Ruth Standley
Ruth Standley, 81, Alamo, Texas, formerly of Bolivar, died at 9:50 p.m. Friday, April 30, 1999, at the McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas after a brief illness. She was born Dec. 29, 1917, in Bolivar, the daughter of Charles Thomas and Pearl May Scott Smith. She was united in marriage to Oscar F. Standley Jr., who preceded her in death in 1992. She was also preceded in death by by her son, Tom Standley, in 1988, her parents and four sisters, Charlye, Pearl, Jane and Jewell. She and her husband, Oscar, were co-owners of Standley Shoe and Boot Repair in Bolivar for many years. They moved to Alamo, Texas, after their retirement. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Alamo, Texas. Surviving are one sister, Billie Rusnack, of Alamo, Texas; a daughter-in-law, Carol Standley, Bolivar; a step-grandson, Eric Lemmon, Bolivar; as well as several nieces and nephews and several great-nieces and great-nephews. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 8, in Greenwood Cemetery with the Rev. Ray Leininger officiating. Burial will be under the direction of Butler Funeral Home.
Loreta Stewart
Loreta Morgan Stewart, 81, Bolivar, died April 12, 1999, at Citizens Memorial Hospital. She was born May 1, 1917, in Barton County, the only daughter of Berne and Maude Morgan, members of a pioneer Barton County family. She attended Mt. Carmel rural school for her elementary education and was a graduate of Golden City High School in 1935. She was active in speech, a member of the debate team and had the lead in the senior play. She was married to Orlin B. Stewart on Dec. 30, 1937, moving to Bolivar in May 1938. Her husband was employed at Southwest Baptist College as athletic director and coach, and he taught until his retirement in 1974. She attended Southwest Missouri State College in the summers and taught in rural Barton County prior to her marriage. When her youngest child started first grade, she started back to school, graduating as valedictorian of the 1953 class from Southwest Baptist College. She received her B.S in education from the University of Missouri in the summer of 1959 and a master's degree in elementary education in 1968. She taught junior high classes at Half Way Public Schools for one year before being employed by Bolivar R-1 Schools to teach remedial reading and special education for 26 years, retiring in 1981. She was initiated into Pi Lambda Theta, an honorary scholastic sorority, in 1958. She served as treasurer, president-elect and president of Southwest District Council for Exceptional Children and president of the Bolivar Community Teachers Association. She was initiated into Omicron Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma in 1960. She was a charter member of Alpha Tau Chapter, organized in 1968. She served on many committees, as president-elect and program chair in 1970-72 and president of Alpha Tau Chapter 1972-74. She was president of Southwest Missouri District Delta Kappa Gamma, vice-president of Region 6 of Retired Teachers Association of Missouri, corresponding secretary of Missouri Association of Retired Teachers and a member of the state board of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association. She was president of the Bolivar PTA and Polk County PTA, president of General Federated Democratic Women's Club for Polk County, secretary of the 7th District Federated Women's Club and president of G.F.W.C. of Missouri Ladies' Study Club. She was an active member of First Baptist Church in Bolivar, having worked with young people for many years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Orlin B. Stewart; her parents, Berne and Maude Morgan; a brother, W.H. Morgan; and a grandson, Morgan Stewart. She is survived by three children and their spouses, Dr. Bob R. and Bonnie Stewart of Columbia, Reta S. and Edwin L. Smith and William J. and Ann Stewart, all of Bolivar; four grandchildren, Lori Norcross and her husband, Tracy, of Columbia, Lane Stewart of Chicago, Ill., Kasey Stewart Roark of Bolivar and Kevin L. Johnson of St. Louis; two step-granddaughters and their spouses, Debbie and Jim Vaughn of Glenpool, Okla., and Vicky and Chris Copley of LaPorte, Texas; four great-granddaughters, Abigail, Madeline and Olivia Norcross and Jaden Roark; two step-great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law, three nephews and two nieces. Services will be at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) in Pitts Chapel, followed by burial in Mt. Olive Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Southwest Baptist University basketball in memory of Coach Orlin B. Stewart. Contributions may be sent to Southwest Baptist University basketball in care of Bob Marti, 1600 University Ave., Bolivar MO 65613.
Alpha Oleta Stinley
Alpha Oleta Stinley, Bolivar, 67, died suddenly Sunday, April 18, 1999. She was born May 29, 1931, to Doy and Myrtha Long of Kentucky. She married Carl Edward Stinley and they became the parents of three children, Carl J. of Humansville, Mary Jane of Bolivar and Alice Ann of Pittsburg. The family moved to Humansville in the early 1950s and to Bolivar in 1970. In addition to her children, other survivors include two sisters, Wilma Powell and Sylvia Sweeney, both of Kentucky, and one brother, Edgar Long, state of Illinois; one daughter-in-law, Donnette Stinley of Humansville; six grandchildren, Richard Vest of Ozark, Toney Vest of Pittsburg, Carl Thompson, Robert Duane and Claudette Kaylyn, all of Humansville, and Sarah Beckley of Bolivar; several nieces, nephews and many friends. Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 22, in the Brumback Funeral Home, Stockton. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today (Wednesday).
Bernice G. Stokes
Bernice G. Stokes, 93, Flemington, died at 1:26 a.m. Thursday, April 1, 1999, at Cox Medical Center South, Springfield. She was born at Cliquot on Jan. 20, 1906, and was the oldest child of Bert and Ona Flint. She was married May 1, 1924, to Roy Stokes at Weaubleau, and they were looking forward to their 75th anniversary in one month. She was a housewife and working companion on the farm until she and her husband retired. She was a member of Durnell Chapel Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Hobert and Leon Flint; a sister, Jennie Bigler; and a son-in-law, Jim Phillips. Survivors include her husband, Roy Stokes; a son and daughter-in-law, Oscar and Edith Stokes; two daughters and a son-in-law, Lela Fern Phillips and Trixie and Gerald Vanderford, all of Flemington; two sisters, Cora Brown of Fair Play and Lela Franklin of Bolivar; three grandchildren, Jennifer Periman of Wichita, Kan., Ginger Roweton and Kent Vanderford, both of Flemington; eight great-grandchildren, Audrey Jo Periman, Mykal, Keli, Luther, Levin, Bethany, Cherith and Mattea Roweton; four nieces and two nephews. Services were Saturday, April 3, in Murray Chapel, Humansville, with the Rev. Robert Nuckolls officiating. Pallbearers were Ben Coleman, David Stonebrook, Kenneth Hughes, George Welch, Robert Crawford and Kenneth Piper. Interment was in Durnell Chapel Cemetery.
Lynn J. Tennant
Lynn Jay Tennant, 82, Humansville, died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, in Sac-Osage Hospital, Osceola. The son of George Washington Winfield and Mary Estelle Stewart Tennant, he was born Jan. 31, 1917, at Fort Morgan, Colo. On Aug. 9, 1941, he married Anna Mae Hiatt at Kimball, Neb. They moved to Humansville from Fort Morgan, Colo., in 1948. In 1960 he began working for the postal service as a substitute mail carrier. From 1974 to 1983 he was a rural mail carrier, carrying the mail from the Humansville post office. He had also been employed at Dayco in Springfield. He was a member of the Humansville United Methodits Church, He served on various church committees and had served on the Humansville Board of Education. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Mae Tennant, and a brother, John Tennant. Survivors include his wife, Anna Mae, of the home; four children and their spouses, Linda and Gary Fields of Springfield, Greg and Shirley Tennant of Sleepy Eye, Minn., Mike and Laura Tennant of Rogersville and Kurt and Pam Tennant of Cincinnati, Ohio; a brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Marie Tennant of Humansville; four grandchildren, Jamie Butcher, Michael Butcher and his wife, Angel, all of Springfield, and Matthew and Abigail Tennant of Cincinnati, Ohio; a great-grandson, James Michael Butcher II; and several nieces and nephews. Services were Saturday, April 24, in Murray Chapel, Humansville, with the Rev. Don Covington officiating. Pallbearers were Rolla Anderson, Mike Sprowls, Lewis Sawyers, Chuck Lewis, Roy Austin and Gregg Miller. Interment was in Humansville Cemetery.
Lillian I. Baker
Lillian Ihrig Baker, 92, Bolivar, died Friday, May 7, 1999, at Parkview Health Care Facility. She was born March 13, 1907, in Withers' Mill near Hannibal. She was a graduate of Palmyra High School and Northeast Missouri State University at Kirksville. She taught school in the states of Nevada, Wyoming and Missouri. At the time of her death she was a member of First Baptist Church, Bolivar, but was formerly a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Hannibal as well as GFWC Study Club of Hannibal and Marion/Ralls County Retired Teachers. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Mary Elizabeth Ihrig, and four brothers, Arthur Ihrig, Roy Ihrig, Elmer Ihrig and Wilbur Ihrig, all of Hannibal. Surviving are one sister and her husband, Clara and Ivor Bell of Taft, Calif.; one son and his wife, George and Susan Baker of Bolivar; two daughters and their husbands, Ruth and Robert Meyer of Ozark and Clara and David Stovall of Abilene, Texas. Also surviving are four grandchildren, including Beth Dixon of Bolivar; six great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Grand View Funeral Home, Hannibal, with burial following. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. today (Wednesday) at Butterfield Residential Care Facility. She had been a resident at Butterfield from July 1995 to November 1998, when she moved to Parkview Health Care Facility.
Rev. Claud Barber
Claud William Barber was born April 7, 1905, at Goodson to Charles Lonas Barber and Pearl Annie Carroll Barber. He died Friday, May 14, 1999, at Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility at the age of 94 years, one month and seven days after a long illness. He was saved in 1925 during a revival at Lindley Creek Missionary Baptist Church. He later united with Mt. View Missionary Baptist Church at Polk, where he remained a faithful member as long as his health permitted. He was ordained as a deacon of the church at Mt. View in October 1928. God called him to preach the gospel on Sept. 21, 1938. He was ordained to the ministry on July 6, 1941. He served on the mission field and pastored many Missionary Baptist churches in Polk and surrounding counties through the years as long as health permitted. Even though his ministry took him to many churches, he was blessed to see all six of his children saved at his home church, Mt. View. Claus was united in marriage on July 23, 1927, to Alma Pearl Orringderff-Hattersley. There were 10 children born to Claud and Pearl, four of whom died in infancy. Preceding him in death were his wife, Pearl, on Oct. 3, 1980, and one son, Forrest, on June 30, 1994. He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Bertha and Bonnie, and four brothers, Frank, Lonnie, John and Ralph; one son-in-law, Albert E. "Tom" Robertson; and two great-grandchildren. Surviving are two daughters, Mary Lou Robertson of Polk and Martha Ann Rader and her husband, Erven, of Bolivar; three sons, Benny Barber and his wife, Dixie, of Bolivar, David Barber and his wife, Marilyn, of Pineville, La., and Richard Barber and his wife, Christena, of Polk; one daughter-in-law, Betty Barber of Willard; 17 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, three step-great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Virgil Barber and his wife, Norma, of Richfield, Utah, and Clifford Barber and his wife, Vera, of Kansas City; and one sister, Bethel-Diane Rodgers of Pilot Grove, as well as a host of nieces and nephews. Services were Tuesday, May 18, in Pitts Chapel with the Rev. Doyle Mayfield and the Rev. Donald Lane officiating. Music was provided by the Mt. View, Lindley Creek and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church choirs as well as other church choir members, accompanied by Dixie Barber. Burial followed in the Mt. View Cemetery, Polk. Pallbearers were the Rev. Brent Sharp, the Rev. DeWayne Burdette, the Rev. Joe Sprague, the Rev. Bobby Budd, the Rev. Gary Campbell, the Rev. Donnie Lightfoot, the Rev. Curtis Howard and the Rev. Jerry Crain. Honorary pallbearers were the Rev. Everett Smith, the Rev. Garland Pool, the Rev. Dennis Spear, the Rev. Leon Meadows, the Rev. John Brown, the Rev. Jackie Brakebill, the Rev. Marshall Henderson, the Rev. Junior Ingram, the Rev. Gayland Lightfoot, the Rev. Harlan Graham, the Rev. Jerry Grant, the Rev. Gene Skinner and the Rev. Chester Viles.
E. Gerald Copeland
E. Gerald "Jerry" Copeland, 80, died at his home on Thursday, May 20, 1999, after a lengthy illness. He was born in Gravity, Iowa, and had served in the U.S. Air Force in World War II. He was a member of the Northgate Baptist Church in North Kansas City. He owned and operated the Copeland Tailor Shop in Kansas City for 35 years. Survivors include his wife, Winnie, of the home; a daughter, Carol Holamon of Bowie, Texas; a stepson, Paul Linville of Kansas City; a sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Raymond Davolt of Independence; a brother and sister-in-law, Tommy and Bonnie Tindle of Fair Play; five grandsons, one granddaughter and one great-grandson. Graveside services were Sunday, May 23, in Shady Grove Cemetery, Fair Play, with Dr. Russell A. Adams officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Butler Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Kala Sue Dotson
Kala Sue Christian Dotson, 49, Walnut Grove, died at 6:55 p.m. Friday, May 28, 1999, in St. John's Regional Medical Center, Springfield, following an extended illness. She was born near Walnut Grove and was a lifelong resident of the Walnut Grove and Willard areas. She was a 1968 graduate of Willard High School, and she was a homemaker. She and her husband, Arthur Dotson, were married for more than 30 years. Survivors include her husband, Arthur, of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Mary Ann Dotson of Ash Grove; one granddaughter, Mikala Dotson; her parents, Fred and Leta Mae Christian of Willard; four brothers, Roger Christian of Ozark, Ronald Christian of Walnut Grove, and Rodany Christian and Randy Christian, both of Willard; and two sisters, Verna Wilson of Willard and Barbara Blevins of Springfield. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) in Wilson Brim Daniel Chapel, Walnut Grove, with the Rev. Lon Killingsworth officiating. Interment will follow in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Springfield.
Basil M. Eastburn
Basil M. Eastburn, 86, Kansas City, died Monday, May 3, 1999, at Woodbine Care Center, Gladstone. He was born March 29, 1913, in Polk County. He retired from TWA after 43 years and was a member of local Union 1650. He was treasurer for the Northland Cathedral Assembly of God Church for 25 years. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Opal Eastburn, of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Leland and Christa M. Eastburn, Kansas City; a daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Jerry McCarthy, New Port Richey, Fla.; a brother, Wayne Eastburn, Half Way; three sisters, Dorothy Fausett of Half Way, Ruth Gott of Springfield and Naomi Cockrell of Belton; four grandchildren, Daphne Eastburn of Springfield, April Obey of Huntington Beach, Calif., Jenny Eastburn of Gladstone and Meghann McCarthy of New Port Richey, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews. Services were Thursday, May 6, at Northland Cathedral Assembly of God with burial following in East Slope Cemetery, Riverside. Arrangements were under the direction of D.W. Newcomer's White Chapel, Gladstone. Memorial contributions may be made to Northland Cathedral Assembly of God.
