.
"She sparkled," her daughter, Marsha Henson, said. "She had a twinkle in her eye. She was always smiling." Her husband, John W. Alberty, remembered how much she liked to laugh.
Mrs. Alberty enjoyed playing bridge with her friends and was an active member of First Baptist Church in Jefferson City. Henson said she was an accomplished seamstress who spent a lot of time reading, particularly English history.
Henson was particularly fond of her mother's piano playing. Mrs. Alberty's favorite hymns to play were "In the Garden" and "Old Rugged Cross."
Her son Blaine Alberty said that when he was growing up, his friends liked to come over to the Alberty house because his parents were so friendly and outgoing.
"She really enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren," Blaine Alberty said.
For 17 years, Mrs. Alberty worked at the Missouri Farm Bureau as an assistant to underwriters. She was also a charter member of the P.E.O. chapter J.V. and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. After retiring, she and her husband traveled. John Alberty said Switzerland was his wife's favorite place.
Mrs. Alberty was born Nov. 29, 1925, to Roy H. and Edna Pearl Carr Fullerton in Jasper County. She graduated from Sarcoxie High School.
On March 21, 1945, she married John W. Alberty.
She is survived by her husband of Columbia; two sons, Blaine Alberty of Columbia and Robert Alberty of Clever; her daughter, Marsha Henson of Oklahoma City; two brothers, Lyle Fullerton of Roseville, Calif., and Allen Fullerton of Norman, Okla.; one sister, Erylene Lewis of Sarcoxie; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Houser-Millard Funeral Directors Jefferson City Chapel, 2613 W. Main St., and from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Housh Funeral Home, 211 N. Ninth St., in Sarcoxie, with services at 1 p.m at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Sarcoxie Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to a charity of the donor's choice.
Donald Ausburn
Even hundreds of miles from home, Donald Ausburn was never a stranger.
He was on the Maine coast, on one of his many motor-home rambles across the country with his daughter Donna Price and her husband, Kirk. Halfway across the country from the Boone County house where he lived since age 2, Mr. Ausburn found a friend.
"He sees this guy from Columbia who delivered oil for him one time," Kirk Price said. "He had friends all over.
"He never met a stranger. He was that kind of guy," he said.
Farmer, craftsman and family man Donald Ausburn of Columbia died Friday, March 29, 2002, at Boone Hospital Center. He was 86.
Mr. Ausburn was born Oct. 19, 1915, in Boone County to Charles Albert and Melvina Palmer Ausburn. When he was 2 years old, his family moved to a house about three miles north of Columbia. He lived there the rest of his life.
From 1969 to 1977, he and his wife Alma owned and operated Ausburn's Lake recreational area on the property.
"He loved nature," Donna Price said. She said he was "mostly a farmer" and loved working with the beef cattle he raised. He also grew tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, lettuce, radishes, cabbage and corn, among other things, and she said that for years her mother would can the produce, and the whole family would enjoy it.
Mr. Ausburn was also a carpenter and specialized in clocks. He would give them to friends and family or donate them to charity raffles, Kirk and Donna Price said.
Mr. Ausburn graduated from Hickman High School in 1935. On Oct. 19, 1938, he married Alma Bryant in Fulton.
Mr. Ausburn was one of the first bus drivers for Columbia Public Schools. He retired from his job as a maintenance technician at MU's College of Engineering in 1977.
After retirement, Mr. Ausburn enjoyed traveling and time with his family. He enjoyed giving advice and telling stories, his daughter said. He was a member of Oakland Christian Church.
Visitation for Mr. Ausburn will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Greg Robinson, will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Memorial Funeral Home. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Ausburn is survived by his wife; one son, Rex Ausburn, and a daughter-in-law, Bobbi Ausburn, of Salt Lake City; three daughters and three sons-in-law, Sue Parks and her husband, Keith Parks, and Donna Price and her husband, Kirk Price, all of Blue Springs, and Janie Harmon and her husband, Roger Harmon, of Millersburg; and five grandchildren, Chad Ausburn, Courtney Ausburn, Justin Price, Bradley Price and Kelly Harmon.
Two brothers, Basil Ausburn and Roscoe Ausburn; and six sisters, Ruth Ausburn, Hollie Torbit, Mary Trimble, Reba Gardner, Evalena Sutton and Loma Marriott, died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Oakland Christian Church, 2929 E. Oakland Church Road, Columbia, Mo., 65202 or the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 30638, Columbia, Mo. 65202.
Michael S. Adkins
Michael Scott Adkins of Columbia died Wednesday, March 27, 2002. He was 40.
Mr. Adkins was born July 21, 1961, in Columbia to Donald Ray and Virginia Mae Goff Adkins. He enjoyed biking and baseball.
Visitation was held Friday at Parker Funeral Service. Services were held Saturday at Memorial Park Cemetery, 22 N. Tenth St.
Mr. Adkins is survived by his parents, of Columbia; two sisters, Brenda Gail Amann of Columbia and Lori Beth Naugle of Warrensburg; and his paternal grandparents, Floyd Adkins and Margaret Adkins of Hallsville.
His maternal grandparents died earlier.
Memorials can be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Missouri, c/o Diane Carnie, treasurer, 2684 County Road 4028, Holts Summit, Mo. 65043.
Mary 'Polly' Powell
Mary Pauline "Polly" Powell died Thursday, March 28, 2002, in Ashland at Ashland Villa Residential Care. She was 94.
"Music was her big interest," said her daughter, Marilyn Bohanan. "She was a musician." Mrs. Powell was born July 6, 1907, in Huntington, Ark., to William and Mary Condit Doctorman. She graduated from high school in Mansfield, Ark.
She married William R. Powell in Poteau, Okla., on July 12, 1932.
"They had a long happy marriage," Bohanan said.
Mrs. Powell moved to Columbia in 1951. She was a member of Missouri United Methodist Church. She and her husband were partners in Columbia Brick and Tile Co. on East Walnut Street from 1951 to 1975.
Her hobby was feeding the birds, Bohanan said.
Services for Mrs. Powell will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Powell is survived by one daughter, Marilyn Bohanan of Columbia; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Her husband and three brothers died earlier.
Memorials can be sent to Missouri River Hospice, 3210 Bluff Creek Drive, Columbia, Mo. 65201.
Sarah L. Long
Sarah L. Long of Ashland died Thursday, March 28, 2002, at Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City. She was 84.
Mrs. Long was born Aug. 10, 1917, in Lawrence, Kan., to Enis Marcum and Roxanne Austin Marcum. She married Henry F. Long on Feb. 14, 1948, in Key West, Fla. She worked for Olan Mills photography studio.
Visitation for Mrs. Long will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Robinson Funeral Home, 601 N. Henry Clay Blvd. in Ashland. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Liberty Cemetery, Palis Nichols Road in Ashland.
Mrs. Long is survived by a son, Douglas Long of Poway, Calif.; a daughter, Debbie Calvin of Hartsburg; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Her husband, three brothers, two sisters and one grandson died earlier.
Lon F. Robertson
Lon Fredrick Robertson died Tuesday, March 25, 2002, at University Hospital. He was 45.
Mr. Robertson was born Sept. 18, 1957, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to William W. and Corinne Benbow Robertson. He was a member of Edinburgh Baptist Church in Trenton. He moved to Columbia in 1975 with his parents.
Mr. Robertson was formerly employed with S.B. Painting & Roger Siding Company. Mr. Robertson is survived by his parents; a son, Jeremiah Robertson of Columbia; two brothers, William Robertson of St. Roberts and Daniel Robertson of Sturgeon; and two sisters, Deborah Morrison of Des Moines, Iowa, and Cheryl Robertson of Columbia. Mr. Robertson will be cremated and there will be a private memorial service.
Memorials can be sent to Butterfield Youth Services, Box 333, Marshall, Mo. 65340.
George Troy Trice
George Randall Troy Trice kept you on alert and kept you laughing, his brother said. "Being around Troy was a constant ride," Hall Trice said. "You never knew what he might say or do. He was a character."
Mr. Trice, formerly of Columbia, died Friday, March 22, 2002, at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Fla., after a motorcycle accident. He was 37.
Mr. Trice was born Jan. 25, 1965, in Columbia. He had lived in Madeira Beach, Fla., for about a year. He enjoyed fishing there, his brother said.
"Fish feared him and women loved him," Hall Trice said. "That encapsulates his personality pretty well."
Mr. Trice was a salesman and dealt in cars, motorcycles and mobile homes, Hall Trice said. He said his brother would say anything to anyone, anywhere; "you could be in church," and he wouldn't hold back.
"He liked to party, liked to have fun," Hall Trice said. "He had kind of an irreverent sense of humor."
Hall Trice remembered going into a ritzy store on the Plaza in Kansas City with his brother. They weren't, of course, supposed to smoke inside. But Troy put his lit cigarette in the outstretched hand of the store window's mannequin.
"This little girl was like, 'Mommy, look, that mannequin's smoking!' " Hall Trice said with a laugh.
Visitation for Mr. Trice will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Nilson Funeral Home, 5611 St. Charles Road.
Services, conducted by the Rev. Pieter VanWaarde, will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Columbia Cemetery, 30 E. Broadway.
Mr. Trice is survived by a brother, H. Hall Trice III of Columbia; his grandparents, H. Hall and Helen Trice of Columbia; an uncle, Dudley J. Trice, and his wife, Nancy Trice, of Columbia.
His father, Harry H. Trice Jr., died earlier.
