Shawn Allen DeGraffenreid
Shawn Allen DeGraffenreid, son of Rick and Alexis DeGraffenreid, was born Feb. 10, 1973, in Memphis, Tenn. He died April 7, 1999, in Hays, Kan., from injuries sustained in a fall from a communications tower he was building. Shawn was a resident of Bolivar from 1978 until the time of his death. He was a Bolivar High School graduate and completed one year at Vatterott College with a heating and air conditioning degree in 1996. He was the second of four children. His oldest brother, James E. DeGraffenreid, resides in Franklin, Ky., with his wife, Kansie, and his two young sons, Joshua Charles, six and a half, and Cooper Wade, 15 days. His youngest brother, Baron C. DeGraffenreid, and his sister, Kya N. DeGraffenreid, reside in Bolivar. Shawn was saved in a revival held by the Rev. Donald Bybee at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church on July 14, 1990. He joined Calvary Baptist Church that year and was baptized into her fellowship. At the time of his death he was a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas County. He was always anxious to attend when he was back home on visits. There were many things he enjoyed doing, but the one thing he loved was to sing for the Lord. He never turned down an opportunity when asked to sing. His favorite song was "Walking Home." He was a loving son and brother who loved to spend time with his family and church friends. He was quick-witted and lively and loved his work. He was never selfish or cruel, and he was always there to lend a helping hand. He was just our Shawny. His life was a testimony of the things that really matter. He had peace with God in knowing he had a heavenly home waiting for him; a family who loved him and whom he loved and missed often when he was away, and friends; he never knew a stranger. He will be missed by his parents, brothers and sister, nephews, grandparents Dr. Robert E. and Nancy J. Gittings and Charles W. and Dorothy M. DeGraffenreid, and many aunts and uncles. Although he is not with us, we have peace in knowing that he is walking and talking with our Lord and rejoicing in heaven. Services were Saturday, April 10, at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church with Elder Paul Cofer officiating. Burial followed in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Aldrich. Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the Polycystic Kidney Research Foundation, 4901 Main St., Kansas City MO 64112.
Gladys Franchett
Gladys Franchett, 93, Bolivar, formerly of Kansas City, Kan., died Saturday, April 24, 1999, at St. John's Regional Health Center, Springfield. She was born April 7, 1906, in Barnes, Kan., moving to Bolivar five years ago. She was a homemaker and a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Kansas City, Kan. Survivors include three sons and daughters-in-law, Gene and Joyce Franchett of Apple Valley, Minn., Phillip and Marcia Franchett of Shawnee Mission, Kan., and Paul and Gladys Franchett of San Antonio, Texas; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Mary and Richard McGinnis of Bolivar, Teresa and Jim Brown of Kansas City, Kan., and Sister Katherine Franchett, SCL, of Leavenworth, Kan.; 21 grandchildren and numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and four grandchildren. Mass of Christian Burial was Tuesday, April 27, in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Kansas City, Kan., with burial following in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Local arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.
Hurshel Ray Frye
Hurshel Ray Frye, 69, Springfield, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in Medical Center of Plano in Plano, Texas, following a short illness. He was born April 11, 1930, in Dallas, Texas, to Jack Carl and Dorothy Nell Martin Frye. He was a self-employed pool builder and a member of the Ozark Whittlers and Wood Carving Club of Springfield. Survivors include his wife, Sharon, of the home; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Mark and Christa Frye of Grafenwoehr, Germany, and Hurshel Lee Fry of Seagoville, Texas; a daughter, Yaell Flores of Cedar Hill, Texas; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents. Services were Saturday, April 17, in Pitts Chapel with Bro. Doyle Mayfield officiating. Burial followed in Greenwood Cemetery.
Lewgene Gates
Lewgene Gates, 79, Pleasant Hope, died Tuesday, April 27, 1999, in her home. She was born in Pleasant Hope on March 31, 1920, to Raymond and Beulah Acock Goldsberry. She was a lifelong resident of Pleasant Hope. She was united in marriage to Ralph C. Gates on Oct. 28, 1961, and was employed for many years as a cook at the Pleasant Hope Elementary School. She was saved at an early age and was a member of Providence Missionary Baptist Church at the time of her death. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, in 1975. Survivors include a nephew, Clyde Hoover, and his wife, Mamie, Pleasant Hope; a half-sister, Francis Beasley, Fair Grove; a special cousin, Thelma Stephens, Pleasant Hope; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Services were Friday, April 30, in Pitts Chapel with Bro. DeWayne Burdette officiating. Burial followed in Brighton Cemetery. Music was provided by the Providence Church Choir. Pallbearers were Delbert Choate, Jod Dohle, Bob Lawrence, Michael Erwin, Robert Polodna and Carlos Hodson.
David P. Girod
David P. Girod, 68, Dunnegan, died Thursday, April 29, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Hospital. The son of Peter S. and Mary D. Wickey Girod, he was born near Berne, Ind., Oct. 17, 1930. A former resident of Curryville, he had resided near Dunnegan for the past four years. He was a member of the Old Order Amish Church. Survivors include seven brothers and two sisters; Josephine of Curryville, Samuel of Bowling Green, Reuben of New Haven, Ind., August of Vevay, Ind., Enos of Curryville, Peter Jr. of Bowling Green, Ben of Ovid, Mich., Jake of Dunnegan and Emma of Curryville. Also surviving are many nephews and nieces and several aunts and uncles. Services were Friday, April 30, at the Jake Girod residence at Dunnegan. A second service was held Sunday, May 2, at the David E. Girod residence at Bowling Green. Officiating bishops were Lester Kuhns and Chris Borntrager. Pallbearers were Moses Kinsinger, Ernest Borntrager, Elmer Borntrager, Paul Kuhns, John Paul Coletti, Ervin Hilty, Amos Beachy and Andrew Eicher. Interment was in the Amish Cemetery, Bowling Green. Arrangements were under the direction of Murray Funeral Home, Humansville.
Robert L. Glester
Robert Lewis "Bob" Glester, 49, Bolivar, died at 8:10 a.m. Friday, April 16, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Hospital from an apparent heart attack. He was born Aug. 30, 1949, in Lakewood, N.J., to William and Bettie Jo Glester. He graduated from Central Regional High School, Bayville, N.J., and attended Ocean County College, Toms River, N.J. He was a past member of the Ocean County Mummers String Band and a past member of the Island Heights Volunteer Fire Department in New Jersey. He moved to Bolivar in 1973 and has been a local area builder and has worked for C&C; Farm Supply for the past two and a half years. Survivors include his parents, Bill and Bettie Jo Glester, Bolivar; a brother, William J. Glester Jr., and his wife, Karen, of South Palm Beach, Fla.; a sister, Donna Cox, and her husband, Joe, of Bolivar; three nieces, Wendy Glester, Jennifer Pendleton and Abby Jo Cox; two nephews, William J. Glester III and Jimmy Cox; a great-niece, Hailey Glester; and many other relatives and friends. Services were Monday, April 19, in Butler Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. David Hulshof officiating. Music was provided by Max Baer, soloist, and Carol Francka, accompanist. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery. Casketbearers were Jerry Sukovaty, Marty Coleman, Larry Johnson, Paul Coleman, Mark Stanek and Don Gray.
William Goebel
William F. Goebel, 77, Chillicothe, Ill., formerly of Bolivar, died at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at Proctor Hospital, Peoria, Ill. Born July 10, 1921, in Secor, Ill., to George and Henrietta Gasner Goebel, he married Alba L. Ghezzo on Oct. 18, 1947, in Washington, Ill. He was a World War II Navy veteran and had worked at Caterpillar Inc. for 41 years, retiring in 1980 as a planning engineer. He was a member of St. Edward Catholic Church. He had been a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bolivar for 10 years. Survivors include his wife, Alba, of the home; four sons, Gerry Goebel of Davenport, Iowa, Steve Goebel of Milan, Ill., Dave Goebel of Mount Zion, Ill., and Tom Goebel of Schaumburg, Ill.; one daughter, Maria McGee of Schaumburg, Ill.; three brothers, George Goebel of Washington, Ill., Stanley Goebel, state of Arizona, and Leo Goebel of Florissant; four sisters, Thyra Meyer and Henrietta Ritchie, both of Eureka, Ill.; Belle Chismark of Chillicothe, Ill., and Mardell Brandt of Peoria, Ill.; and 13 grandchildren. One brother preceded him in death. Services were Monday, April 12, at St. Edward Catholic Church, Chillicothe, Ill., with burial following in Chillicothe City Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Edward Catholic Church.
Wilma Lee Highfill
Wilma Lee Mayfield Highfill, 84, Pleasant Hope, died Sunday, April 11, 1999. She was born to Troy and Nell Mayfield on Sept. 8, 1914, at Red Top. She was saved at the age of 13 and joined the Rock Prairie Missionary Baptist Church where she remained a member until her death. She married Wilbur Highfill on Dec. 24, 1935, and to this union were born two daughters and one son. She is survived by her husband, Wilbur, of the home; two daughters, Louise Dukes of Pleasant Hope and Shirley Highfill of Mayview; one son and his wife, Rex and Carolyn Highfill of Stotts City; one sister, Lizzie Lou Thomas of Monett; 13 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Troy and Nell Mayfield; one sister, Mildred Murray; two brothers, James O. and Glen Mayfield; one granddaughter, Crystal Highfill; and two great-granddaughters. Services will be at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Rock Prairie Church with burial following in Rock Prairie Cemetery.
Merrill L. Hunt
Merrill L. Hunt, 71, Bolivar, died at 12:20 a.m. Saturday, April 17, 1999, in Cox Medical Center South, Springfield. He was a retired architect and had lived in the Bolivar area for the past 18 years. He is survived by two sons, Scott Hunt of Avondale and Alan Hunt of Kansas City; two brothers, Darrell Hunt, state of California, and Wayne Hunt; a sister, Ellen Barkley, Parsons, Kan.; and one grandchild. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Butler Funeral Home.
Dolores E. Ingold
Dolores Eileen Ingold, 79, Brookfield, died Tuesday, April 13, 1999, at Columbia Regional Hospital, Columbia. The daughter of Paul Edward and Nina Mae Brownlee Thon, she was born Aug. 11, 1919, in Rock Island, Ill. On March 4, 1944, she married Glen Milo Ingold in Keokuk, Iowa. She was a member of the Park Baptist Church, a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and a member of the Brott Social Club. She graduated from Graham Nursing School in 1941 and did post-graduate work at St. Louis City Hospital. She had worked as a registered nurse for Children's Mercy Hospital, Research Hospital, McLarney Manor and Pioneer Health Center and as director of nursing for St. Francis Long Term Care. She was an instructor of licensed practical nurses. She was preceded in death by her parents, one infant sister, Wanda, and one infant granddaughter, Katrina Rosalyn Ingold. Survivors include her husband, Glen Ingold, of the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Jack Geurin, Harrodsburg, Ky., and Nina and Ed Bokern, Leawood, Kan.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Bob and Patty Ingold, Bolivar, and Paul and Patty Ingold, Brookfield; seven grandchildren, including Ryan Ingold of Springfield, Renee Livingston of Nixa and David Gaurin of Marshfield; one foster granddaughter, five great-grandchildren, several nieces, one nephew and other relatives. Services were Saturday, April 17, at Park Baptist Church, Brookfield, with the Rev. Kenneth Kelley, the Rev. Jack Geurin and the Rev. Gary Urich officiating. Burial was at Wyaconda Cemetery under the direction of Rhodes Funeral Home.
