Jason Potarf
SOUTHWEST CITY, Mo. - Jason Lee Potarf , 2-year-old son of Russell and Cherita Cantrell Potarf, Southwest City route 1, died at 12:08 p.m. Saturday, May 31, 1997, at his home after a long illness.
He was born Oct. 25, 1994, at Springfield.
Additional survivors include a twin sister, Megan Potarf, and another sister, Brianna Potarf, both of the home; maternal grandparents, John and Oma June Cantrell, Southwest City; paternal grandparents, Lawrence "Butch" and Verlie Potarf, Noel; and a paternal great-grandmother, Beulah Potarf Shields, Anderson.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Ozark Funeral Home, Noel. Wayne Eldrid, elder, will officiate. Burial will be in Saratoga Springs Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Richie Reece II and Shannon Eldrid.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Danny Showen
GOLDEN CITY, Mo. - Danny E. Showen, 59, 505 Maple St., was pronounced dead at 12:55 p.m. Sunday, June 1, 1997, from injuries suffered in a traffic accident on Highway 96, east of Carthage.
Mr., Showen was born Aug. 16, 1938, in Douglas County, Neb. He was reared in Keyes, Calif. He was a general contractor in California, moving to Golden City in 1984. He was a member of the IOOF, Golden City. He retired from contracting in 1992.
He was a member of Full Gospel Truth Church, Golden City.
He married Dessie Nelson on April 23, 1963, at Springfield. She survives.
Additional survivors include two daughters, Ada Showen Roberts, Sarcoxie, and Amanda Showen, Golden City; three sons, Danny Showen Jr., Golden City, Willie Showen, Kansas City, and Peter Showen, Springfield; three brothers, Bernard Showen and Larry Showen, both of Keyes, and Truman Showen, Ceres, Calif.; two sisters, Bonnie Lankford, Turlock, Calif., and Mary Lyies, Modesto, Calif.; and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Knell Mortuary, Carthage. The Rev. Viola Perdue will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Golden City. The casket will be closed.
Friends may call from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Ida Swiney
JANE, Mo. - Ida L. Swiney, 69, Jane route 1, died at 5:30 a.m. Monday, June 2, 1997, at her home after a long illness.
Mrs. Swiney was born Dec. 11, 1927, at Hilleman, Ark. She had lived in Jane since October 1974, when she moved from Chicago. She was a homemaker and had worked at Tyson Foods, Springdale, Ark., for about ten years.
She married John Henry Swiney on May 11, 1946, in Arkansas. He died May 27, 1988.
Survivors include a brother, Jimmie Clayton, Beecher, Illinois; two sisters, Anna Romans, Chicago, and Mary Cameron, Brinkley, Ark.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Jane, with the Rev. Tom McDonald officiating. Burial will be in Jane Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. at Ozark Funeral Home, Pineville.
Sammy Ferson
Sammy M. Ferson, 83, Joplin, died at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, 1997, at Freeman Hospital West after a short illness.
Mr. Ferson was born April 3, 1914, at Pittsburg, Kan. He moved to Joplin in 1987 from Pittsburg. He opened his first dry-cleaning business in Joplin at 1620 Main St. in 1960. He later opened others in Carthage, Springfield, Parsons, Kan., Nevada, and a second location in Joplin, on east Seventh Street.
He formerly owned a grocery store in Girard, Kan. He also managed Food Town grocery stores in Parsons and Webb City from 1957 to 1960. He was formerly a member of both the Twin Hills Golf and Country Club and Loma Linda Golf and Country Club. He was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Joplin.
He married Lilly H. Coury on Feb. 6, 1933, in Pittsburg. She survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Frank Ferson, Salina, Kan.; a daughter, Lu Ann Ferson, Joplin; three grandchildren; two step-grandsons; four great-grandchildren; and five step-great grandchildren.
The body has been taken for cremation.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Parker Mortuary, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.
A Requiem Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Peter's Catholic Church, with the Rev. Leonard Chambers officiating.
Private burial of remains will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Webb City.
Contributions may be made to St. Peter's Catholic Church or the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.
Sally Freer
Sally Freer, Joplin, died at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center after a long illness.
Mrs. Freer was born in St. Louis. She moved to Joplin in 1944 from Manhattan, Kan. She was co-owner of the V.R. Freer Construction Co. in Joplin from 1944 to 1974.
She married Victor R. Freer in Parsons, Kan. He died April 26, 1974.
Survivors include a daughter, Marilyn Herrin, Joplin; a sister, Babe Dean, Bartlesville, Okla.; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The body has been taken for cremation.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Parker Mortuary.
The family will receive friends following the memorial services.
Contributions may be made to the Mercy Health Resource Library in care of St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin.
The family requested no DOB or age be printed; I checked out dates and they were cool.
Boy Kitto
Leland H. "Boy" Kitto, 80, 2930 Indiana Ave., died at 11:05 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997, at Freeman Hospital West after a short illness.
Mr. Kitto was born Feb. 28, 1917, in Joplin and was a lifetime resident. He graduated from Joplin High School in 1936. He was owner and operator for many years of the former Joplin Beauty and Barber Supply Store, retiring in 1985. He was a former member and Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge No. 501, Joplin.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He received a Purple Heart and retired as a captain.
He was a member of South Joplin Christian Church.
He married Marge Holcomb on Sept. 15, 1945, at Columbus, Ind. She survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Lynda Davis, Overland Park, Kan.; a brother, George Kitto, Chester, Va.; a sister, Mary Lee Shaw, Sun City, Ariz.; and a grandson.
He was preceded in death by a son.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Parker Mortuary, with the Rev. J.K. Wright officiating. Burial will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at the mortuary.
Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society in care of the mortuary.
Raymond Payne
M. Raymond Payne, 77, Joplin, died at 8:20 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center after a two-week illness.
Mr. Payne was born Nov. 7, 1919, at Scammon, Kan. He had lived since 1945 in Joplin. He served from 1943-1945 in World War II. He was called back to duty from the Naval Reserves and served from 1950-1952 in the Korean War.
He worked 33 years for the U.S. Treasury, Internal Revenue Service. When he retired, he was the "senior revenue officer" at the Joplin office. He then worked nine years in the admissions department at St. John's Regional Medical Center's emergency room.
He was organist and choirmaster for 17 years at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, organist for 12 years for South Joplin Christian Church, and organist for 26 years with the United Hebrew Congregation.
He was a member of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, National Association of Retired Federal Employees and the National Treasury Employees Association. He was past president of the Tri-State Kennel Club. He had served as dean of the American Guild of Organists (Ozark Chapter) and was a member of the American Guild of Organists (Greater Kansas City Chapter). He was a past vice-president of the Community Concert Association.
He married Virginia Lee on Feb. 6, 1943, at Oklahoma City, Okla. She survives.
Also surviving are two daughters, Phyllis Sapp, Joplin, and Karen A. Malone, St. Louis; a brother, Joe D. Payne, Laguna Hills, Calif.; a sister, Helen L. Hawkins, Tulsa, Okla.; and four grandchildren.
The body has been cremated.
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, at Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary, where family will receive friends afterward. The Rev. Dan Erdman will officiate.
The family will be at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Sapp.
Contributions may be made to the Cerebral Palsy Center in care of the mortuary.
