Missouri, U.S., Marriage Records, 1805-2002
Roxena Faye Stith, 98
Oct 20, 2005
Roxena Faye Stith, 98 years old, a valiant and generous lady, left her earthly home at Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City to go to her Heavenly home on Oct. 12, 2005.
She was born Feb. 18, 1907, in Ava, to Lu Etta Campbell Jenkins and Robert F. Jenkins.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Edward Stith (1995); her beloved son Lloyd (1985); her mother and father; five brothers: Lester, Dee, Irlee, Kirby and Herbert Jenkins and one sister, Sue Simpson.
In their earlier years, Roxena and Edward Stith, along with their son, Lloyd, owned and operated the Chief Freight Lines Company and Chief Realty Company.
After the death of their son, they turned to their long-time employee, Gene Austin, to help run Chief Realty Company. Gene and his wife, Clauddea, along with their daughter, Gena, were considered to be part of their family.
Roxena remained president of Chief Realty Company until the time of her death.
Roxena is survived by her daughter-in-law, Hilda Stith and granddaughter, Mrs. Harold (Elaine) Hunt, of Tulsa, Okla.; grandson Mark Stith of Houston, Texas; great-grandchildren Brandy and Landin; sisters Ella Stith of Ava, and Rosalind Creswell, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; brother A.W. Jenkins of Tulsa, Okla.; sisters-in-law, Inez Jenkins, of Mansfield, Oma Jenkins and Vivian Jenkins, both of Tulsa, Okla.; brother-in-law John Creswell of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and numerous nieces and nephews who loved her so very much.
Roxena leaves behind many loving friends from various organizations, especially those from the Chief family. She touched the lives of many and will be missed by all.
Memorials in Roxena's name may be made to one of the following: Epworth Villa Benevolent Fund, Oklahoma City, Okla., The College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, or First Christian Church, Gainesville.
Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, in the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel, Tulsa, Okla
Carl Riley, 78
Oct 20, 2005
Carl Riley passed away Oct. 6 in Mountain Home, Ark.
He was born Jan. 24, 1927, in Drury, Mo., to David E. and Maude Berry Riley.
He married Mary Alice Breckner in 1953 and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
Mr. Riley retired from the Oscar Meyer Company. He was a member of the Wal-Mart Coffee Club. He loved his grandchildren and the outdoors. He showed great pride in teaching his children and grandchildren how to fish.
Mr. Riley enjoyed bluegrass music. He was able to pick an instrument up and play by ear.
Mr. Riley is survived by his wife, Mary Alice Riley, of the home; his children, Ronald Riley of Mountain Home, Marlyn and Patrick Cain of Chanhassen, Minn., and Judy Brauer and Cheryl Riley, both of Davenport, Iowa; grandchildren: Alissa and Larry Tucker, Kelly Stockham, and Justin Brauer; great-grandson, Ethan Tucker; brothers and sisters, Chester and Katie Riley, Drury, June Ousley, of Ava, Marvin Riley of Drury, and Martha Jane and Joe Rogers of Springfield, Mo.
Mr. Riley was preceded in death by his parents and one brother. Sterling Riley.
Funeral services for Carl Riley, age 78, of Mountain Home, Ark., were held Monday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in the Blanche Church in Drury.
Burial was in the Blanche Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Blanche Cemetery Fund.
Arrangements were by the Roller Funeral Home, Mtn. Home, Ark.
Oral Zerah Friend, 73
Oct 13, 2005
Oral Zerah Friend, 73, of Sparta, passed away in her home Monday, Oct. 10, 2005.
She was born Aug. 10, 1932, in Norfork, Ark., the daughter of Oral George and Ada Mae (Silvertooth) Kerley.
On March 17, 1955, Zerah and Jessie Friend were united in marriage and to this union, two daughters were born.
Zerah was a homemaker, a loving mother, a wonderful grandmother and a special friend to many people. She used her caring ability to enjoy her family and friends and promoted good cheer at every opportunity. She also enjoyed cooking, sewing and especially reading.
Zerah was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jessie, in 2003; three brothers and an infant sister.
She is lovingly survived by two daughters, Sheila Holt and husband Doug, of Sparta, and Karen Brown and husband Lale, of Sturkie, Ark.; four grandchildren, Scott Holt, Jeremy Friend and wife Heather, Jason and Justin Brown; one great-grandson, Lane Holt; seven siblings, Georgia Frost, Barbara Bozich, Sharon Goode, Nonda Wassman, Donna Shelley, Gay Lair and Wayne Kerley; several other relatives and many caring friends.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday (today), Oct. 13, in Barnes Family Funeral Home, Ozark, with Pastor Logan Friend officiating.
Zerah will be laid to rest beside her husband in Friend Cemetery, Isabella, Mo.
Richard Edward Griggs, 73
Oct 13, 2005
Richard Edward Griggs was born Aug. 24, 1932, in Georgetown, Texas to William and Amanda Griggs and passed away at 10 p.m., Sunday, October 9, 2005, in his home in Marshfield with his loving family at his side.
Richard served his country as a Marine for seven years and the Air Force for 10 years during the Korean War.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters; three brothers; and a grandson, Jason Gale Walton.
Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Ima; his children, Mandy and Curtis Alexander, Sue Tolle, Rhonda and Holt Rice, Bill and Tobi McCool, Rhoda and Gale Walton, Richard Griggs, and Dennis Griggs; 11 grandchildren, Trent Alexander, Ashlie Alexander, Casey Tulle, Travis Tolle, Miranda Rice-Minton, James and Tracie Rice, Mandy Rice-Alexander, Lacie McCool-Nixon, Candi McCool and Mikki Walton-Berry; five great-grandchildren, Bailey Alexander, Wyatt Berry, Cale Berry, Jason Nixon and Katie Nixon; and several other relatives and friends.
Services will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, October 15, in the Fraker Funeral Home, Marshfield,
Dannie Ray Lupton, 49
Oct 13, 2005
Dannie Ray Lupton Sr., 49, passed away Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005, at his home in Springfield.
Dannie was born Feb. 12, 1956, in Springfield to William Wesley Lupton and Elizabeth Mary Hargis Lupton. He was a graduate of Sparta High School, class of 1974. He was a member of the Eagle Heights Worship Center in Springfield.
Dannie served in the U.S. Army and had worked for Aaron’s Automotive. He was currently attending college in Springfield.
Dannie was preceded in death by a son, Walter Aaron Lupton, and a brother, Lesley Earl Lupton.
Surviving are his parents, William and Elizabeth Lupton, of Fordland; a son, Dannie Ray Lupton Jr., of Wheaton; one brother, Winfred Wesley Lupton and wife, Janice, of Fancy Farm, Ky.; one sister, Mary Howard and husband, Rick, of Springfield; aunts and uncles, Viola and Glen Marler, Raymond Hargis, Barden and Hester Lupton, Kenneth and Joan Lupton, Christine and Joe Breshears, and Charley Lupton; five nephews, Jimmy, Michael and Allen Lupton, and David and Steven Howard; one niece, Terra Lupton; and several cousins and friends.
Memorial services will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Preston-Marsh Funeral Home, Rogersville.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. till service time.
Burial in Easter Cemetery, Fordland, will be at a later date.
Jim “Jimmy” James, 48
Oct 13, 2005
Jim “Jimmy” F. James, 48, of Muscatine, Iowa, died suddenly on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005, at his home.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home.
The Rev. Dan Robbs, of Sycamore Baptist Church officiated.
Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Jim was born on May 19, 1957, in Mansfield, the son of Charles and Norma Page James. He married Tammy Cubbage on Jan. 22, 1977, in Muscatine.
He worked at Curry’s Auto for 15 years as a mechanic. He was a member of the American Legion and attended Sycamore Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Tammy James, of Muscatine, Iowa; one son, Jamie James, of Muscatine; two daughters, Holly Rudolph and husband, Cory, of Fruitland, Iowa, and Susie James and significant other, Jake White, both of Muscatine; three granddaughters, Sidney and Madalynn Rudolph, and Lainey James, of Muscatine; his parents, Charles and Norma James, of Norwood; four brothers, Jess James and wife, Dawn, of Tipton, Iowa, Jerry James and wife, Sandy, of Fruitland, Iowa, Mac James and wife, Connie, and Joe James, all of Ava; two sisters, Colleena Whitely and husband, Rusty, and Deb James, all of Ava.
Jim was preceded in death by a grandson, Trevor White; his grandparents; his mother-in-law, Carol Cubbage; a brother-in-law, Marty Cubbage; and a nephew, Jeremy Kelly.
Duane Louis Hamilton, 74
Oct 13, 2005
On September 6, 2005, Duane Hamilton died at the age of 74.
He was born April 17, 1931, at Goodhope.
From his mother Araminta (Huff), who read to him as a child, Duane learned the love of reading –– he would later collect a library of almost 8,000 volumes. From his father Marcus, who depended upon him for help on the farm, he learned the ethic of hard work that he practiced throughout his life.
Because life in the Ozarks was difficult during the Great Depression, when he was twelve Duane’s parents paid off their debts and moved him and his younger sisters Shirley and Nolita to Kennewick, Washington, to work at a wheat ranch. However, his father’s homesickness led the family to return to Missouri in July of 1947 -- this time accompanied by a new baby brother Chelsea.
In 1948, Duane became ill with typhoid fever but the prayers of his family and those at the Rome Free Methodist Church resulted in his recovery and a commitment to serving Christ.
In 1949, Duane graduated from Ava High School where -- despite his four year absence from the Douglas County School system -- he was elected both senior class president and captain of the foot-ball team, where the use of his hard head in tackling earned him the moniker “Ham-bone”. When the Korean War began the next year, Duane enlisted in the Air Force and became an aircraft and power plant mechanic specializing in B-36 bombers. Because his family needed him on the farm, however, Duane was forced to give up his dream of becoming an Air Force chaplain, transferred to the reserves, and returned to Missouri.
Within a month of returning, in June of 1951, he married his fiancée Kathryn Haden and began a life with her on the farm.
They soon felt the call to Christian ministry, so in 1952, Duane and Kathy followed his family back to Washington State where jobs were more plentiful. By the end of the 1950’s, Duane had earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Literature, been made the pastor at the Delridge Chapel Free Methodist Church in West Seattle and become a father with the birth of his daughter Brenda in 1955 and of his son Daniel in 1959.
During this time, Duane also worked full time for the Boeing Aircraft Company and began working on his graduate degree. In 1963, however, Duane left the ministry and eventually was divorced -- though he retained contact and friendship with his wife Kathy. Though he had left the ministry, Duane’s drive to help others endured and he found time to serve the community by teaching at the both the high school and community college level.
In 1972, Duane went to help his parents in Eastern Washington. However, he could never really leave the Ozarks behind and during his spare time he worked his 10 acre farm where he milked cows, raised livestock and sold roses and fruit trees. Despite this hobby and a full time job, he found time to vol-unteer with charitable organiza-tions.
After Duane was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, he moved to live near his daughter Brenda in Kalama, Washington, for the last year of his life.
Duane is survived by his sisters, Shirley King and Nolita Smith; daughter, Brenda (Larson), and son, Daniel; grandchildren, Stephanie, Sean, Benjamin and Grace; and great-grandchildren, Paris and Britlese.
In the spring, family members will return his ashes to the Ozarks, for burial at Goodhope Cemetery.
To paraphrase one of his favorite poets, Robert Frost: When two roads diverged in a wood, Duane “took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
Sybil Mildred Hart, 98
Oct 13, 2005
Sybil Mildred Hart, 98, of Ava, passed away peacefully in her home on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005.
She was born Feb. 1, 1907, in the Arno community, the daughter of John Henry and Sarah (Day) Brown.
On Aug. 28, 1933, she was united in marriage to Raymond Hart and to this union, five children were born.
Sybil was a lifelong resident of Douglas County, sharing the countryside farm life with her husband, Raymond, until his death in 1987.
She was a good mother who loved her family. Her pastime was quilting, sewing, gardening and making beaded jewelry. Sybil milked cows and had a butter and cream delivery business in the Ava area for several years.
At the early age of 18, Sybil gave her heart to the Lord and spent her life serving him. For many years, she attended Nubbin Ridge Church.
Sybil was preceded in death by both parents; her husband, Raymond; one son, John Hart; one infant brother; one infant sister; one sister, Oca Cooper; three brothers, Roy Brown, Clarence Brown and Corbett Brown, and three grandsons.
She is survived by three daughters, Coetta Posey, Alice Brown and husband, Ray, and Lela Giffin and husband, Norman, all of Ava; one son, Dwight Hart, Springhill, Kan.; 14 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; other relatives, and many friends.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, in Barnes Family Funeral Home, Ava, with the Rev. Tom Johnson officiating.
Burial followed in Ava Cemetery.
Visitation was Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 7 p.m., in the funeral home.
At Mrs. Hart’s request, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Ritter Cemetery or Community Hospice of Mtn. Grove.
Arletta Dewhirst, 71
Nov 3, 2005
Arletta Dewhirst, age 71, formerly of Ava, passed away Sunday, Oct. 30, 2005, in the Riverways Manor, VanBuren, Mo.
She was born Feb. 28, 1934, in Ava, the daughter of Edgar and Elona (Sanders) Levan.
Survivors include: a son, Robert Dewhirst; three brothers, Albert, Melvin and Arthur Levan; and three sisters, Irene Gulliver, Reba Hower and Joanna Lipsey.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a twin sister, Arlena M. Suskey; a sister, Lorene Keeton; and two brothers, Raymond and Vernon Levan.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, in Turkey Creek Cemetery, east of Ava, under direction of Adams Funeral Home, Ozark.
Oma B. Jenkins
Oct 27, 2005
Oma B. Jenkins was born July 18, 1909 in Ava, to J. J. "Josh" and Mattie (Mitchell) Thompson. She graduated from Ava High School with a first grade teacher's certificate.
Having two years of teacher's training, she graduated from Southwest Baptist College and finished her education at Southwest Missouri State Teachers College. She taught 16 terms of school in the Douglas County school system, teaching her first and last term at the same school her mother taught.
She was clerk and treasurer of the Douglas-Ozark Baptist Association for 10 years and correspondent from the Black Oak District to the Douglas County Herald for 24 years.
She married Dee S. Jenkins, a former classmate, April 15, 1933.
They operated a dairy farm near Ava for 24 years, before moving to Tulsa, Okla., in 1957, to join Dee's brother, A. W. "Sunny" Jenkins, as vice-president and maintenance supervisor of Rocket Freight Lines.
Their daughter, Donna Dee is a graduate of the University of Tulsa with a major in music. She is married to a schoolmate from Tulsa University.
Oma was a member of the Braden Heights Baptist Church (formerly White City Baptist Church) where she was a member of the choir. She was presented an award from White City Baptist Church for teaching the Ruth Sunday School Class for 23 years and conferred on her the title of "Teacher Emeritus."
Oma was the oldest living Thompson and Mitchell niece, nephew and cousin.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dee S. Jenkins; three brothers and a host of cousins and friends. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Donna Dee and Gerald Wade and grandson, Nathan Wade.
A funeral service was held 10 a.m., Tuesday, Braden Heights Baptist Church with graveside committal at 11:30 a.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to Trinity Hospice or Braden Heights Baptist Church.
