Vanetta Prather
ALBA, Mo. - Vanetta I. Prather, 87, 312 East St., died at 7:55 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, 1996, at her home after a six-month illness.
Mrs. Prather was born Jan. 16, 1909, in Golden, Colo.
She was a bookkeeper and a Methodist.
Survivors include a daughter, Patricia Bearden, Alba; a sister, Genevieve Bertschman, Hawthorne, Calif.; three grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Simpson Funeral Home, Webb City.
The body has been cremated.
Bonnie Ernest-Richardson
GOODMAN, Mo. - Bonnie Ernest-Richardson, 80, Goodman, died at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, 1996, at a Joplin nursing home after an illness.
Mrs. Ernest-Richardson was born April 29, 1916, in Cherryvale, Kan.
She moved to Goodman in 1975 from Caney, Kan.
She was a cook for several years at Nell's Restaurant, Neosho.
She married Rex Ernest in 1932.
He died in October 1980.
She married Glen Richardson on Oct. 17, 1983. He survives.
Additional survivors include five sons, Ronnie Ernest, Neosho, Bill Ernest and Dennis Ernest, both of Caney, Jerry Ernest, Carl Junction, and Lester Ernest, Goodman; two daughters, Shirley Todd and Joann Smotherman, both of Goodman; four sisters, Peggy King, Afton, Okla., Ethel Longgreer, Liberty, Kan., Mary Sack, Independence, Kan., Millie Pursley, Coffeyville, Kan.; 21 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Liberty Cemetery, Liberty.
The Rev. William Hall will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ozark Funeral Home, Goodman.
Contributions may be made to the Kidney Foundation, in care of the funeral home.
Robert Davidson
Robert E. "Buzz" Davidson, 57, 517 Patterson Ave., died at 7:34 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1996, at St. John's Regional Medical Center after a short illness.
Mr. Davidson was born Jan. 13, 1939, at Santa Cruz, Calif.
He had lived in the Joplin area for 20 years, moving from Napa, Calif.
He worked as a test floor operator at Senior Engineering.
He served in the U.S. Army.
He married Barbara Baker on May 25, 1957, at Reno, Nev. She survives.
Additional survivors include two sons, Randy Davidson and Reggie Davidson, both of Joplin; a daughter, Jolynn Hartman, Joplin; three sisters, Nancy Moore, Napa, Diane Warner, Gaylord, Mich., and Kathy Housh, Napa; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mason-Woodard Chapel.
Otto Parish and Rex Howe will officiate.
Veterans of Foreign Wars will perform graveside services at Mount Hope Cemetery, Webb City.
Pallbearers will be Rick Allen, Steve Doss, Didway Gourley, Orville Nelson, Kenny Patrick, Carl Conway, Bob Clark and Larry Rowe.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Betty Harvey
Betty Ray Harvey, 90, 3015 Missouri Ave., died at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1996, at her home after a sudden illness.
Mrs. Harvey was born May 26, 1906, in Joplin and was a lifetime resident.
She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Mr. and Mrs. Sunday School class.
She married Gayle Harvey on Oct. 16, 1940, in Joplin.
He died Feb. 13, 1983.
There are no immediate survivors.
A private committal service will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery, Webb City, prior to memorial services that will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church.
The Rev. William Christman will officiate.
Arrangements are under the direction of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary.
Bertha Boehne
LOCKWOOD, Mo. - Bertha Anna Boehne, 80, Lockwood, died at 8:55 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1996, at Cox Medical Center South, Springfield, after a short illness.
Mrs. Boehne was born Jan. 23, 1916, in Lockwood, where she lived most of her life.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Ladies Aide Society.
She married Clarence R. Boehne on Nov. 2, 1941, in Lockwood.
He died July 6, 1985.
Survivors include two daughters, Phyllis Obert, Lockwood, and Roberta Dawson, Springfield; a brother, Martin Niehoff, Lockwood; a sister, Matilda Weber, Herington, Kan.; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lockwood.
Gary Griffin, pastor, will officiate.
Burial will be in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Friends may call after 10 a.m. today at Lockwood Funeral Chapel.
Contributions may be made to the building fund at Immanuel Lutheran Church or to the Lutheran Hour.
Effie Brock
NEOSHO, Mo. - Effie Lena Brock, 95, 400 Lyons Drive, died at 3:55 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1996, at a local nursing home after a short illness.
Mrs. Brock was born Nov. 6, 1901, at Granby.
She was a lifelong Neosho area resident.
She was a homemaker and a member of the First Christian Church, Neosho.
Her husband, Carl Franklin Brock, died at May 11, 1975.
Three sons preceded her in death.
Surviving are a daughter, Bernice Chubb, San Jose, Calif.; 13 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Union Cemetery, south of Stella.
The Rev. Clement Graham will officiate.
The body may be viewed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 8 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at Clark Funeral Home, Neosho.
Lowell Burch
NEOSHO, Mo. - Lowell Burch, 89, 1114 Skyline Drive, died at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1996, at Freeman Neosho Hospital, Neosho, after an illness.
Mr. Burch was born Sept. 25, 1907, at Harrisonville.
He lived most of his life in Neosho, moving here from Siloam Springs, Ark.
He was a 1924 graduate of Anthony (Kan.) High School and attended Kansas State University at Manhattan.
He and his brother, Virgil Burch, had owned and operated the former Crystal Springs Dairy in Neosho.
He also had worked for the local accounting firms of Ira Fillingham, Mike Cusack and Larry Swift.
He was treasurer of the Newton County Bureau.
He was a member of Neosho United Methodist Church and the Newton County Senior Citizens Center.
He married Nina Knisley on April 11, 1936, in Neosho.
She died Dec. 19, 1979.
He married Glenola Johnson on May 16, 1981, in Neosho.
His wife is his only immediate survivor.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Woodard-Freund-Thompson Funeral Home, Neosho.
he Rev. John C. Harp will officiate.
Burial will be in Gibson Cemetery, Neosho.
Pallbearers will be Jim Burch, Bill Burch, Cody Burch, Sam Hatfield, Cliff Moutray and Eric Reynolds.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Newton County Senior Citizens Center, in care of the funeral home.
