Vada Spencer
Vada Spencer, 88, Joplin, died at 10:40 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997, at a local nursing home after three months of ill health.
Mrs. Spencer was born Feb. 18, 1908, in Lebanon and had lived in Joplin most of her life. She worked at the former Silver Castle Cafe, which was located at Eighth and Main streets. She was a homemaker and a member of First Gospel Workers Church.
She married Louis Spencer on March 12, 1928, Joplin. He died Oct. 11, 1983.
She is survived by a daughter, Rosalie Hammond, Kansas City, Kan.; two sons, Wayne Spencer, 612 McKinley Ave., and Billy Spencer, Kailua Kona, Hawaii; a sister, Marie Cotton, Joplin; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Parker Mortuary. The Rev. Phil Erwin will officiate. Burial will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be John Pippin, Jack Phillips, Scott Wilson, Vic McEachron, Eddie King and Ryan Keltner.
The family will be at the home of the son after the services.
Dewey Casey
EVERTON, Mo. - Dewey Casey, 98, Springfield, a former Dade County resident, died at 3:55 a.m. Friday, Jan. 17, 1997, at a nursing home in Springfield after an illness.
Mr. Casey was born Sept. 28, 1898, in Dade County. He was a retired farmer. He was a member of Fairview Baptist Church, near Everton, and Washington Masonic Lodge No. 87, AF&AM;, Greenfield.
He married Olive M. Bell on March 8, 1924, at Lamar. She died April 21, 1989.
Survivors include three sons, James Casey, Tulsa, Okla., William Casey, Springfield, and Clarence Casey, Kansas City; a daughter, Irene Climer, Springfield; nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Greenfield (Mo.) Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Hampton Cemetery, north of Everton.
Masonic services will be conducted by Washington Masonic Lodge No. 87, AF&AM, Greenfield.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral chapel.
Contributions may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Dorothy Goodman
GOODMAN, Mo. - Dorothy E. Goodman, 78, Goodman, died at 6:55 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997, at Freeman Neosho Hospital, Neosho, after an illness.
Mrs. Goodman was born April 20, 1918, at Moorefield, Neb. She moved to Goodman in 1989. She graduated from Moorefield High School at Culbertson, Neb., and was as 1936 graduate of the Nebraska School of Agriculture, Curtis. She taught school in Lincoln County, Neb., rural schools.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Goodman.
She married Burr Murray on April 19, 1942. He died in October 1982. She later married Naurice B. Goodman, who died June 1, 1989.
Survivors include two sons, Steve Murray, Neosho, and James Murray, Goodman; two daughters, Kathryn Reed and Eileen Dell, both of Neosho; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The body will be cremated.
Graveside services and burial will be at a later date at Howard Cemetery, Goodman.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ozark Funeral Home, Goodman.
Carrie Ratekin
NEOSHO, Mo. - Carrie Alice Flood Ratekin, 84, Neosho, died at 10:50 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997, at St. John's Medical Center, Joplin, after a long illness.
She was born Jan. 22, 1912, in Pawnee City, Neb. She moved to Neosho in 1955 from Angelo, Ind. She moved to San Antonio, Texas, in 1993 from Neosho and returned here in May 1996.
She was a homemaker. Mrs. Ratekin was a member of the Neosho United Methodist Church.
She married Howard L. Ratekin on Nov. 3, 1931, in Omaha, Neb. He died Feb. 28, 1993.
She is survived by a daughter, Clarice Ritthaler, Kansas City; a son, James Matthew Ratekin, Neosho; two sisters, Merna Wright, Manhattan, Kan., and Nadine Sanders, Strafford, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
A grandchild preceded her in death.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Lincoln, Neb. The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday at Clark Funeral Home, Neosho.
Friends may call from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. Monday until the service time at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Shriners Crippled Children's Fund in care of the funeral home.
Lovell Glen Rider
MOUNDVILLE, Mo. - Lovell Glen Rider, 68, Moundville, died at 6:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 17, 1997, at a Nevada nursing home after an illness of several months.
Mr. Rider was born Nov. 16, 1928, at Montevallo. He worked as a carpenter, retiring in 1993. He served in the Army during World War II. He was a member of the Eagles Lodge and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He married Edith Mae Find on June 6, 1960, at Girard, Kan. She survives.
Additional survivors include two sons, Michael Rider and Steven Ray Rider, both of Baton Rouge, La.; two daughters, Debra Smith, Moundville, and Elaine Hudson, Holt; a stepdaughter, Brenda Quackenbush, Walker, La.; a brother, O.C. Roder, Moundville; two sisters, Bertha Sikes, Denim Springs, La., and Dorothy Schnelle, Pratt, Kan.; 11 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
A son preceded him in death.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Worsley Cemetery, Bronaugh. The Rev. William Cox will officiate.
Services are under direction of Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.
Hazel Spratt
LAMAR, Mo. - Hazel R. Spratt, 94, rural Lamar, died at 7:40 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997, at Barton County Memorial Hospital, Lamar, after a long illness.
Mrs. Spratt was born June 30, 1902, at Metz. She had lived in Barton County since 1938, moving there from Hume.
She was a member of Central Chapel Methodist Church.
She married O.E. "Ed" Spratt on Nov. 7, 1923, at Fort Scott, Kan. He died March 10, 1992.
Surviving are a daughter, Ruby Pyatt, Lamar; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Oakton Cemetery, southwest of Lamar. The Rev. Larry Carfield will officiate. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Lohmeyer-Konantz Funeral Home, Lamar.
Pallbearers will be Ed Onstott, Robert Cable, Howard Clawson, John McKenzie, Doug McKibben and Roy Thompson.
Vesta Wright
ANDERSON, Mo. - Vesta Chapman Higgs Wright, 97, died at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997, at Freeman Neosho Hospital after an illness.
Mrs. Wright was born Nov. 3, 1899, in Anderson, where she lived most of her life. She was a member of the Anderson First Baptist Church and had been a cook at McDonald County High School
She married Jesse Vernon Wright in 1919. He died Dec. 7, 1944.
Survivors include three sons, Arthur L. Wright, Joplin, Warren D. Wright, Ditmer, and Raymond Wright, Neosho; two brothers, John Higgs and Arthur Higgs, both of Anderson; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great- great-grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Ozark Funeral Home Chapel in Anderson with the Rev. Tom Ellis officiating. Burial will be in Anderson Cemetery.
