Benjamin Welch
Benjamin Scott Welch, infant, Bolivar, died Friday, May 19, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include his parents, Scott and Jennifer Patrick Welch of Bolivar; two sisters, Allyson and Emily Welch of the home; his grandparents, Jack Patrick of Pleasant Hill, Larry and Debbie Blazer of Bolivar and Leroy and Joyce Welch of Columbia; and his great-grandparents, William and Dorothy Jump of Bolivar, Flossie Perry of Holt, Mich., and Georgia Lambert of Kansas City.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother, June Patrick, and two aunts, Tracy Patrick and Kimberly Ann Powell.
Graveside services were Monday, May 22, in Greenwood Cemetery with Pastor George Pettey officiating.
Pallbearers were Billy Patrick and James Martino.
Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Charles R. Williams
Charles Robert "Buck" Williams, 74, Humansville, died Saturday, May 27, 2000, in Springfield Residential and Skilled Care Center, Springfield.
He was born July 9, 1926.
A veteran of World War II, he had been employed by Lowe Oil Co., Clinton.
Survivors include a son, Charles, of Bolivar and special friends Jeannie and Tim Lee of Humansville.
Following cremation, a graveside service will be held at Humansville Cemetery with military rites conducted by Amvets Post No. 114.
Arrangements are under the direction of Murray Funeral Home, Humansville.
Virginia Woodmansee
Dorsey Virginia Woodmansee, 78, Bolivar, died Wednesday, May 24, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital.
She was born July 15, 1921, in Morrisville, the daughter of Ralph and Lucy Mitchell Boyd.
She was united in marriage to Clark W. Woodmansee on Dec. 1, 1939, and to this union, six children were born.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Robert R. Woodmansee and Billy D. Woodmansee.
Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Clark W. Woodmansee of Bolivar; two sons and their wives, Roger and Darlene Woodmansee of Pleasant Hope and James and Barbara Woodmansee of Dunnegan; two daughters, Jeanie Maggard and her husband, Kenny, of Hermitage and Jody McNerney of Pleasant Hope; one sister, Zelma Becker of Nixa; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services were Saturday, May 27, in Butler Chapel with the Rev. Harold Hendirckson officiating.
Casketbearers were Duane Maggard, Jeff Maggard, Danny Woodmansee, Jason Woodmansee, Justin Woodmansee, Dustin McNerney and Tom Carter.
Honorary casketbearers were Melissa Carter, Cindy Woodmansee, Robin Woodmansee, Amanda Woodmansee and Jamey Woodmansee.
Burial was in New Bethel Cemetery, Half Way.
Ezenith A. Dodd
Ezenith Ann Dodd, 94, Morrisville, died at 3:09 a.m. Sunday, June 11, 2000, in Cox Walnut Lawn Hospital, Springfield, following a short illness. She was born to Alexander and Ora Sell White in Morrisville on Jan. 12, 1906. She taught school in the Marion C. Early district, retiring after 30 years of service. She was a past matron and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star of Bolivar, Garden Club of Morrisville, the Veterans of WWI and a member of the United Methodist Church in Morrisville. She was a graduate of Southwest Missouri State University and a member of the Royal Neighbors of America at Fair Play for more than 75 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Denver Dodd; a brother, Benjamin White; four sisters, Gertrude Blakley, Sallie Roman, Flora Fender and Maxine Johnston; and three nephews, Benny, Bill White and Bob Fender. She is survived by her two sons, Tom Dodd and Jerry Dodd, both of Morrisville; two nephews, Bill Lemmon, Springfield, and Revis White, San Francisco, Calif.; two nieces, Barbara Hulme, Falls Church, Va., and Willa Dixon, Springfield. Services will be at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday) in the Morrisville United Methodist Church with the Rev. Lon Killingsworth officiating. Burial will follow in the Oakville Cemetery west of Morrisville. Arrangements are under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Anna A. Gill
Anna A. Gill, 92, Granbury, Texas, died at 7:16 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2000, in Granbury Villa after a lingering illness. She was born Nov. 2, 1907, in Chestnut Ridge, the daughter of Samuel S. and Rosetta Stewart Grotz. She was a longtime resident of Polk County before moving to Granbury, Texas, to be with her daughter and son-in-law. She was a member of the Fair Play Assembly of God Church and was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lonnie J. Gill, in 1981; and an infant son, Dennis Gill, in 1950. Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Leon Townsend of Granbury, Texas; a sister, Leona Cline of Cheyenne, Wyo.; a brother, Carl Grotz of Yuma, Ariz.; four grandchildren, Frost Townsend of Irving, Texas, Jeff Townsend of Springfield, Marsha Horn of Rockwall, Texas, and Arleeta Greany of Marble Falls, Texas; seven great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 1, in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Lyle Shaulis officiating. Musical selections will be by Randy and Connie Matheny, singing "Because He Lives" and "Serenaded by Angels." Burial will be in the Crestview Memorial Gardens Cemetery east of Bolivar. Casketbearers will be Frost Townsend, Jeff Townsend, Dennis Grotz, Terry Horn, Don Jenkins, Fred Greany, Roy McNeely and Chester Hale. The family will have visitation from 9:30 a.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home.
Morris L. Holder
Morris Lane Holder, 88, Dunnegan, died Wednesday, June 14, 2000, at his home. The son of Charlie and Ella Haley Holder, he was born March 2, 1912, at Barnard, Kan. He had lived on a farm north of Dunnegan since 1974. HIs wife, Leta, preceded him in death May 23, 1985. Survivors include his brother and sister-in-law, Sherman and Nora Holder of Mound City. Graveside services were Friday, June 16, in Dunnegan Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Murray Funeral Home, Humansville.
Jim Howell
James "Jim" Howell, 81, Bolivar, died at 3:45 a.m. Thursday, June 1, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility following a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Wilma Howell, of the home; a stepson, Charles Cross, state of Arkansas; two stepdaughters, Felicia Ellis of Shell City and Robin Sawyer of Fair Play; a brother, Gene Howell of Springfield; a sister, Essie Black of Morrisville; a granddaughter, Rhonda Mann, and a great-granddaughter, Tabitha Mann, both of the state of Texas; and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, James Alan Howell, in 1994; a brother, a sister and a grandson. The body will be cremated, and private interment will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Fern Jarman
Fern Jarman, 71, Bolivar, died at 10:10 a.m. Thursday, June 29, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital after a lingering illness. She was born Feb. 14, 1929, in Fair Play, the daughter of Henry Stephenson and Lillie Mae Bell Manning. She attended Fox School in Fair Play and worked at Mac's Cafe as a teen. She was united in marriage to Lester T. Jarman on Feb. 19, 1949, and they were married for 51 years. They moved to Garden Plains, Kan., in 1950, where she worked for Star Boat in Goddard, Kan. They lived for a while in San Diego, Calif., later retiring to the farm near Bolivar in 1987. Surviving are her husband, Lester T. Jarman, of the home; her four children, Terry Kelsall of Bolivar, Beverly Staple of Sacramento, Calif., Connie VanNice of Half Way and Larry Jarman of Humansville; two sisters, Lea Tirey of Half Way and Lois Atkins of Independence; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services were Monday, July 3, in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Harold Hendrickson officiating. Musical selections were "Go Rest High on That Mountain" and "Wind Beneath My Wings." Burial was in the Goff Cemetery northwest of Half Way. Casketbearers were Bill Kahler, Jeff Kahler, Gary Atkins, Rick Atkins, David Allen and Jeremiah Jarman. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in care of Butler Funeral Home, P.O. Box 11, Bolivar, MO 65613.
Martha M. Kramer
Martha May Kennard Kramer, 101, Flemington, died Friday, June 9, 2000, at her daughter's home. She was born Oct. 14, 1898, at Cross Timbers, the daughter of Richard Burrus and Emma Mae Miller Kennard. The family moved to Kansas City and later to the Garnett, Kan., area. She lived in Kansas for several years before moving to Elkton in 1969. She was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers, four sisters, a son, Richard Kramer, and her husband, Charlie Kramer, on Dec. 9, 1956. Survivors include one daughter, Clara Green, and her husband, Cecil, of Elkton; seven sons, Floyd Kramer and his wife, Dorothy, of Neosho Rapids, Kan., Eugene Kramer and his wife, Lorraine, of Osawatomie, Kan., Willis Kramer and his wife, Ethel, of Quenemo, Kan., Charles Kramer and his wife, Betty, of Olathe, Kan., Perry Kramer of Olathe, Kan., John Kramer and his wife, Cherrie, of Paola, Kan., and Glenn Kramer and his wife, Bertha of Lawson; a daughter-in-law, Marian Kramer of Foster City, Calif.; two sisters-in-law, Alta Kennard of Garnett, Kan., and Ethel Kennard of Wanatchee, Wash.; 31 grandchildren, 61 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren. Services were Tuesday, June 13, at Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel, Garnett, Kan., with burial following in Melvern Cemetery, Melvern, Kan.
Orvil Moffitt
Orvil Moffitt, 97, Lowry City, formerly of Clinton, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at Truman Lake Manor in Lowry City. He was born Aug. 19, 1902, in Bolivar, the son of Francis and Nannie Brooks Moffitt. He married Bertie Ragsdale in 1929; she preceded him in death in 1991. They moved from Bolivar to Clinton in 1942. He was a member of the New Hope Baptist Church. Also preceding him in death were his parents; two sisters, Maggie Nelson and Lela Pritchard; and two brothers, Kenneth Moffitt and Earl Moffitt. Survivors include three daughters, Jeanne Fantz and her husband, Ross, of Warrensburg, Berna Dene Smith and Janice I. Entrop and her husband, Harold, all of Clinton; a brother, Carl Moffitt of Hinton, Okla.; eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Services were Friday, June 23, at the Consalus Funeral Chapel, Clinton. Burial was in Englewood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope Baptist Church in care of the funeral home.
Gertrud Murk
Gertrud Murk, 86, Franklin Park, Ill., died Monday, June 19, 2000, in St. John's Regional Health Center from smoke inhalation as the result of a house fire. She was born June 3, 1914, in the country of Estonia. She lived in Franklin Park, Ill., but made the Brighton area her summer home for several years. She is survived by one daughter, Helen Cornio of Brighton; one son, Mati Murk of Springfield; and four grandchildren. Services were Saturday, June 24, in Butler Chapel. Inurnment will be at a later date in Illinois.
