Laura Ross
CARTHAGE, Mo. - Laura E. Ross, 82, Carthage, died at 5:13 a.m. Monday, Jan. 13, 1997, at McCune-Brooks Hospital, Carthage, after a short illness.
Mrs. Ross was born June 3, 1914, at El Paso, Texas. She moved to Carthage from Neosho in 1951. She was co-owner of the former Carthage Auto Supply and United Automotive Distributors. She also was a homemaker. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Carthage.
She married Darrell G. Ross on May 16, 1936, at Joplin. He died June 23, 1983.
Survivors include a son, Ron Ross, Carthage; and four granddaughters.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Ulmer Funeral Home, Carthage. The Rev. Jim Lawley will officiate. Burial will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Ross Riley, Marvin Steverson, Stephen Holt, Jerry Norwood, Bud Norwood and Donald Hoagland.
Contributions may be made to the Darrell and Laura Ross Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of the funeral home.
Jim Wilks
PURDY, Mo. - James Riley "Jim" Wilks, 65, Purdy, died at 3 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997, at his home after a long illness.
Mr. Wilks was born June 12, 1931, at Pierce City. He moved to Purdy in 1979 from St. Paul, Kan. He was a retired Air Force veteran.
He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, and a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, both in Monett.
He married Dixie Hawkins on Jan. 1, 1990, at Purdy. She survives.
Additional survivors include three sons, David Wilks, Yorba Linda, Calif., Jim Wilks, Menifee, Calif., and Kenneth Wilks, Concord, Calif.; a daughter, Diane Thompson, Temecula, Calif.; one stepson, Bill Hawkins, Carthage; one stepdaughter, Tracy Hammond, Monett; two brothers, Larry Wilks, Pierce City, and Mike Wilks, Monett; and 14 grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Williamson Funeral Home, Cassville. The body will be cremated.
Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, in care of the funeral home.
Beulah Willhite dies at age 101
SHELDON, Mo. - Beulah Fern Willhite, 101, Sheldon, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997, at a Nevada nursing home after an illness.
Mrs. Willhite was born Sept. 11, 1895, at Montevallo. She attended school in Montevallo and went to Cottey College during her last two years of high school. After graduation, she was hired to teach the first four grades at Montevallo. She later moved to Deerfield, teaching for two years before moving to Sheldon to teach. She and her husband lived on a farm south of Sheldon before moving into the city in 1925.
She was a homemaker and a member of Sheldon First Christian Church, where she played the organ.
She married Tom Willhite in 1917 in Sheldon. He preceded her in death.
Two sons also preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Jerry Willhite, Tulsa, Okla.; and seven grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Sheldon First Christian Church. Burial will be in Sheldon Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. today at Beeny-Ferry Funeral Home, Sheldon.
Contributions may be made to Sheldon First Christian Church.
Eva Chase
Eva M. Shadwick Chase, 82, Joplin, died at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, 1997, at a local nursing home after a short illness.
Mrs. Chase was born Aug. 6, 1904, in the Splitlog Community, southwest of Goodman. She moved to Joplin in April 1997 from Granby. She was a homemaker and had been a dietician at Camp Crowder Army Hospital during World War II. She was a Baptist.
She married Frank E. Chase on July 9, 1941, in Goodman. He died Jan. 24, 1978.
Survivors include a son, Robert R. Lair, Goodman; two daughters, Ellen Jones, Salem, Ore., and Jo Finley, Joplin; a stepdaughter, Evelyn Carey, Portland, Ore.; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and 17 great- great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Woodard-Freund-Thompson Funeral Chapel, Neosho. George M. Frye, minister, will officiate. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, southwest of Neosho.
Contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, in care of the funeral home.
Amcelmo Ariola Jr.
CARTHAGE, Mo. - Amcelmo Ariola Jr., infant son of Amcelmo and Cecilia Macias Ariola, 709 Olive St., Carthage, died at 6:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 11, 1997, at McCune Brooks Hospital.
The infant was stillborn.
There are no additional immediate survivors.
Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Webb City. The Rev. Rickey Jones will officiate. Burial will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
Arrangements are under the direction of Knell Mortuary.
Edward Decker
WEBB CITY, Mo. - Edward M. Decker, 56, 706 N. Madison Ave., died at 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997, at his home after a long illness.
Mr. Decker was born April 29, 1940, at Milwaukee, Wis. He was a long-time Webb City resident. He served in the Army from 1963 to 1985 and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He had worked as a parts manager for General Motors at Pittsburg, Kan. He was a Lutheran.
Survivors include two sons, David Decker, of the home, and Paul Decker, Virginia Beach, Va.; a brother, Mike Decker, Lumis, Calif.; a sister, Cheryl Decker, New Berlin, Wis.; and one grandchild.
The body will be cremated.
Graveside memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
Military graveside honors will be conducted by an Army funeral detail from Fort Leonard Wood.
Arrangements are under the direction of Simpson Funeral Home, Webb City.
Beulah Fergerson
EVERTON, Mo. - Beulah Juanita Fergerson, 67, Springfield, formerly of Everton, died at 8:52 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, 1997, at St. John's Regional Health Center, Springfield, after a short illness.
Mrs. Fergerson was born July 1, 1929, at Arcola. She had moved to Everton from Springfield. She had also lived at Miller and Lockwood. She was a retired seamstress and a member of Mount Nebo Baptist Church, near Lockwood.
Surviving are two sons, Larry Mallory and John Mosher, both of Springfield; three daughters, Donna Evans, Ash Grove, and Sherry Mallory and Darla Mosher, both of Springfield; two brothers, Edward Mitchell and Butch Mitchell, both of Everton; three sisters, Bertie Still, Everton, and Maudie Paul and Edna Mitchell, both of Springfield; three grandchildren; and three great- grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home, Miller. The Rev. Bob Holman will officiate. Burial will be in Antioch Cemetery, northeast of Miller.
Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m.
