Frances Cooper
CASSVILLE, Mo. - Frances E. Cooper, 90, Cassville, died at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, 1996, at a Cassville nursing home after a long illness.
Mrs. Cooper was born Dec. 31, 1905, at Eagle Rock.
She was a lifelong resident of Cassville.
She had worked at Johnston's Hardware and South Barry County Hospital, both in Cassville.
She was a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Cassville.
She also was a member of the telephone Sunday School class at First Baptist Church, Cassville.
She married William Elmer Cooper on Nov. 8, 1924, at Cassville.
He died Nov. 21, 1991.
Surviving are a son, Charles E. Cooper, Cassville; six daughters, Edna M. Edie, Dorothy L. Peterson and Fredalene Horner, all of Cassville, Lucille F. Holman, Raymore, Norma L. Swindell, Garland, Texas, and Faedola Hilton, Galesburg, Ill.; 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Williamson Funeral Home, Cassville.
The Rev. John Duncan and the Rev. Veral Ball will officiate.
Burial will be in Horner Cemetery, Cassville.
Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the building fund at First Baptist Church, Cassville.
Byrdie Highley
AURORA, Mo. - Byrdie Rabaduex Highley, 85, Aurora, died at 5 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, 1996, at an Ozark nursing home after a long illness.
Mrs. Highley was born March 25, 1911, at Bismarck.
She was a member of Aurora Baptist Temple.
She was a homemaker.
She married Alvin Highley on June 28, 1930, at Bismarck.
He died on Oct. 3, 1992.
Survivors include a son, Wayne Highley, Fair Grove; a daughter, Melba Wiley, Fort Myers, Fla.; a sister, Hazel Edmonds, Ironton; nine grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Aurora Baptist Temple, with the Rev. Fred Young officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Park Cemetery, Aurora.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, Aurora.
Contribution may be made to Aurora Baptist Temple.
Emma Pierce
AURORA, Mo. - Emma B. Hall Pierce, 80, Aurora, died at 12:42 a.m. Monday, Dec. 16, 1996, at Cox Regional Medical Center South, Springfield, after a long illness.
Mrs. Pierce was born May 16, 1916, at Aurora.
She was a member of Aurora United Methodist Church.
She was a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Aurora; Methodist Women; Aurora Community Hospital Auxiliary and Ladies of Leisure, Joplin.
She was a retired office worker for The Empire District Electric Co., Aurora.
She married Eugene Pierce on Sept. 28, 1940, at Mount Vernon.
He died on Nov. 23, 1990.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Aurora United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Harold Gold officiating.
Burial will be in Maple Park Cemetery, Aurora.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, Aurora.
Marjorie Shields
ANDERSON, Mo. - Marjorie Dell Caldwell Shields, 72, Anderson, died at 4:27 a.m. Monday, Dec. 16, 1996, at Freeman Hospital West, Joplin, after an illness.
Mrs. Shields was born Aug. 31, 1924, at Anderson.
She had lived in Anderson her entire life.
She was a teacher for 36 years at Antioch, McDonald County and Granby school districts.
She also owned a sewing business at Anderson.
She was a member of First Baptist Church, Anderson.
She was a member of Missouri State Teachers Association and McDonald County Teachers Association.
She received her bachelor's degree in education in 1960 and her master's degree in education in 1969, both from Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield.
She married Doyle Shields on May 1, 1945, at Houston, Texas. He survives.
Other survivors include a son, Harold Gene Shields, San Antonio, Texas; three daughters, Mary Lou Liskey, Noel, Martha Anne Ladd, Carterville, and Betsy Elizabeth Louise Hanelin, Anderson; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Ozark Funeral Home, Anderson, with the Rev. Dean Royce officiating.
Burial will be in Anderson Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Bob Parish, J.B. Varndell, Jack Rickett, Dan Rickett, Rusty Schlessman and Mike Schlessman.
Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the scholarship fund of Delta Kappa Gamma, in care of the funeral home.
Donald Shrewsbury
SHELL KNOB, Mo. - Donald D. Shrewsbury, 75, Shell Knob, died at 6:07 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, 1996, at Veterans of America Medical Center, Fayetteville, Ark., after a long illness.
Mr. Shrewsbury was born Jan. 14, 1921, at Brock, Neb.
He moved to Shell Knob in 1980 from Nebraska City, Neb.
He was an Army Signal Corp veteran of World War II.
After his tour in the Army he became a farmer and retired after 26 years with Hammond Farms, Inc., state of Nebraska.
He was a member of Viola (Mo.) Baptist Church.
He married Luceen D. Bell on Sept. 27, 1940, at Clarinda, Iowa. She survives.
Additional survivors include two sons, Dennis Shrewsbury, Lenexa, Kan., and Robert F. Shrewsbury, Gilbert, Ariz.; a daughter, Kristy Douglas, Independence; a foster son, Jim Cooper, Chandler, Ariz.; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services are pending with Williamson Funeral Home, Shell Knob.
Carl Hefley
Carl E. Hefley, 86, Joplin, died at 10:50 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 1996, at a nursing home in Galena, Kan., after a long illness.
Mr. Hefley was born Dec. 6, 1910, at Cassville.
He lived in Joplin most of his life.
He worked at Roaring River State Park in Cassville for several years.
He was a mechanic in the motor pool at Fort Crowder, Neosho, during World War II.
He was an automobile mechanic at R&S Chevrolet in Joplin for 30 years, retiring in 1975.
He was a Baptist.
He was a member of the A-TA Lodge and Joplin Senior Citizens, both of Joplin.
He married Fadola Sturgell Painter on Dec. 7, 1940, at Bentonville, Ark. She survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Jim Hefley, Joplin; a stepson, Thomas Lee Painter, Joplin; two daughters, Sue Bush, Waco, Texas, and Carlene Davidson, Springfield; a sister, Peg Lawson, Exeter; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Parker Mortuary.
Bob Rayon
Robert L. "Bob" Rayon, 69, 3025 Minnesota Ave., died at 9:10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 1996, at Freeman Hospital West after a short illness.
Mr. Rayon was born Aug. 9, 1927, at Joplin and was a lifetime resident.
He worked for R&S Chevrolet in Joplin from 1944 to 1950, for Missouri Steel Castings in Joplin from 1950 to 1987, and for Missouri Precision Castings in Joplin from 1987 until retiring in February 1990.
He was a Baptist.
He was a member of Robert S. Thurman Post No. 13, American Legion, and Earl J. Bruton Post No. 534, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II.
He married Charlotte Lee Wallace on Sept. 16, 1945, at Columbus, Kan. She survives.
Additional survivors include three daughters, Linda Elam, Hurst, Texas, Sharon Virgin and Carol Carr, both of Joplin; three brothers, James Bob Dunn, Galena, Kan., Pete Dunn, Carl Junction, and Troy Hall, Saginaw; a sister, Sylvia Benson, Joplin; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery.
The Rev. Charlie Davidson will officiate.
Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.
Military graveside services will be conducted by Robert S. Thurman Post No. 13, American Legion.
Doris Wilson
Doris A. DeGraffenreid Wilson, 60, Fort Myers, Fla., a former Joplin resident, died at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 1996, at a hospital in Fort Myers after a sudden illness.
Mrs. Wilson was born Nov. 19, 1936, at Joplin.
She moved from Joplin more than 40 years ago.
She had lived in the state of New Jersey most her of life until moving to Florida two years ago.
She graduated in 1954 from Joplin High School and in 1956 from the former Joplin Junior College.
She had worked for the Joplin Public Library.
Survivors include her husband, Arthur Wilson; a son, Andrew Wilson, Blandon, Pa.; a daughter, Polly O'Brien, Richfield, Conn.; a brother, Martin DeGraffenreid, the state of Alaska; and five grandchildren.
The body has been cremated.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Carl Junction (Mo.) United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Bob Simon will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the church.
