Missouri, U.S., Marriage Records, 1805-2002
James Ray Parsley, 82
Dec 29, 2005
James Ray Parsley, the son of James Monroe Parsley and Willa Bryant Stone Parsley, was born June 14, 1923, in Lead Hill, Ark., and departed this life Dec. 21, 2005, at the age of 82.
Ray was a resident of Ava since 1952. He served his country during World War II with the U.S. Navy.
Ray Parsley and Virginia Hensley were united in marriage Feb. 22, 1950, in Viola, Ark. They were blessed with a son, James Ray Parsley, Jr.
Ray was employed with the University of Missouri Extension for 35 years as a livestock specialist in Douglas, Ozark and Wright counties.
He was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church and attended Ava General Baptist Church.
He had been active in Ava Kiwanis and American Legion. Ray was an outdoorsman and he loved fishing.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia, of the home, Ava; his son, James Ray Parsley Jr., Columbia; one sister, Yvonne Featherston, Paris, Ark.; one nephew; two nieces; and a host of friends.
Services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, with the Rev. Oren Alcorn officiating.
Interment was in the Ava Cemetery with graveside services conducted by American Legion Post 112 and VFW Post 5993.
Dennis Roy McBride, 51
Jan 26, 2006
Dennis Roy McBride was born June 8, 1954, at Gainesville and died Jan. 23, 2006, in Mesa, Ariz.
He was raised in the Longrun area and went to grade school at Thornfield and Gainesville High School.
He served with the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his parents, Rayford and Freda Clayton, of Longrun; one daughter, Mellisa Ann McBride; two grandchildren, Elijah Blue Romero and Hailey Sky Romero, all of El Paso, Texas.
Esther Lee Shelton Bradbury, 91
Jan 26, 2006
Esther Lee Shelton Bradbury, 91, passed away at her home in Phoenix, Ariz., on Jan. 13, 2006.
She was born Oct. 27, 1914, in Ava, and moved to Phoenix in the 1930s.
Esther was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Bradbury, and her daughter Barbara Bracken.
She is survived by her grandchildren, Michael H. Bracken, Dennis Bracken and Diana Seymore; her brothers, Norman L. Shelton, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Lawrence Shelton, Independence; her sister, Geneva Mitchell, Medford, Ore.; and four great-grandchildren, Tiffany, Joshua, Brielle and Daniel.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at Greenwood Memory Lawn Chapel, Phoenix, Ariz.
Burial was in Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery.
James Mark Haynes, 48
Jan 26, 2006
Mark Haynes, the son of James Lawrence Haynes and Wanda (Miller) Haynes, was born June 24, 1957, in Springfield, and departed this life Jan. 18, 2006, at the age of 48.
Mark was raised in Ava and lived in Branson for over 30 years. Mark owned Mark's Magic and Fun Shop and worked at Silver Dollar City as the Train Robber, and was also employed as a waiter. Mark was a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and a member of AA in Branson.
Mark was a Christian. Mark loved to make people laugh and loved his family dearly.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ronnie Warrick.
He is survived by his children and their spouses, Timothy Haynes and Stephanie, Branson, Becca Chudy and Dan, Nixa; a granddaughter, Mikayla Marie Haynes; one brother, Larry Haynes, Tulsa, Okla., and other relatives and friends.
Services were at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, in Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, with the Rev. Tom Maples officiating.
Interment followed in the Ava Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to charity of choice at the funeral home.
Tessie Graham, 70
Jan 19, 2006
Tessie Lorene Graham, daughter of Edward Eli Page and Blanche Leona (Reed) Page, was born Dec. 21, 1935, at Brushyknob, Mo., and a golden heart stopped beating and hard working hands laid to rest on Jan. 16, 2006, in Springfield, at the age of 70.
Tessie was a lifelong resident of the Ava area.
On Nov. 15, 1959, Tessie and William Doil Graham were united in marriage in Ava. They were blessed with six children.
Tessie was employed as a cook for many years. She also worked for Heads Apple Orchard in Seymour and Village Inn Motel in Ava. Tessie worked hard all her life, loved flowers and was always helping her family.
Tessie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son, Harold Wayne, one brother, Jackie Page, and a sister, Letha Wyer.
She is survived by two sons, Howard Graham and Hershel Lee Graham, both of Ava; three daughters, Thelma Clayton, Wasola, Terri Lynn Graham, and Lisa Marlene Lakey, both of Ava; 13 grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, with the Revs. Woody Coonce, and Oren Alcorn officiating.
Interment will be in the Hilo Cemetery.
Visitation was held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the funeral home.
Rayman Howard Minnigerode, 84
Jan 19, 2006
Rayman Howard Minnigerode, son of Walter Minnigerode and Hazel Morgan Minnigerode, was born on May 23, 1921, in St. Louis, and departed this life on Jan. 16, 2006, in Ava, at the age of 84.
Rayman was a resident of Ava for the past six months, moving from St. Louis. He was a retired truck driver for Meadow Gold Ice Cream and a member of the Teamster Union in St. Louis.
On Sept. 27, 1943, Rayman and Katherine Congemo were united in marriage in St. Louis, and to this union, one daughter was born. Rayman and Katherine had been married for a blessed 64 years and four months.
He loved fishing and hunting.
Rayman was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Walter.
His survivors include his wife, Katherine, of the home in Ava; a daughter and her husband, Rosemary and Jerry Swain, Ava; one granddaughter, Karen Pasczek, Cahokia, Ill.; one step-granddaughter, Lynn Hartzel and husband, James, New Hope, Idaho; two step-great-granddaughters, Stephanie and Jessica; one step-great-great-granddaughter, Mikela; one brother, Gene Minnigerode and one sister, Johoanna Brady and Emory all of St. Louis; a brother-in-law, Tom McManney; a niece, Irene Wobbe and husband, Stretch; a great-nephew, Daniel Wobbe; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Services will be at 10 a.m. today (Thursday) at Styger & Sons Funeral Home, St. Louis, with burial in Calvary Cemetery.
Local arrangements were handled by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava.
Lyndon Martin Boyd, Infant
Jan 19, 2006
Lyndon Martin Boyd, son of David Martin Boyd and Jaime Nicole (Lirley) Boyd, was stillborn Jan. 13, 2006, in Springfield.
Lyndon was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Ralph Boyd, Jim and Donna McDaniel, Clyde Lirley and Ronnie Maggard.
He is survived by his parents; paternal grandparents, Leon and Pauline Boyd, and maternal grandparents, James and Debbie Lirley, all of Ava; great-grandparents, Ellen Boyd, Marie Maggard, Maxine Lirley, all of Ava; aunts and uncles, Michael and Jennifer Lirley, Waylon and Teresa Stafford, Daniel and Lindsay Boyd, Randall and Sara Whitaker, Gary and Karen Boyd, and Tim and Ladonna Kerr.
Graveside service was held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, in the Union Grove Cemetery with the Rev. Vernon Fuller officiating.
Services were under the direction of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home of Ava.
Amy R. Vreeland, 81
Jan 19, 2006
Amy Ratha Vreeland, 81, passed away after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer, on Monday, Jan. 9, 2006.
Amy was born in Ava, Mo., on Sept. 1, 1924, to Frank and Macie (Powers) Sanders.
She retired from Sears after 35 years. She was a member of the Lincoln Lutheran Harmony Club, and a past president of the Ladies Elks in California.
Amy is survived by two daughters and one son-in-law, Debbie (Bruce) Rapoza, of Racine, Wisc., and Patricia A. Campbell, of Portland, Ore.; five grandchildren, Karl Rapoza, Mike Sanders, Daina (Jose) Bravo, Gary Rapoza, and John (Michelle) Campbell; 12 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Leonard Sanders and Murl (Pat) Sanders; one sister, Verna Mae Moses; and a sister-in-law, Georgie Sanders. Amy is further survived by nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Troy Sanders.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in Gainesville, with burial in Sims Cemetery, Gainesville.
Services were conducted by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville.
Debra L. Harris, 44
Jan 12, 2006
Debra L. Harris, 44, of Kansas City, Kans., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at the home.
Mrs. Harris was born Aug. 7, 1961, in Kansas City, Kans.
She was a crystal circuit board solder for the Bendix Company in Olathe, Kans.
Mrs. Harris was preceded in death by a grandfather, John Harris; and step-brother, Larry Dean Pitts.
Survivors are, Larry Rhodes, her common law husband of the home; four sons, Dustin Harris and Duane Harris, both of Kansas City, Kans., Larry Rhodes, Jr. and Christopher Rhodes, both of the home; two daughters, Rebecca Harris and Ashley Rhodes, both of the home; three brothers, Dale Harris, Darrell Harris and Daniel Taylor, all of Kansas City, Kans.; two sisters, Diane Collins, Kansas City, Kans., and Darlene Taylor, Kansas City, Mo.; her father and step-mother, Leon and Lurene Harris, Ava; her mother, Ann Taylor, Kansas City, Kans.; a half-brother, Donnie Harris, of Ava; a half-sister, Daryla Richards, Kirksville, Mo.; two step-brothers, Jerry Pitts and Terry Pitts, both of Ava; a step-sister, Drevis Burke, Ava; and a paternal grandmother, Vester Harris, Kansas City, Kans.
Friends may call from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 12, and the funeral services will be held at 12 noon, Friday, Jan. 13, at the Simmons Funeral Home, Kansas City, Kans., with burial in Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorial contributions to Kansas City Hospice, 10100 West 87th St. Suite 100, Overland Park, Kans. 66212.
Arrangements by Simmons Funeral Home, Kansas City, Kans.
Marine Lance Corporal Christopher B. Best
Jan 12, 2006
Funeral services for Marine Lance Corporal Christopher B. Best, of Mansfield, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Mansfield.
Burial with full military honors will follow at Hensley Cemetery north of Mansfield.
Cpl. Best had just returned to California after spending 15 days of holiday leave in Mansfield with his wife, April, and the couple’s 5-month-old twin sons, when the Marine was killed in a freak traffic accident in San Diego.
According to reports, Best died Jan. 4 when a light armored vehicle (LAV) carrying several Marines veered out of control on a freeway bridge and smashed into a railing. Best, 20, and a 22-year-old Navy Corpsman from California, fell to their deaths in the canyon below.
Best’s mother, Phoebe Best, lives at Drury, in eastern Douglas County. His father, David Best, lives in North Little Rock, Ark. Chris Best also has a 2-year-old daughter in Mtn. Grove. He is also survived by two brothers and two sisters.
