Vasile Milas
Vasile Milas, 85, Bolivar, died at 3:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000, at his home. The son of Teodor and Veronica Aciu Milas, he was born March 6, 1915, at Catalul, Romania. He married Maria Girdan in June 1939. Moving to Bolivar eight years ago from Houston, Texas, he was a member of Eben-Ezer Romanian Pentecostal Church in Springfield. A daughter, Floare, preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife, Maria, of the home; six children, Iosif Milas of Phoenix, Ariz., Corne Milas of Dallas, Texas, Eugen Milas and Lidia Molin, both of Bolivar, Estera Lazar and Silvia Jivan, both of Resita, Romania; 50 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. Services were Sunday, Dec. 17, in Murray Chapel, Bolivar, with Gheorghe Sferlea and Teodor Lasc officiating. Interment was in Slagle Cemetery, south of Bolivar.
Mary F. Miller
Mary Francis Miller, 20, Niangua, died Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, in a traffic accident near Bolivar. She was a student at Southwest Baptist University and a player on the women's basketball team. Survivors include her parents, Bobby Joe and Sandy Miller of Niangua; a brother, Brian Miller and his wife, Ericka, of Bell, Calif.; a sister, D.J. Doss and her husband, Aaron, of Willard; a nephew, Albert Bueno; her maternal grandparents, Leo and Thelma Wright of Springfield; her paternal grandparents, W.J. and Loretta Miller of Niangua; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Services will be at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) in Phillipsburg Christian Church, Phillipsburg, with burial following in the Happy Home Cemetery, Conway. Arrangements are under the direction of Day Funeral Home, Marshfield. Memorial contributions may be made to the SBU Booster Club 6th Man or the Phillipsburg Christian Church.
Wanda J. Mullings
Wanda J. Mullings, 74, Humansville, died at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2000, in Lebanon after a brief illness. She was born June 30, 1926, north of Half Way, the youngest of eight children born to A.C. "Crit" and Eva Jane Ashlock Locke. After finishing school at Half Way, she moved to Bolivar and worked as a telephone operator for a while with the Bolivar Telephone Company. On Aug. 20, 1961, she was united in marriage to Roscoe Mullings, and they lived in Brighton. To this union three sons were born, Dean, Gary and Roscoe. At the time of her passing, she was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Bolivar. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roscoe, on Jan. 4, 1982; her parents; five brothers, Olen, Herbert, Fred, Francis and Wilbur; and one sister, Esther May West. She is survived by her three sons, James Dean Mullings of Half Way, Gary Lynn Mullings of Brighton and Ronnie Gene Mullings of Lebanon; two grandchildren, Samantha Marie Mullings and Zachary Lynn Mullings; one sister, Mildred Gottesburen of Kansas City, Kan.; a brother-in-law and his wife, Kenneth and Hannah Mullings of Brighton; two sisters-in-law, Fern Bryant and her husband, Carl, of Springfield and Janie Locke of the state of Oregon; several nieces and nephews and a special friend, Arlene Lear of Humansville. Services will be at 10 a.m. today (Wednesday) in Butler Chapel with Bro. Robert Harris and Bro. C.J. Greer officiating. Casketbearers will be Carl Locke, Dayle Locke, Deryll Locke, James Clay, Harley Ashlock and Derrell Ashlock. Honorary casketbearers will be Steve Sergent and Mike Sergent. Burial will be in Brighton Cemetery.
VIOLET L. NICKEL
Violet Leola Nickel, 86, Bolivar, died Friday, Dec. 22, 2000, in Parkview Healthcare Facility. She was born June 23, 1914, in Gove County, Kan., the oldest of seven children born to Claude and Eva Wakeland Robinson. Her parents, three husbands, two brothers and a sister preceded her in death. She spent the last 25 years before her retirement at the age of 79 as a cook for Gene's Restaurant in Buffalo. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Alma and Jack Jewell of Scott City, Kan., and Sheri and Robert Hale of Bolivar; six grandchildren, Cindy and Shawn Barnes, Dodge City, Kan., David Jewell, Wichita, Kan., Diana Lonzano, Garden City, Kan., Linda Kernohan, Conroe, Texas, Adam Hale and Maggie Whitenight, Bolivar and Amber Hale and Terry Cline, Bolivar; eight great-grandchildren, Dawn, Sage and Israel Barnes, Mandy Jewell, Rebecca and Naomi Lozano, Kendall Kernohan and Beau Hale; two sisters, Vada Messenger and her husband, Harry, of Republic and Virginia Robbins of Scott City, Kan.; and a brother and sister-in-law, Virgil and Evie Robinson of Cape Girardeau. Services were Sunday, Dec. 24, in Murray Chapel, Bolivar, with the Rev. Dan Adkison officiating. Pallbearers were Adam Hale, Robert Marshall, Gary Erwin, Don Richardson, Jeff Messenger and Steve Messenger. Interment was in Lindley Cemetery north of Buffalo. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lindley Christian Church, Buffalo.
Bryon A. Phillips
Bryon Anthony Phillips, 27, Bolivar, died Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, at Cox Medical Center South, Springfield, as a result of a traffic accident. He was born Sept. 21, 1973, at Dexter, the son of Larry Loyd and Wanda Teel Phillips. He was a student at Southwest Baptist University and was of the Assembly of God faith. He had coached junior high basketball in Dongolia, Ill., and had served in the U.S. Army. On April 13, 1998, he was united in marriage to Leslie Lee at Paragould, Ark., and she survives of the home. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother and stepfather, Wanda and Ivan Truax of Bernie; a brother and five sisters, Larry Phillips, LaConda Anthony, Shelia Jackson and Mary Beth Frazier, all of Bernie, and Sandra Bostic and Juanita Bacon, both of Bloomfield; and his maternal grandmother, Mirtie Huddleston of Dexter. He was preceded in death by his father. Services will be at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday) at the Rainey Funeral Home in Bernie with the Rev. Ray Rowland officiating. Interment will follow in the Bernie Cemetery.
William C. Redderson
William Calvin Redderson, 72, Half Way, died Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, in Parkview Health Care Facility. He was born Dec. 17, 1927, in Compton, Calif., to John and Eddys Compton Redderson. He was a U.S. Army World War II veteran and an electrical engineer for the aerospace industry. He was united in marriage to Edna Potter Redderson. Survivors include his two daughters, Judy Frazier of Arcadia, Calif., and Lessley Knartzer of Whittier, Calif.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Edna. Graveside services were Monday, Dec. 4, in the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Urbana, with the Rev. Pete Davidson officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Opal Lee Roberts
Opal Lee Roberts, 90, Bolivar, died at 7:35 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2000, at the Colonial Springs Health Care Center in Buffalo. She was born on Jan. 1, 1910, the daughter of Zoe and Ulous Hutcheson. She was a lifelong resident of Polk County and Bolivar, where she worked for many years as a hairdresser with her sister, Cleo. She was a loving mother and grandmother with a strong work ethic that kept her active for most of her 90 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luther, to whom she was married for 54 years; two sisters, Cleo Tillery and Pansy Ficklin; and a brother, Davis Hutcheson. She was saved at an early age at Mt. Olive Baptist Church and was active in the children's department at the First Baptist Church in Bolivar, where she received recognition for 40 years of service. Opal is survived by her two sons and their wives, Bob and Norma Roberts of Bolivar and Joe and Rosemary Roberts of Springfield; six grandchildren, Rory, Eric, Norman, Jeff, Matt and Mary; and eight great-grandchildren. Services were Saturday, Dec. 23, in Butler Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Joe Rouse and the Rev. Ray Leininger officiating. Musical soloist was Peggy Gilmore with Rose Roseton as the pianist. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery. Casketbearers were Rory Roberts, Norman Roberts, Jeff Roberts, Eric Roberts, Matt Roberts and David Tillery.
Barbara Ann Salas
Barbara Ann Salas, 62, Fair Play, died at 1:04 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She was born Feb. 4, 1938, in Granite City, Ill., the daughter of Richard Laverne and Virginia Grace Wilkinson Foley. She is survived by her husband, Thomas V. Salas of the home; three daughters, Tina Eth of Fair Play, Gayle Ann Morris of Pontoon Beach, Fla., and Lori Grizzard of Bullock, Ga.; one son, Tim Chappell of Fair Play; her mother, Grace Foley of Orlando, Fla.; three brothers, Ricky Foley of Peoria, Ill., Bobby Foley of Glen Carbon, Ill., and Roy Foley of Shawnee, Kan.; and nine grandchildren. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, in Butler Chapel with Father Pat Wissman officiating.
Frances M. Shaw
Frances M. Shaw, 87, Humansville, died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar. The daughter of Robert Rhea and Addie Pierce Ream, she was born Jan. 4, 1913, in Henry County. She moved to the Humansville area in 1931, where she resided the rest of her life. On Aug. 22, 1935, she married Theodore Merrill Shaw, and they were the parents of two daughters, Miriam and Mary. A member of the Humansville Christian Church, she was also a member of the Kensington Club and a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore; two brothers, Robert Ream and John Henry Ream; and her parents. Survivors include her daughters and their husbands, Mary and Freddie A. Martin, Humansville, and Miriam and Dr. Don J. Thompson, Leawood, Kan.; four grandchildren, Dana Ester, David Martin, Jeffrey Thompson and Douglas Thompson; six great-grandchildren; and a sister, Lois Hipsher of Humansville. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 30, in Murray Chapel, Humansville, with the Rev. Bill Vernon and the Rev. Frank Cousin officiating. Pallbearers will be David Martin, Mark Ester, Jeffrey Thompson, Douglas Thompson, Mitchell McNeely and Kenneth Morrison. Interment will be in Humansville Cemetery.
MARLYN RAY SHULER
Marlyn Ray Shuler, 65, Bolivar, died Saturday, Dec. 9, 2000, in Parkview Healthcare Facility. He was born to Roy and Mittie Shuler July 9, 1935, in Jerico Springs. On April 24, 1954, he married Marilyn Gee. He was raised in Polk and Cedar counties. He spent most of his professional career as the Director of Operations for Social Security in Kansas City and made his home in Independence. Following his retirement in 1988, he returned to Polk County and founded Shuler and Associates Land Surveyors in Bolivar. He was a member of the Bolivar Church of Christ and Missouri Association of Registered Land Surveyors. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, of the home; his children, Michael and Trina Shuler and Mark Shuler, all of Bolivar; his granddaughter, Mari Lynn Shuler; his brother, Roy Wayne Shuler of Springfield; and his sister, Emogene Corum of Willard. Services were Monday, Dec. 11, in Murray Chapel, Bolivar, with Denis R. Smith and Bill Bob Kallenbach officiating. Pallbearers were Jim Corum, Larry Corum, Tom Olivas, Charles Francis, Randy Ankrom and Fred Lower. Interment was in Greenwood Cemetery.
William J. McDermott Sr.
William Joseph "Bill" McDermott Sr., 82, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, in Sheldon. He was born Sept. 14, 1918, in Polk County to Michael John and Ellen Reilly McDermott. He was raised in Polk County and lived most of his life here. He had lived in Sheldon the past three and a half years. Surviving are his children, Eleanor Willson of Nevada, Betsey Medearis of Sahuarita, Ariz., Regina Sewell of rural Sheldon, Bill McDermott Jr. of Sheldon and Patricia Olson of Plymouth, Wis. Also surviving are children from a second marriage, JoAnn Adams and John McDermott, both of Nevada, Linda Gammon of Sheldon and Norma Smith of Excelsior Springs; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by six sisters and one brother. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 29, in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery, Bolivar, under the direction of Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.
