Ruth Welshhon
Ruth Welshhon, 82, Richland, formerly of Dunnegan, died Friday, March 9, 2001, at her home in Richland. She is survived by two sons, Joe and his wife, Mary Ellen, of Hoxie, Kan., and Stephen and his wife, Trisha, of Joplin; two daughters, Jan Welshhon of Stoutland and Joyce Welshhon of the home; three brothers, John, Ephriam and Marvin Hess, all of the home; two sisters, Edith Davenport of Butler and Louise Buschmann of Sigourney, Iowa; one granson, Ryan Welshhon of Lawrence, Kan., and one granddaughter, Kim Welshhon of Colby, Kan. Services were Tuesday, March 13, 2001, at First Baptist Church in Hume, with burial in Independence Cemetery at Hume, under the direction of Colonial Funeral Chapel of Richland.
John M. West
John Michael West, son of the Reverends John and Ruth West, died at 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2001, in Oklahoma City, Okla. He is survived in addition to his parents by one son, Shawn Michael, a daughter-in-law, Tina West, and grandchildren Grace Leigh and John Mason of Humansville; a sister, Theresa King of Sulphur, Okla.; two brothers Christopher West of Kansas City, and Stephen West of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. He was a member of St. Alban's in the Ozarks Episcopal Church in Bolivar. A Mass of Thanksgiving for the life of Michael will be celebrated at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday) at St. Alban's, 201 S. Killingsworth, Bolivar. The Right Rev. Barry Howe, Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri, will be the celebrant. The Rev. Lawrence Lewis will give the homily. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Alban's.
Ewing Kay Williams
Ewing Kay Williams, 81, Aldrich, died at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday, March 13, 2001, in Parkview Health Care Center following a short illness. He was born in Franklin, Ark., in Izard County, and was a longtime resident of the Aldrich area. He was a retired prominent farmer and stockman and belonged to the Baptist church. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He was united in marriage to Frances Holman on Sept. 19, 1947. To this union one son was born. They shared more than 31 years together until Frances preceded him in death Feb. 4, 1979. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Ewing and Grace Kaye Williams, and two brothers, Gorman and Dudley Williams. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Kay and Lorelei Williams, and two grandchildren, Alexander and Alicia Williams, all of Aldrich. Services were Friday, March 16, in Wilson Brim Daniel Chapel, Walnut Grove, with the Rev. Lon Killingsworth officiating. Interment followed in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Aldrich.
Logan Andrew Zahn
Logan Andrew Zahn, 94, Bolivar, died at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 15, 2001, at the Parkview Health Care Facility in Bolivar after a lingering illness. He was a retired music teacher and supervisor of music and a member of the Bolivar United Methodist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Shirley Krongard, of Sunnyvale, Calif., a daughter-in-law, Mary Zahn, of Juneau, Alaska, and three granddaughters. Services were Monday, March 19, 2001, at the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar with the Rev. Dan Adkison officiating. burial was under the Direction of Butler Funeral Home.
Elizabeth LaMoine Baldwin
Elizabeth LaMoine Baldwin, 84, Flemington, died in her home Friday, April 13, 2001, from cancer. She was born Feb. 28, 1917, at Hazel Green, the seventh child of Dr. Anderson and Belle King Gourley. The family later moved to Competition, then South Greenfield, before settling in Flemington, then a busy railroad town around 1930 amid the Great Depression, where Dr. Gourley had a thriving medical practice. She graduated from Flemington High School in 1934 and later that same year married Russell Baldwin. For all of their 63 years together, they lived on farms east of Flemington. They were the parents of three children, Connie, Kay and Greg. She was a member of Rondo Baptist Church. Her husband, Russell, preceded her in death in May 1998; also a granddaughter, Cheryl Pitts; a great-grandson, Taylor Pitts; and all her brothers and sisters. She is survived by two daughters, Connie Baldwin, Kansas City, and Kay Pitts and her husband, Bob, Flemington; one son, Greg Baldwin, and his wife, Kathy, Stockton; five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Services were Monday, April 16, in Rondo Baptist Church with the Rev. Charley Johnson and the Rev. Joe Coppedge officiating. Music was by Kim Jones. Pallbearers were Brian Pitts, Craig Jones, Jim Skidmore, Carroll McCracken, Winton Allison and Ralph Butler. Interment was in Rondo Cemetery under the direction of Murray Funeral Home, Humansville. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Southwest Missouri or to Rondo Baptist Church.
June Boyd
June Boyd, 80, died Thursday morning April 5, 2001, in Primrose Place, Springfield. Born in Half Way, she lived most of her life in Polk County. She was the daughter of Phenis and Addle Holt Stewart. In 1939, she married Lawrence L. Boyd, who preceded her in death in 1980. A homemaker, June loved to cook, and devoted her life to her husband and children. She was saved at Half Way Baptist Church and later moved her membership to Providence Baptist Church. She is survived by three sons, Noel Boyd of Springfield, Lloyd L. Boyd of Bolivar, and Lawrence A. Boyd and his wife, Shawna, of Springfield; a daughter, Barbara Austin and her husband, Bill, of Ozark; a brother, Melvie Stewart of Bolivar; four grandsons, Ken Austin of Ozark, Tim Austin of Highlandville, and Cole and Blake Boyd of Springfield; and three great-grandchildren, Shelby and Casey Austin of Ozark, and Samantha Austin of Highlandville. She was preceded in death by two brother, Homer Stewart and Oles Stewart, and four sisters, Alta Campbell, Leola Hawkins, Irene Carneal and Opal Gamel. Services were Saturday in Greenlawn Funeral Home North Chapel with the Rev. Harold Hendrickson officiating. Burial was in Pleasant Hope Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant Hope Cemetery, PO Box 398, Pleasant Hope MO 65725.
Evan David Brewer
Evan David Brewer, 18, Springfield, died Sunday, April 29, 2001. He was born Nov. 23, 1982, and was a senior at Hillcrest High School in Springfield. He is survived by his parents, Hugh and Marcia Brewer and Richard and Paula Brewer; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Kristin and Travis Smith and Kara Brewer; a stepsister, Dawn Davis, her husband Drew and their children Madison and Mackenzie; his grandparents, John and Roberta Brewer, Hugh and Frances Brewer, Raymond Pote and Marilyn Pote; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Services are today (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, Springfield, under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home North, Springfield. Memorial contributions can be made to the Evan Brewer Scholarship Fund in care of SEA Scholarship Corp., 940 N. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65802.
Leo A. Burton
Leo Alva Burton, 82, Stockton, died Thursday, April 19, 2001, at Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar, after a sudden, very brief illness. He was born July 10, 1918, in St. Clair County to Roy and Essie Rainey Burton. He was saved at Brush Creek Missionary Baptist Church in October 1933 in a day service, during a revival held by Bro. Jimmie Jefferies. He joined the church and was baptized in Brush Creek by the Pastor Dude Pace. Later he moved his membership to Mt. Enon Missionary Baptist Church, where he was ordained a deacon. He was a farmer and drove a school bus for many years. He also worked as a carpenter and retired from Hammons Products Co. in 1985. He married Doris Peterie March 31, 1940. They recently celebrated their 61st anniversary with their family. They lived on a farm north of Stockton more than 50 years before moving to Stockton. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Doris, and their three children and spouses, Larry and Jane Burton of Ozark, Diana and Jerry Crain of Lebanon, and Jerry and Pat Burton of Urbana; six grandchildren and their spouses, Andrea, Scott, Gina, Beth, Brian and Chad; four great-granddaughters, Ashli, Garrett, Hannah and Brooke, and a great-grandson, Will. Services were Sunday, April 22, in Mt. Enon Church with burial in Stockton Cemetery under direction of Brumback Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Mt. Enon Baptist Church.
Thomas B. Cahill
Thomas B. Cahill, 80, Bolivar, died Thursday, April 26, 2001, in Cox Medical Center South, Springfield, following a lengthy illness. He was born Jan. 20, 1921, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to James Grover and Anna V. Fisher Cahill. On June 19, 1943, he was united in marriage to Florence G. Konezal and this union was blessed with two sons. He was a retired civil engineer in the construction field and had been a member of the Knights of Columbus in New York. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bolivar. He is survived by his wife, Florence, of the home; a son, Patrick Cahill of New York; a brother and sister-in-law, John and Joanne Cahill of Kings Park, N.Y.; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Virginia and Al Bourdon of Port Hueneme, Calif., and Barbara Cahill of East Hampton, Long Island, N.Y.; two sisters-in-law, Eleanor Carsten of Pittsburg and Dolores Sivori of Cheshire, Conn.; and a granddaughter, Shannon Cahill of Procterville, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Michael Cahill in August of 1999, and two brothers, James Cahill and Paul Cahill. Funeral mass was Monday, April 30, in Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Patrick Wisman as celebrant. Music was by Carol Francka; Cantor was a member of the parish and Lector was Eleanor Carsten. Burial followed in Greenwood Cemetery with members of the parish serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Ray Choate, Franz Hallatschek, Charles Gardner and Paul Hennager. Military graveside honors were under the direction of Am Vets Post No. 114 of Flemington. Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Julie Ann Clevenger
Julie Ann Clevenger, 32, Bolivar, died at 5:38 a.m. Monday, April 23, 2001, at Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar. She was born April 12, 1969, in Springfield, the daughter of Gary Wayne and Barbara Moody Clevenger. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Harry and Vada Moody; paternal grandparents, Claude and Dora Clevenger; her father, Tom Clevenger; an uncle, Harold Wynn; and an aunt, Glenna Holifield. She is survived by her mother, Barbara Johns of Springfield; a sister, Shelly Clevenger of Springfield; a half-brother, T.J. Blakeney of Rogersville; five aunts, Aleene Wynn of Hartville, Geneva Crowder of the state of Colorado; Peggy Mayab of Springfield, Susie Johns of Springfield and Beverly Hensley of the state of Michigan; an uncle, Dr. Fred Moody of Springfield; a neice, Alexa, and two nephews, Quinton and Chandler; and many friends and other relatives. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, April 27, at Greenlawn Funeral Home South, Springfield, with the Rev. Fred Moody officiating. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, at Steele Cemetery in Hartville. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Earnest Lee Combs
Earnest Lee Combs, age 87, of Bolivar, was born on March 28, 1914, at Fair Play, the son of Roy Essley Combs and Mertie J. Davis Combs. He departed this life on April 22, 2001, at the Citizen's Memorial Hospital in Bolivar at the age of 87 years and 25 days. He was united in marriage to Udah Fay Simrell on July 7, 1934, and to this union two children were born; Clifford Leon and Lois Dean. Earnest was saved in 1935, baptized and became a member of the Slagle Baptist Church. He later moved his membership to Calvary Baptist Church where he was still a member at the time of his passing. He was a good and faithful Christian his entire life. Earnest and Udah Fay started their life together as most young people of that era did, with very little. Through the 67 years of their marriage they worked together. By the time Earnest had completely retired he was already in his 80s. He and Udah Fay had built a successful farm together. He was well known and respected as a stockman and farmer. His great love of the farm and his exceptional knowledge of the land made it possible for him to prosper, even when so many were getting away from farming. He shared his love of the land with his family, teaching his children and grandchildren. As much as Earnest loved farming, his family and friends were always first in his life. His family remembers him as a goodhearted man, who always had time for anyone who needed him. He was well known for having a warm heart that made him easy to talk with. Earnest and Udah Fay have had a great many good friends through the years. They have always welcomed anyone to their home. Earnest could always be counted on to help whenever it was needed. Earnest had been in failing health for some time and bore his afflictions with great dignity. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Wilbert. Surviving Earnest is his wife, Udah Fay of the home; his children, Clifford L. Combs of Warrensburg and Lois D. Bouling of Bolivar; also two grandsons, Kelly and Steven Bouling of Bolivar; and Eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one brother, Hershel Combs of Republic; and three sisters, Marie Bridges, Floretta Pierce and Anna Lee Collins all of Bolivar. Earnest was a caring and compassionate husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He gladly enjoyed his family and time with them until ill health made it difficult for him. He was an exceptional man who will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Funeral services for Earnest will be today (Wednesday) April 25, 2001, at 1 p.m. in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Garland Pool officiating. Musical selections will be by Charlie Ealy and Lisa Jarvis, with Mary Childress as the pianist. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar. Casketbearers will be Kelly Bouling, Charles Brown, Junior Baker, A.J. Myers, Jim Fine and Bill Francka.
