Charles Stephens
Charles A. Stephens, 92, 1130 Jackson Ave., died at 1 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997, at his home after a six-month illness.
Mr. Stephens was born Aug. 30, 1904, in Joplin. He was a lifelong local resident. He worked for Jackson Drug Co. He later worked for 30 years at Myers Motor Co. and for 40 years at Pennington Drug Co. He retired Jan. 1, 1994.
He married Rebecca Jayne Babb on May 5, 1981, at Miami, Okla. She survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Christopher Wayne Babb, of the home; two daughters, Sheba Anne Stephens and Myrna Edwards, both of Joplin; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Parker Mortuary. The Rev. J.K. Wright will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Sam Ratzlaff, Steve Molitor, Howard Thomason, Clarence Scheurick, Chris Sutton and Bill Huddleston.
Jess Alexander
CARTHAGE, Mo. - Jess Q. Alexander, 83, Carthage, died at 2:45 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 1997, at his home after a short illness.
Mr. Alexander was born April 25, 1913, at Red Oak. He had lived most of his life in the Carthage area. He worked for Sperry-Vickers in Joplin before he retired.
He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Carthage.
He married Ollene Gilbreath on Feb. 19, 1944, in Carthage. She survives.
Additional survivors include a brother, John Alexander, Lee's Summit; and a sister, Cuma Baker, Lee's Summit.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Ulmer Funeral Home. The Rev. Byron Gilbreath and the Rev. Jim Lawley will officiate. Burial will be in Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, Carthage, in care of the funeral home.
Wallace Barrett
SARCOXIE, Mo. - Wallace C. Barrett, 85, Sarcoxie, died at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, after a short illness.
Mr. Barrett was born Feb. 17, 1911, at Billings. He moved to Sarcoxie in 1985 from Paris, Mo. He was a farmer and a member of Billings Christian Church.
He married Thelma Marie Jones on May 21, 1951. She died May 30, 1994.
Survivors include three daughters, Peggy Greer and Dorothy Bishop, both of Springfield, and Beverly Dunkle, Sarcoxie; 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Housh Funeral Home, Sarcoxie.
Shorty Edwards
SENECA, Mo. - Forrest C. "Shorty" Edwards, 85, 3658 Highway DD, died at 6:25 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, after an illness.
Mr. Edwards was born April 26, 1912, at Pleasant Hill. He moved to the Seneca area in 1925. He worked for Bowler Plumbing and Neosho Nurseries, both of Neosho. He was a retired farmer.
He married Agnes Murray on July 13, 1935, near Neosho. She survives.
Survivors include a son, Larry Edwards, Goodman; two daughters, Daisy Allen, Neosho, and Barbara Briley, Seneca; a sister, Marie Tucker, Vero Beach, Fla.; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Swars Prairie Baptist Church, south of Seneca. The Rev. James Shope will officiate. Burial will be in Swars Prairie Baptist Cemetery, south of Seneca.
Pallbearers will be Max Chester, Donald Chester, Jerry Chester, Martin Mather, Norman Drake and Donald Boyer.
The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today at Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca.
Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Margaret Gismondi
MONETT, Mo. - Margaret Gismondi, 70, Monett, died at 3:50 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 1997, at Cox Medical Center South, Springfield, after a long illness.
Mrs. Gismondi was born Oct. 30, 1926, at Brooklyn, N.Y. She moved to Monett in 1993 from California. She was a homemaker and had retired as a telephone operator in California. She was a Catholic and a volunteer with the Aids Foundation.
Survivors include two sons, Jay Redhawk, state of Minnesota, and Richard Gismondi, San Diego, Calif.; a daughter, Regina, whose last name and address were unavailable; two brothers, Gerald "Jerry" Chartier, Long Island, N.Y., and James Chartier, Hurst, Texas; two sisters, Geraldine Dinkin, state of New Jersey, and Moroline Perri, New York, N.Y.; a half brother, Jack Chartier, New York; and a half sister, Estelle Chartier, New York.
The body has been cremated. No services are planned.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home, Monett.
Tony Godek
CARTHAGE, Mo. - Anthony "Tony" J. Godek, 72, Carthage route 4, died at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 1997, at his home after a sudden illness.
Mr. Godek was born May 12, 1924, at Plymouth, Pa. He moved to Carthage in 1986 from Attleboro, Mass. He was owner and operator of R.T.M. Manufacturing Co. at Attleboro. He retired in 1986.
He was a Catholic and a Navy veteran of World War II.
He married Betty Bell on April 27, 1946, in Attleboro. She survives.
Additional survivors include three daughters, Sharon Davidson, Speer, Ill., Carol Brown and Sandra DeCasta, both of Taunton, Mass.; a son, David Godek, Carthage route 4; three brothers, Larry Godek, Lincoln, R.I., Walter Godek, state of Florida, and Charles Godek, state of Hawaii; a sister, Angela Chambers, Taunton, Mass.; and eight grandchildren.
The body will be cremated.
Memorial services will be at a later date at Attleboro, Mass.
Arrangements are under the direction of Knell Mortuary.
Homer Lay
NEOSHO, Mo. - Homer Franklin Lay, 81, 18622 Norway Road, died at 3:05 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997, at his home after one year of ill health.
Mr. Lay was born May 11, 1915, at Saginaw. He was a lifetime area resident. He was a self-employed tow bar driver for 26 years and had been a truck driver for the Newton County Road District for 12 years.
He was a member of Sweetwater Baptist Church, east of Neosho.
His wife, Ruth Marie Boyer, died Dec. 11, 1989.
Survivors include a son, Harrell Lay, Neosho; a daughter, Mona Taylor, Carthage; a brother, Elmer Lay, Neosho; and four grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at IOOF Cemetery, Neosho. Bill Whitfield, pastor, will officiate.
Pallbearers will be Margaret McMillin, Jim McMillin, Jim Lay, Bill Brock, Lee Brock and Joe Boyer.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Clark Funeral Home, Neosho.
