Pam Billings
Pam Billings, 43, 100 Skyline Drive, died at 6:10 a.m. Monday, March 3, 1997, at her home after a long illness.
Mrs. Billings was born April 6, 1953, at Kansas City. She had lived in Joplin since 1994, when she moved from Springfield. She was employed as a preschool teacher with Discovery School at Christ's Community United Methodist Church, of which she was a member. She was a member of the Heartland Ecumenical Camino Community Group of Southwest Missouri and the Bible Study Fellowship.
She married Daryl Billings on Aug. 19, 1972, at Claycomo. He survives.
Other survivors include a son, Dustin Billings; a daughter, Carrie O'Neal, Springfield; her mother, Barbara Yonts, Kansas City, Kan.; a sister, Sherrie Wright, Kansas City, Kan.; and a grandson.
The body has been cremated. A celebration service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at Christ's Community United Methodist Church. The Rev. Chris Sloan, David VanGiesen and Daryl Billings will officiate.
Contributions may be made to the scholarship fund of Discovery Preschool in care of Christ's Community United Methodist Church.
Orville Johnson
Orville D. Johnson, 66, 3702 Ridge Drive, died at 11 p.m. Monday, March 3, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center after a sudden illness.
Mr. Johnson was born March 13, 1930, at Guthrie, Okla. He had lived in Joplin since 1979, when he moved from Kansas City. He retired in 1971 after a 20-year career with the Air Force, where he worked in accounting and finance. He was associated with Beneficial Finance Co. from 1971 to 1982. He later worked for 10 years with American General Insurance Co. He retired in 1994. He was a member of St. Phillip's Episcopal Church, Joplin.
He married Lerma Layfield on June 4, 1950, at Enid, Okla. She survives.
Other survivors include two sons, Michael Johnson, Eagle River, Alaska, and Steven Johnson, Joplin; a brother, David Johnson, Washington, D.C.; a sister, Betty Bass, Enid, Okla.; and two grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mason-Woodard Chapel, Joplin. Graveside services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at Marshall Cemetery, Marshall, Okla.
Ruby Toms
Ruby R. Fitzgerald Toms, 91, Joplin, died at 7:55 a.m. Tuesday, March 4, 1997, at a local nursing home after a sudden illness.
Mrs. Toms was born July 25, 1905, at Mapleton, Kan. She had lived in the Joplin and Picher, Okla., areas most of her life. She owned and operated Joplin Beverage for many years before she retired in 1973.
She was a Methodist and a member of the Eastern Star of Picher.
She married John Fitzgerald on Sept. 2, 1924, and he preceded her in death. She married Marion Leroy Toms on May 2, 1947. He died Aug. 13, 1956.
Survivors include a daughter, Marjorie Nichols, Joplin; a sister, Ula Rei, Fort Scott, Kan.; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Parker Mortuary. Joe Rei will officiate. Entombment will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Vernon Anderson Sr., Vernon Anderson II, Scott Anderson, Steve Deems, Mike King and Gil Nichols.
Contributions may be made to Franklin Technology Center, Joplin.
Jeryl Beckett
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. - Jeryl L. Beckett, 28, 208 S. Summitt, died at 2:45 p.m. Monday, March 3, 1997, of a self-afflicted gun wound. The Jasper County Coroner's Office is investigating the death.
Mr. Beckett was born July 9, 1968 at Carthage. He was raised in Pierce City, and graduated from Pierce City High School in 1986. He was a US Navy Veteran. He received law enforcement training in the Navy and attended the police academy at Missouri Southern State College. He had been employed for the past two years with the Carl Junction police department.
He married Melissa Forhan on Feb. 16, 1991 at Sugar Grovestet, W.Va. She survives.
Also surviving are a daughter, Hailey Beckett; his father and stepmother, Joe and Sheri Beckett, Carthage; his stepfather, Johnnie Miller, Pierce City; three brothers, Randy Beckett, David Harris, Jerry Harris, all of Joplin; two sisters, Belinda Combs, Tucson, Ariz., and Elizabeth Miller, Pierce City; his paternal grandmother, Joan Nesbitt, Carthage; and his maternal grandmother, Mae Riddle, Kansas City.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Webb City. The Rev. David Miller will officiate. Burial will be in the Pierce City Cemetery, under the direction of the Hedge-Lewis Funeral Home, Webb City.
Pallbearers will be John Taylor, Brian Thompson, Tom Kitch, Jeff Wood, Andy Pike, and David Harris.
Area law enforcement officers will be seated as a group.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Webb City. Area law enforcement officers will be seated together as a group.
Contributions may be made to the Jeryl Beckett Memorial Fund, in care of the Great Southern Bank.
Ella Black
WEBB CITY, Mo. - Ella A. Black, 86, formerly of Webb City, died at 10:10 p.m. Monday at a Frontenac, Kan., nursing home after a long illness.
Mrs. Black was born March 6, 1908, at Boston, Mass. She had lived in Webb City and Pittsburg, Kan. She had been a nurse at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin. She was a Protestant and a member of the local Order of the Eastern Star.
She was preceded in death by husbands John Augustine, Earl Hilton and Clyde Black.
Survivors include a son, John Augustine, Peakskill, N.Y.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. today at Webb City Cemetery.
No visitation is planned.
Arrangements are under the direction of Simpson Funeral Home, Webb City.
Delmar Burr
NEOSHO, Mo. - Delmar "D.L." Burr, 84, Conway, Ark., a Neosho native, died Friday, Feb. 28, 1997, at a nursing home in Conway after an illness.
Mr. Burr was born May 21, 1912, in Neosho. He was a rate clerk for Virco Manufacturing Co. before he retired in March 1978.
He was a member of Antioch Baptist Church and Green Grove Masonic Lodge in Conway.
Survivors include his wife, Pauline Chambers Burr; three sons, Gary Burr, Conway, Gordon Burr, Little Rock, Ark., and Donald Burr, Denton, Texas; two daughters, Connie Simpson, Conway, and Debra Floyd, Virginia Beach, Va.; three brothers, George Burr, Dale Burr and Truman Burr, all of Neosho; two sisters, Agnus Harris, Neosho, and Lena Jennings, Joplin; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services were held at 1 p.m. Monday at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Conway. Burial was in Oak Grove Cemetery, Conway.
Contributions may be made to the Antioch Baptist Church building fund.
Clarence Butler
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. - Clarence Butler, 89, Mount Vernon, died at 2:58 p.m. Monday, March 3, 1997, at his home after a long illness.
Mr. Butler was born April 5, 1907, in Southeast Missouri. He moved in 1943 to Mount Vernon, where he was a member of Church on the Loop, Assemblies of God. He was a custodian at the Rural Electric Cooperative, Mount Vernon, He retired in 1972.
He married Opal Atchley on Nov. 22, 1930, at New Madrid. She died in November 1977.
He married Eula Jones on Aug. 20, 1988, at Mount Vernon. She survives.
Other survivors include four daughters, Nola Fortner and Linda Whitesell, both of Mount Vernon, Nelda Jackson, Conroe, Texas, and Jeanice Smith, San Antonio, Texas; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; four great-step-grandchildren; and two great-great-step-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Church on the Loop, Assemblies of God. The Rev. Tharell Boulware and the Rev. Arthur Schmidly will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Mount Vernon.
Pallbearers will be Ed Nelson, Jim Botts, Rex Springer, Ron Schmidly, Curtis Jackson and Ken Woolery.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Church on the Loop, Assemblies of God, in care of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mount Vernon.
