Jack Longenecker
Jack E. Longenecker, a former Joplin resident, died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997 at his home in Pauma Valley, Calif. He also had a residence in Prairie Village, Kan.
He was born Oct. 24, 1918 in Joplin and attended Joplin High School and the University of Missouri at Columbia, where he received a degree in economics in May 1942.
He was a captain in the Army Air Corps and served with the 100th Bombardment Group in England during World War II.
After the war, he became a certified public accountant and joined the accounting firm of Baird, Kurtz & Dobson. He started his accounting career in Joplin in 1945 and transferred to Kansas City in 1957. He retired as a partner in 1983.
He was a member of Kansas City Rotary Club and Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, was a past president of the University Club of Kansas City, was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and was past president of the Southwest Missouri Society of CPAs.
He was a member of the Mission Hills (Kan.) Country Club and the Pauma Valley (Calif.) Country Club.
He is survived by his wife, Jan Longenecker; two sons, Bruce Longenecker, Dallas, Texas, and Kent Longenecker, Hutchinson, Kan.; a daughter, Betsy Longenecker, Grand Junction, Colo.; a brother, Carl Longenecker Jr., Joplin, and seven grandchildren.
An interment service is to be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Pauma Valley. A memorial service is to held at a date to be announced at St. Michael's and All Angels Episcopal Church, Mission, Kan.
The family requests no flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City.
Arrangements are under direction of Neptune Society, El Cajon, Calif.
Lavada Power
Lavada Marie Power, 71, 1620 Broadway, died at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at Freeman Hospital East after an illness.
Mrs. Power was born Sept. 10, 1925, in Douthit, Okla. She moved to Joplin in 1986 from Hockerville, Okla. She was a homemaker and a member of Ottawa County Emergency Helpers, where she used the CB handle "Molly Brown."
She married Tommy R. Power on Feb. 12, 1942, in Miami, Okla. He died Sept. 26, 1983.
Survivors include a son, Larry Power, Tulsa, Okla.; two daughters, Laveta Ann Williams and Mary McCarty, both of Quapaw, Okla.; three brothers, Bobby Lee Wood and Larry Gene Wood, both of Picher, Okla., and Garland "Bud" Wood, Commerce, Okla.; a sister, Betty Jo Little, Columbus, Kan.; 14 grandchildren; and several great grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Paul Thomas Funeral Home, Picher, Okla. The Rev. Clifford Redden will officiate. Burial will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
Pallbearers will be Donald Routledge, Robert Walker, David Youngblood, Paul Morris, Mark Morris and Darrell Morris.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Jim Stephens
Dr. James E. Stephens, 74, 3622 Indiana Ave., died at 3:45 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center after an 18-month illness.
Mr. Stephens was born Sept. 27, 1922, in Joplin, where he was a lifetime resident. He was graduated in 1940 from Joplin High School and, in 1948, was graduated from the former Joplin Junior College, now Missouri Southern State College. He received his medical training at the former Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery.
He practiced medicine in Joplin for 32 years. He was on staff at the former Oak Hill Hospital and, in 1973, was the first osteopathic physician invited to be on staff at St. John's Regional Medical Center, where he retired in June 1984.
In his early life he worked at the former Crown Coach Co. He was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II and served in the European Theater as a corporal. He received six bronze stars.
He was a Methodist. He was named Alumnus of the Year in 1975 by Missouri Southern State College. Recently, Freeman Hospital named its psychiatric unit, The Stephens Unit, in his honor. He was a founding board member of Ozark Center. He also served on the Joplin Board of Health and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
He married Jerry Agnes Sain on June 19, 1942, in Joplin. She died March 12, 1955.
He married Martha "Marty" Tucker on June 6, 1957, in Joplin. She survives.
Additional survivors include two sons, James Jeffery Stephens, Independence, and J. Perry Stephens, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; two daughters, Julie Ann Stephens, Fairfield, Iowa, and Penny Lynn Collins, Joplin; five grandchildren; and two stepgrandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Parker Mortuary.
Contributions may be made to the Mercy Regional Health Foundation at St. John's Regional Medical Center, or to the Missouri Southern Foundation at Missouri Southern State College.
Frances Brown
CARTHAGE, Mo. - Frances P. Brown, 73, Carthage, died at 7:39 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at her home after a short illness.
Mrs. Brown was born May 19, 1923, in Carthage, where she was a lifetime resident and homemaker. She was a member of Bible Baptist Church in Carthage and Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, Chapter No. 52, in Joplin.
She married George E. Brown Jr. on June 1, 1946, in Columbus, Kan. He died Oct. 3, 1995.
Survivors include two sons, Stephen W. Brown, Joplin, and David B. Brown, Nevada; four daughters, Georgeann Powell, Wichita, Kan., Debarah Harris, Sherman and Frances Cervantes, both of Sherman, Texas, and Sheila Lee, Sarcoxie; a sister, Laurabeth Martin, Oronogo; 14 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ulmer Funeral Home in Carthage. The Rev. John Martin and The Rev. Bill Whitfield will officiate. Burial will be in Park Cemetery, Carthage.
Visitation will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to Bible Baptist Church, in care of the funeral home.
Ila Gathman
LAMAR, Mo. - Ila R. Gathman, 88, Lamar, died at 2 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997 at her home after a lingering illness.
She was born Feb. 28, 1908 in Paola, Kan. She had lived in Barton County 62 years. She married Loyd F. Gathman on Jan. 24, 1935 in Girard, Kan. He died Feb. 16, 1986.
Mrs. Gathman was a retired mathematics teacher at Lamar High School. She was a member of Lamar United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women's Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Literary Club, and Home and Garden Club.
Survivors include a son, Loyd W. Gathman, Thorne Bay, Alaska; two daughters, Susan Morgan, Annville, Pa., and Linda G. Fritsch, Abingdon, Va.; three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Lamar United Methodist Church with the Rev. Clif Crockett officiating. Burial will be in Lake Cemetery under the direction of Daniel Funeral Home of Lamar.
Contributions may be made to Lamar United Methodist Church.
Anna Rice
IRWIN, Mo. - Anna Marie Wills Rice, Irwin, died at 2:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at Barton County Memorial Hospital, Lamar, after a long illness.
Mrs. Rice was born May 29, 1914, in Dallas, Texas. She moved to Irwin in 1976 from Adrian. She was a homemaker and attended Irwin Community Church.
She married Verl G. Wills on Feb. 2, 1935. He died Nov. 20, 1974.
She married Evert Rice on June 9, 1976. He survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Robert Wills, Springfield; a daughter, Judy Hurt, Girard, Kan.; two stepsons, Clifford Rice, Kemmerer, Wyo., and Roy Rice, Tulsa, Okla.; a stepdaughter, Betty Purinton, Lamar; a brother, James Gammon, San Francisco, Calif.; two granddaughters; two grandsons; four step-grandsons; seven step-granddaughters; five great-grandchildren; and five great-step-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lohmeyer-Konantz Funeral Home, Lamar. Doug Oakes, minister, will officiate.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Pembina Cemetery, near Ozark.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, or donor's choice, in care of the funeral home.
Harold Starbuck
NEVADA, Mo. - Charles "Harold" Starbuck, 72, Nevada, died at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997, at Barone Alzheimer's Care Center, Nevada.
He was born Oct. 12, 1924 in Saffordville, Kan. He moved to Missouri as a child.
He married Fern B. Green on Aug. 23, 1950. She survives.
He lived much of his life in Vernon County. He had worked at the state hospital at Nevada and later at Stocker's gas station in Nevada. He was one of the original employees of Crane Plumbing, Nevada, where he retired because of ill health when he was 60.
Survivors include five sons, Richard Starbuck, Nevada; Clayton Starbuck, and Douglas Starbuck, all of Nevada; David Starbuck, Baird, Texas, and Gary Starbuck, Sheldon; three daughters, Juanita Farmer and Kristi Cox, both of Nevada, and Sharon Seymour, Carthage; a brother, William Jack Starbuck, state of California; a sister, Elsie Ray, Thedalles, Ore.; 26 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Milster Funeral Home, Nevada, with Rev. Loren Fox officiating. Burial will be in Sheldon Cemetery, Sheldon.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. today until the service time at the funeral home. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Barone Alzheimer's Care Center in care of the funeral home.
