Doran Griffitts
Doran Griffitts, 83, Brighton, died Tuesday, December 28, 1999, in his home. He was born June 18, 1916, in Brighton to Perry and Jessie Lender Griffitts. He was a member of Brighton Baptist Church and had retired from Zenith as a security guard. Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Thelma and Johnny Brown of New Meadows, Idaho; a sister, Juanita Robertson of Brighton; three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Lawrence Griffitts; and five sisters, Odetta Edge, Fern Edge, Lillian Duke, Nell Loven and Ann Bacon. Graveside services were Sunday, Jan. 2, in Brighton Cemetery with Pastor Mitch Fisher officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Everett Robert Grissom, 68, Humansville, died Saturday, Dec. 11, 1999, in his home. He was born Dec. 4, 1930, in Webb City. After a 21-year career in the U.S. Navy, he settled in the Kansas City area where he was an electrician for the Santa Fe Railroad before retiring to Humansville. His wife, Mary Louise, preceded him in death in 1985. Survivors include his children and their spouses, Rob and Jackie Grissom of Kansas City, Alan and Cinde Grissom of Hot Springs, Ark., Todd and Karen Grissom of Blue Springs, Gail and Andy Manning of Hot Springs, Ark., and Dawn Alleman, Springfield; his grandchildren, Paul, Chris, Tiffany, Amanda, Grant, Shiloh, Shaleen, Austin, Aaron, Scott, Greg, Samantha, Angela and Rebekah; his great-grandchildren, Kelcei, Trae, Keylei and Izabel; his three brothers, Gary Grissom of Webb City, Dee Grissom and Gerald Grissom, both of Oronogo; and his sister, Violet Kay Thurman, Carterville. Services will be at 10 a.m. today (Wednesday) in Murray Funeral Home, Humansville. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. in the National Cemetery at Leavenworth, Kan. Memorial contributions may be made to Citizens Memorial Hospice, 1500 N. Oakland Ave., Bolivar, MO. 65613.
Mildred F. Gunn
Mildred Faye Gunn, 95, Fair Play, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 1999, at Parkview Health Care Facility. She was born Oct. 9, 1904, near Fair Play, the daughter of Samuel and Pearl Underwood Smith. She lived her entire life in the Fair Play area and was a member of the Fair Play United Methodist Church. On Oct. 30, 1927, she was married to Charles O. Gunn, and they had two children, William A. and Mamie Ruth. She was preceded in death by her husband, her children, her only brother, Morris Smith, and a great-grandson, Jansen Lynn Roberts. Survivors include her son-in-law, Charley York of Fair Play; her daughter-in-law, Dorene Gunn of Temple, Texas; one niece, Gerry Studebaker, state of California; seven grandchildren, Randy York of Springfield, Roger York and Lori Roberts, both of Bolivar, Ricky Gunn, Kyle Gunn, Charles Gunn and Ronald Gunn, all of Temple, Texas; 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, in Murray Chapel with the Rev. Scott Carlton officiating. Pallbearers will be Ricky Gunn, Randy York, Kyle Gunn, Charles Gunn, Roger York and Ronald Gunn. Interment will be in Akard Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 1 p.m. until time of services at the funeral home.
Paul David Hamilton
Paul David Hamilton 45, Pleasant Hope, died Tuesday, Dec. 21, 1999, in his home. He was a member of the Pleasant Hope Fundamental Baptist Church, and he loved to rebuild old vehicles. He is survived by his parents, the Rev. Lester W. Sr. and Alberta Hamilton, of the home; two sisters, Sharon Sisco and her husband, Jerry, Pleasant Hope, and Jeanette Wells and her husband, Jack, Springfield; two brothers, Lester W. Hamilton Jr. and his wife, Sally, Pleasant Hope, and the Rev. Gary Hamilton and his wife, Amber, Marshfield; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Greenlawn Funeral Home North, Springfield. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, in Clear Creek Cemetery west of Springfield with the Rev. Grant Stokes officiating. The family wishes to thank special friends Richard Gott, John Noblett, Verle Bacon, Johnny Hillenburg and Junior Vineyard, who were always there for David. Thanks also to the Pleasant Hope Fire and Rescue Department, who have helped us many times in the past. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pleasant Hope Fire Department in care of David Agee, 5324 S. 235th Road, Pleasant Hope MO 65622.
Willard C. Hargis
Willard Clay Hargis, 92, Bolivar, died at 11:39 a.m. Friday, Dec. 24, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility. He was born Sept. 18, 1907, on the farm near Bolivar to Benjamin Clay and Lucy Ellen Welch Hargis. On June 25, 1931, he was united in marriage to Beulah Nell Walden. He was a 1929 graduate of Bolivar HIgh School and a member of Mt. Gilead Methodist Church. He worked at the MFA for many years and retired as assistant manager in 1965. Survivors include a brother-in-law, Price Walden and his wife, Marie, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Beulah, on Jan. 9, 1997; three sisters, Grace Fullerton, Nell Koon and an infant, Georgia Hargis; and three brothers, Gene Hargis, Gus Hargis and Link Hargis. Services were Monday, Dec. 27, in Pitts Chapel with the Rev. Harold Hendrickson officiating. Music was provided by Mary Nell Koon, accompanied by Carol Krueger. Pallbearers were Don Fullerton, Jeff Fullerton, Gus Hargis, Glenn Stewart, Terry Stewart and Jerry Stewart. Burial followed in Mt. Gilead Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Mt. Gilead Church.
Leola May Hawkins
Leola May Hawkins, 91, Bolivar, died at 1:29 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility. She was born May 4, 1908, in Polk County, the daughter of Phennis V. and Addie J. Holt Stewart. On Dec. 24, 1924, she was united in marriage to Russie Hawkins and moved to a farm in Goodson. She was a homemaker and a cook for Goodson Elementary School and Southwest Baptist University for many years. She was also a member of the Halfway Missionary Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Russie; two brothers, Olen and Homer Stewart; and three sisters, Opal Gamel, Atta Campbell and Irene Carneal. She is survived by her brother, Melvie Stewart, and his wife, Juanita, of Bolivar; her sister, June Boyd of Springfield; her sister-in-law, Okla Stewart of Bolivar; Erma D. Roundtree Spann of Tulsa, Okla., whom she raised as a daughter; and many other nieces and nephews. Services were Saturday, Dec. 4, in Butler Chapel with Brother Gary Campbell officiating. Music was provided by Jim and Ethel Mae Tennis. Casketbearers were Darrell Ashlock, Dennis Stewart, Victor Stewart, Larry Gamel, Larry Boyd and Noel Boyd. Burial was in Mount View Cemetery in Polk. Memorial contributions may be made to CMH Hospice.
Lela Pearl Hayden
Lela Pearl Seiner Hayden, 94, Bolivar, died at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility. She was born Nov. 12, 1905, in Polk County to George Leo and Eliza Jane Baird Seiner. She was one of 12 children, with six brothers and five sisters. She went to school at Oak Grove Country School, graduated and then taught for a couple of years in the same school. She attended Draughn's Business College in Springfield and later moved to Kansas City after working a while in Springfield. She attended Evangel Temple Assembly of God Church in Kansas City and became very much involved in the youth work. She then felt a definite call to come back to Bolivar to help the Rev. Pauline Mastries to assist in ministering to the people of Bolivar. She later returned to Kansas City and worked in almost every department of the church under the Rev. A.A. Wilson, where she taught a very large class of women and became Women's Ministry Director, both locally and in the Kansas City Section. Until her moving from Kansas City, she remained faithful in raising money for the needy and ministering on the phone to needy people. She often told of the old cow who stuck her head through a hole in the wall of the make-shift church and mooed as if to say, "I glorify God, too!" She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl K. Hayden, in March 1999; her parents; five sisters, Sadie, Marie, Bess, Annie and Nora; and four brothers, Cecil, Jim, Oscar and Ernest. Surviving are two brothers and their wives, H.E. "Buck" and Mildred Seiner and Cameron and Juanita Seiner, all of Bolivar. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends. Services were Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Evangel Temple Assembly of God Church in Kansas City with Pastor John Krans officiating. Music was provided by Darlene Allen and John Krans as soloists and Linda Bixler as accompanist. Graveside services were Saturday afternoon in Greenwood Cemetery with Pastor Mark Summers, the Rev. Stewart Robinson and the Rev. Pauline Mastries officiating. Musical soloists were Danny Hitchcock and John Ramirez. Burial was under the direction of Butler Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Evangel Temple Assembly of God Church, Kansas City.
Arthur Cletis Henry, 71, Humansville, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 1999, in St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City. The son of George Arthur and Pearl Taylor Henry, he was born May 10, 1928, at Stockton. A U.S. Army veteran, he served during the Korean Conflict. He had been a resident of Humansville for the past 10 years, moving from Overland Park, Kan. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, John, Ronnie and Richard. Surviving are one sister, Polly Henry, Springfield, and one brother, Robert Henry, LaHarpe, Kan. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) in Murray Chapel, Humansville, with the Rev. Martin Micke officiating. Pallbearers will be Jeff Capps, Jerry Jose, Don Besser, Roy Miller, Jeremy Capps and Billy Morgan. Interment will be in Alder Cemetery near Stockton.
Grace V. Hoffman
Grace V. Hoffman, 95, Bolivar, formerly of Polk, died at noon Tuesday, Dec. 21, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility after a short illness. She was born Feb. 28, 1904, in Eaton County, Mich., to Simeon Peter and Louella A. Battorf Wells. On Feb. 6, 1929, she was united in marriage to Hilbert Hoffman, and to this union, two children were born. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith. Surviving is her daughter, Roberta Renshaw of Bolivar. She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Marlin Hoffman; her husband, Hilbert, on Dec. 28, 1990; and two grandsons, David Douglas Renshaw on May 5, 1964, and Larry David Renshaw on Dec. 15, 1991. Services were Friday, Dec. 24, in Pitts Chapel with the Rev. Charles Hufft officiating. Burial followed in Mt. View Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ed Cahoj, Vernon Dickey, Lloyde Countryman, Denzil Roberts and Randy Clark.
Kathryn Coar Johnston
Sarah Kathryn Coar Parkman Johnston, 97, Bolivar, died Monday, Dec. 20, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility. She was born Oct. 12, 1902, in Burtonsville, Md., daughter of the late William T. and Mary E. Burton Coar. In 1922, she married George H. Parkman. In 1951 she married Thomas L. Johnston. She moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in 1966 and to Bolivar in 1988. She had been a resident of Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility since August 1996. She was a member and church organist of the Liberty Grove Methodist Church for many years and was active in many church and community services. She was founder of the Burton Family Society, Burtonsville, Md., former member of the Eastern Star and of the Descendants of Mareen Duvall Society. She retired from the David Taylor Model Basin, Navy Dept., Carderock, Md., after many years of employment. Surviving are two daughters, one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law, Lorraine Kincaid of Bolivar, Eleanor and Dick Park of Chester, Md., and Isabelle Parkman of Laurel, Md.; two grandsons, Chester Kincaid and his wife, Stacey, of Bolivar, and Richard and Becky Parkman of Laurel, Md.; 13 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two stepdaughters, Grace Gall and Lula Johnston, both of the state of Pennsylvania. She was preceded in death by her son, George Parkman; a son-in-law, William Kincaid; six grandchildren and two stepdaughters, Florence Johnston and Eleanor Slagle. Services and burial will be in the state of Maryland. Local arrangements were under the direction of Murray Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility Stroll Garden, 1218 W. Locust St., Bolivar, MO 65613.
