Logan C. Atterbury
Lt. Col. Logan C. Atterbury, a retired Air Force officer, traveled all over the world and met some of the most influential people of his time. While working for Gen. J.C.H. Lee, logistics chief to President Dwight Eisenhower, he met the president, Winston Churchill and George Marshall.
Mr. Atterbury, of Raymore, died Tuesday, July 11, 2000, at Foxwood Springs Living Center in Raymore. He was 82.
Mr. Atterbury's son, Alan Atterbury, remembers all of the traveling they did when his dad was in the Air Force. They lived in Japan for two years when Alan Atterbury was in elementary school. What he remembers most is how happy his parents were in the early '80s after his dad retired.
"One of the happiest times of their lives was when they played golf in Columbia and took a trip to Florida to play golf," Alan said.
Mr. Atterbury was born in Moberly in 1918 and graduated from Hickman High School in Columbia in 1936. He married his high school sweetheart, Louise F. Leebrick in 1940. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
Mr. Atterbury attended MU and later enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He became a pilot and flew combat missions during World War II in France, Italy, Germany and Holland. He survived being shot down along with crewmates during combat in the Battle of Arnhem in 1944. At the end of the war he served as aide-de-camp and pilot for Lee. He served tours of duty in Japan, Korea and Newfoundland.
Mr. Atterbury retired from active duty in 1966 and was a cattle rancher in central Missouri as well as owner and operator of Up Against the Wall, an art framing shop in Columbia. He was also a member of the Columbia Country Club and was active in several central Missouri community service organizations including Retired Officers Association. He was also Deacon Emeritus of the First Christian Church of Columbia.
"In '88, he had a stroke that left him disabled and he dealt with that," Alan Atterbury said. "He lost his speech and was paralyzed on one side and he still managed to go to MU football games."
Private funeral services and internment will be held at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Memorial services at the Foxwood Springs Community will be announced later.
Mr. Atterbury is survived by his wife, Louise F. Atterbury of Raymore; a son, Alan Atterbury of Kansas City; and three grandchildren.
Three brothers died earlier.
Memorial contributions can be sent to the Fellowship of John at Foxwood Springs Living Center, 500 Mott Drive, Raymore, Mo. 64083.
Richard Franklin Lee
Richard Franklin Lee died of liver disease on his 46th birthday, Wednesday, July 12, 2000, at his home in Sturgeon.
Mr. Lee was a certified scuba diver and had turned that love into jobs, working as an underwater welder and as a pool cleaner, but his goal wasn't just to pay the bills.
Mr. Lee was born July 12, 1954, in Columbia to Meredith Lee and Elsie Fern Lee.
"Mom brought him into this world on that day and she welcomed him home on that day," Baize said, noting that her brother died on his birthday.
Services, conducted by the Rev. Dennis Stuart, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Nilson Funeral Home, 5611 St. Charles Road, Columbia. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Lee is survived by his father, Meredith Lee of Sturgeon; and four sisters, Debbie Sublette of Columbia and Sandy Spry, Merry Baize and Kristin Lee, all of Sturgeon.
Mr. Lee's mother died earlier.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Phoenix House, 409 W. Vandiver Drive, Columbia, Mo., 65202.
George Thomas Martin
George Thomas Martin died Monday, July 10, 2000, in Columbia. He was 65.
Mr. Martin loved to be outdoors, his younger brother Frank Martin said, and he especially liked to spend his time fishing.
Mr. Martin was born July 2, 1935, in Columbia to Frederick Lee and Imogene Francis Burton Martin.
He had retired from his job as a machinist with Parker-McCrory in Kansas City when his failing health brought him to Columbia to be with his family.
Services will be held 9 a.m. Saturday at Columbia VFW Post #280 Shelter.
George Martin is survived by three sons, Jesse Lee Martin, Mark Lendell Martin and Michael Thomas Martin, all of Columbia; two daughters, Pam Titus of Hallsville and Katherine Haag of Clear Lake, Iowa; a brother, Frank Martin of Columbia; and eight grandchildren.
His parents and a brother, Francis Martin, died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, 33 E. Broadway Suite 100, Columbia, Mo. 65203.
Warren A. Turner
Warren A. Turner of Kansas City died Sunday, July 9, 2000. He was 28.
The cause of death is unknown pending a coroner's report.
Mr. Turner was born April 14, 1972, in Kansas City to William A. Washington and Debbie L. Turner. In 1990, he graduated from Hickman High School, where he played varsity basketball.
He was a member of Progressive Baptist Church in Columbia.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at Warren Funeral Chapel Services, 10 N. 4th Street, Columbia. Services, conducted by the Rev. Brian Jones, will be held 1 p.m. Saturday at Second Baptist Church, 407 E. Broadway, Columbia. Burial will be at Simpson Chapel Cemetery.
Mr. Turner is survived by his son, Warren A. Washington of Blue Springs; his mother, Debbie L. Turner; one brother, Malcolm Washington of Columbia; four sisters, Shannon Pigge of Kansas City, Nicole Washington of Phoenix, Ariz., and Jasmine and Deborah Washington, both of Columbia; a grandmother, Lucille Braden of Columbia; and a grandfather, Gilbert McKee of Columbia.
His father died earlier.
Evalena Smith Spurgeon
Evalena Smith Spurgeon quilted for just about everyone she knew and also for people she didn't know. Mrs. Spurgeon not only made quilts for herself and her son and daughter-in-law, but she also made quilts for the Butterfield School in Marshall, smaller lap-size quilts for Truman Veterans Hospital in Columbia, and drawstring quilt bags for Rainbow House.
"Her real love was quilts," said her daughter-in-law, Alice Spurgeon. "She made quilts and gave them to everybody."
Mrs. Spurgeon of Columbia died Wednesday, July 12, 2000, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 79.
Mrs. Spurgeon was born March 6, 1921, in Boone County to Lewis and Lena Grant Smith. She graduated from Hickman High School in 1940, and was trained as a nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital in Boonville. She worked at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and Mt. Saint Rose Sanitarium and Firm Delosage Hospital and Mental Institution in St. Louis.
In 1945, Mrs. Spurgeon joined the Army Nurses Corps and served in Hawaii, Okinawa and the Philippines. Upon her return to Missouri, Mrs. Spurgeon got a job at Ravensway Clinic in Boonville. She also worked for 17 years at a nursing home.
"She was just good to everyone," Alice Spurgeon said.
Mrs. Spurgeon married John Harold Spurgeon on Feb. 9, 1947. She belonged to Fairview United Methodist Church and was a 4-H leader for 22 years, receiving the 1963 State 4-H Alumni recognition award. As part of her work with farming, Mrs. Spurgeon spent a lot of time on a tractor.
"She couldn't drive a car, but she could drive a tractor as good as any man," Alice Spurgeon said.
Mrs. Spurgeon was also a member and president of Ophella Shepard extension club for 13 years, and spent countless hours working in her vegetable garden.
Later in her life, Mrs. Spurgeon researched her family history by talking to family and friends.
"You'd be amazed at what all she found out," Alice Spurgeon said.
Visitation for Mrs. Spurgeon will be from 6 to 9 tonight at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Bobbie Stone, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Memorial Funeral Home. Mrs. Spurgeon will be buried at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Spurgeon is survived by her husband, John Harold Spurgeon of Columbia; a son, Gerald Spurgeon of Columbia; a sister, Laura O'Neal of Fulton; a grandson, two step-grandchildren, and two step-great grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the American Diabetes Association, 1316 Parkade Blvd., Columbia, Mo. 65202 or Boone County 4-H c/o Emma Theuri, University Outreach and Extension Center, 1012 N. Route UU, Columbia, Mo. 65203.
Ida Vaunceil Willingham
Ida Vaunceil Willingham was a very active member of Calvary Baptist Church: she attended Sunday school faithfully, made visits to sick church members and cooked for church functions.
"She was very gracious. She served actively in church all of her life," said Webster Brown, her friend and former pastor.
Mrs. Willingham of Columbia died Wednesday, July 12, 2000, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 88.
Mrs. Willingham was born June 30, 1912, in Bevier to Herman and Effie Rector Dorr. She married Elmer L. Willingham on July 4, 1931. She managed Wyngate Apartments and worked for the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation. Mrs. Willingham was a charter member of Calvary Baptist Church and past president of Older American Klub. She was also a member of Rebekah Lodge and Eastern Star.
Visitation for Mrs. Willingham will be from 6 to 8 tonight at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Fred Neiger will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Memorial Funeral Home. Mrs. Willingham will be buried at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Willingham is survived by her son, John Herman Willingham of Memphis, Tenn.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Her husband and one son died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Calvary Baptist Church, 606 Ridgeway Ave., Columbia, Mo. 65201.
Chauri E. Vazquez
Chauri E. Vazquez died Saturday, July 8, 2000, in Columbia. She was 6 months old. The medical examiner has yet to release a cause of death.
"We're going to miss her a lot. She was with us such a short time. We're really sad that she left us so soon," said her mother, Lizzandra Vazquez.
Chauri was born Jan. 20, 2000, in Columbia to Bill Weatherford and Lizzandra Vazquez-Abshier.
Services, conducted by the Rev. David Veit, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W.
Chauri is survived by her parents; two sisters, Challen Vazquez and Cenedrine Vazquez, both of Columbia; her twin brother, Gian Vazquez of Columbia; her maternal grandfather, John Abshier of Leavenworth, Kan.; her maternal grandmother, Eva Vazquez of Columbia; and two uncles, John Abshier of Rochester, Minn., and Anthony Joseph Vazquez of Columbia;
Memorials may be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105.
Rose Ann Lamb
Rose Ann Lamb of Columbia died Sunday, July 9, 2000, of natural causes during her sleep at her home. The medical examiner told family members that Mrs. Lamb had an enlarged heart that could have caused an irregular heart-beat while she was sleeping. She was 46.
Mrs. Lamb was born May 22, 1954, in Kansas City to Thomas and Joyce Furnell Milazzo. She married Terry Lamb on Sept. 26, 1981, in Columbia, and was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
"Rose was a child of God," Mrs. Lamb's brother Chris Milazzo said. "She was known for her many acts of kindness and her love for our savior, Jesus Christ."
Mrs. Lamb received bachelor's degrees in recreation and accounting from MU and Columbia College. She was awarded the Outstanding Academic Scholarship for Accounting Majors in 1998. This award resulted in an accounting scholarship for evening students being named in her honor.
Mrs. Lamb's other brother recalled what a special person she was.
"She was the best sister a man could ever have," Tom Milazzo said. He said his family will never be the same without Mrs. Lamb. Milazzo said he knows that all the people who knew her would agree what a special person she was, and how she never gave up.
"I hope people will see that they really did lose a valuable person in this world," he said. "My sister had a bigger heart than life. She always gave and she always loved."
Visitation for Mrs. Lamb will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Edwin Cole, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs. Lamb is survived by her husband, Terry Lamb of Columbia; two brothers, Chris Milazzo of Moberly and Tom Milazzo of Columbia; and several nieces and nephews.
Her parents died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Rose Lamb Accounting Scholarship for Evening Students, Columbia Development Fund, 1001 Rogers, Columbia, Mo. 65216.
Juanita E. McCulloch
Juanita E. McCulloch of Columbia died Monday, July 10, 2000, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 76.
Mrs. McCulloch was born April 11, 1924, in DeSoto to Otto J. and Eva B. Frazier Michael. She married Claude McCulloch on Sept. 15, 1945, in St. Louis. Mrs. McCulloch was a member of VFW Auxiliary and Elks Auxiliary.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop W. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Her burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. McCulloch is survived by her husband, Claude McCulloch of Columbia; two sons, Martin McCulloch of New Franklin and Philip McCulloch of Joplin; two daughters, Cindy Weable of Columbia and Sue Schroeder of St. Louis; a sister, Marcella Morris of St. Louis; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A granddaughter died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 30638, Columbia, Mo. 65205.
Clara Ruth Burwell
Working in her kitchen, visiting with her neighbors and spending time with her family were the pleasures that Clara Ruth Burwell enjoyed the most.
Mrs. Burwell of Columbia died Sunday, July 9, 2000, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 61.
"She liked the holidays the best because they combined a lot of what she loved," said her son Mike Burwell. "She didn't care to travel and she wasn't interested in many activities, but she was a great friend to her neighbors and she loved to cook."
Burwell said that he didn't really have a favorite dish from his mother's kitchen - it was always good. It was also always experimental.
"She would try a little of this and a little of that and it seemed to always come out OK," Mike Burwell said. "My favorite was to sneak in on a breakfast. She would put together the works: bacon, eggs, toast, potatoes. I loved her breakfasts."
In all those years, she never had a disaster with her cooking, said her sister Wanda Nance. But it was hard for her to pass on recipes because there weren't any.
Even when she came to Nance's house to visit, Mrs. Burwell spent most of her time in the kitchen. It was the first room she would go to.
"If she didn't like what was being cooked, she would go to the store, get the ingredients and cook it herself," Nance said.
Mrs. Burwell also liked to take care of her neighbors.
"Anytime one of them was sick or a family member had died, she would feed the whole lot of them," Nance said. "She really liked to make banana bread. That was kind of her specialty to her neighbors."
Mrs. Burwell was born Nov. 7, 1938, in Oraville, Ill., to Joseph and Ruth Ripley Curry. She married Robert Burwell on Jan. 6, 1958, in Joliet, Ill.
Mrs. Burwell worked as a nursing assistant at Boone Hospital Center for more than 10 years. She retired in 1987. Before working for the hospital, her time was consumed with raising her family.
"Mom's primary concern was her family," Mike Burwell said. "She always made it a point to take care of us, even after our lives got really busy."
Nance said Mrs. Burwell's grandchildren could not have had a better grandmother.
"She always worried about her grandkids," Nance said. "If one of them had something another one didn't, she would find a way to get it to them."
Visitation for Mrs. Burwell will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home. Services, conducted by the Rev. Hubert Shaw, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Funeral Home. Mrs. Burwell will be buried at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Burwell is survived by three sisters, Wanda Nance of Montgomery City, Donna Kerr of Phoenix, and Joyce Ellis of New Lenox, Ill.; two brothers, Warren Holt and Robert Holt, both of Murphysboro, Ill; three sons, Robert Michael Burwell, Kenneth Mark Burwell and Kyle David Burwell, all of Columbia; two daughters, Ruth Alene Burwell of Franklin and Patricia Ann Runkle of Sturgeon; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Her husband, five brothers, two sisters and one granddaughter died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Lung Association, 1118 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63139-3196.
Louise Brown
Louise Tessler Brown of Hartsburg died Sunday, July 9, 2000, at University Hospital in Columbia. She was 89.
Mrs. Brown was born July 12, 1910, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Morris Kirtz and Ethyl Berkowitz Kirtz. In 1937, she married Sidney Tessler. After his death, she married Harry Brown in 1965. Mrs. Brown worked as a legal secretary.
Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Todd Homestead Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio.
Mrs. Brown is survived by a daughter, Katy Braun-Scott of Hartsburg; a son, Mark Tessler of Tucson, Ariz.; and three grandchildren.
Her two husbands, a brother and two sisters died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to South Hampton Place, 4700 Brandon Woods, Columbia, Mo. 65203 or the charity of the donor's choice.
Jack Robert Kacena
When Jack Kacena was a young boy, his father insisted that he take piano lessons. He grumbled about it at first, but by high school, he was paying for his lessons out of his own pocket.
"He played piano, guitar, banjo, recorder, and harmonica," said Jane Kacena Bledsoe, his sister. "He taught himself all of those but the piano. And he was good, too."
Jack Robert Kacena of Columbia died Saturday, July 8, 2000, at University Hospital. He was 53. The medical examiner has not yet released the cause of death.
Mr. Kacena was born on July 15, 1946, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Charles W. and Arlene Kacena. He was a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where he majored in history. He worked as a musician throughout his life.
"History and music - those are what made him happiest," Bledsoe said. "He loved bluegrass music the best, but he played other things. Our great-grandmother was named Daisy and he learned to play 'Bicycle Built for Two' for her."
Mr. Kacena will be cremated. There will be no services.
"He loved to water ski," Bledsoe said. "That was his favorite thing to do. So if I ever get back to Tennessee, I'll scatter his ashes in the water."
Mr. Kacena is survived by his mother, Arlene Kacena Smith of Wickenberg, Ariz.; one sister, Jane Kacena Bledsoe of Clark; four brothers, James Kacena of Atlanta, Jay Kacena of Columbia, Jon Kacena of Springfield, Mo., and Jeff Kacena of Kingwood, Texas; one niece; three nephews; one great-niece; and two great-nephews.
His father died earlier.
Inquiries can be directed to Mr. Kacena's sister at (573) 687-3094.
Donations may be made in his memory to the Phoenix House at 607 S. Fifth St, Columbia, Mo., 65201.
Finis 'Perk' Perkins
Finis "Perk" Perkins of Columbia died Saturday, July 8, 2000, at Boone Hospital Center. He was 69.
Mr. Perkins was born on Aug. 15, 1930, to Allen and Pearl Turner Perkins. In 1949, he married Twyla Smith. He devoted 43 years of his life to raising and running beagles for field trials.
Graveside services, conducted by the Rev. Emmet Calvert, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Friendship Cemetery in Hallsville, under the direction of the Nilson Funeral Home.
Mr. Perkins is survived by his wife, Twyla Perkins of Columbia; one daughter, Linda Diemert of Columbia; one granddaughter, one great-granddaughter, and several nieces and nephews.
Joyce Richardson
Joyce Richardson was happiest in her garden, tending her flowers.
"She was really an outside person," said her son, Rick Richardson. "She loved her flowers."
Joyce Faye Richardson of Hartsburg died Saturday, July 8, 2000, at Boone Hospital Center, after a long battle with lung cancer. She was 58.
Mrs. Richardson was born July 23, 1941, in Callaway County to Frank and Helen Wilson Nichols. She married Roy Richardson on Sept. 25, 1960, in New Bloomfield and dedicated her life to raising her family. She was a member of the Hope Well Baptist Church in New Bloomfield.
"She took care of everyone," Rick Richardson said. "She was a terrific person."
Visitation for Mrs. Richardson will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Robinson Funeral Home, 601 N. Henry Clay Blvd., Ashland. Services, conducted by the Rev. Rick Hopkins, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Robinson Funeral Home. Burial will be at New Salem Cemetery in Ashland.
Mrs. Richardson is survived by her mother, Helen Nichols of New Bloomfield; her husband, Roy Richardson of Hartsburg; one son, Rick Richardson of Hartsburg; and one grandson.
Her father died earlier.
Memorial contributions may be made to New Salem Cemetery in Ashland.
Carroll G. Sanders
Carroll Gene Sanders of Columbia died Thursday, July 6, 2000, near Laplata in an automobile accident. He was 64.
Mr. Sanders was born on July 1, 1936, in Columbia to Charles Turner and Beulah Mae Sapp Sanders. He married Beverly Marie Gohlson May 31, 1958, in Columbia.
Mr. Sanders attended the First Assembly of God Church.
He was a self-employed courier. He enjoyed gardening, and he owned and operated several gas stations in the area during his life. He had also served in the Navy.
Visitation for Mr. Sanders will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Parker Funeral Service, 22 N. Tenth St. A graveside service, conducted by the Rev. Charles Parker, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Oakland Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to First Assembly of God Church, 1100 N. Seventh St., Columbia, Mo. 65201.
Mr. Sanders is survived by his wife, Beverly, of Columbia; his mother, Beulah Mae Sanders of Columbia; two daughters: Brenda Lee Thorton of Columbia and Penney Jo Harrington of Columbia; three sons, Charles Ernest Sanders of Long Beach, Calif., Curtis Dale Sanders of Columbia and Howard Gene Sanders of Columbia; and one sister, Melva Jo Sanders of Columbia.
Alma Agnes Bennett
Alma Agnes Bennett died Friday, July 7, 2000, in Coffeyville, Kan. She was 89.
Miss Bennett was born Aug. 13, 1910, in Cook County, Texas, but later moved to Caney, Kan., where she attended elementary and secondary school.
She graduated from Caney High School and worked in the town's library until she went to Emporia State University, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in library science. In 1941 she became an extension librarian at Emporia State.
Miss Bennett eventually moved to Columbia where she was appointed social science librarian at Ellis Library in 1947.
When the library reorganized, she became head of the social science department, which included government documents and the education, geography, history and philosophy libraries.
"She was a very intelligent, very capable person, and she did a wonderful job as head of social sciences at the university," said Midge Pinkerton, who met Miss Bennett while she attended library school at MU.
"She was a great reader and a very dear friend," Pinkerton said. "She was almost like a member of our family."
She retired from MU in 1975, but remained active as an ordained elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia. She was also a member of the American Library Association, Kappa Delta Pi and the PEO Sisterhood. Pinkerton said Miss Bennett also loved to travel.
"She'd been to Greece, England, Scotland-all over Europe," she said. "I went with her to the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico through our church."
Miss Bennett moved to Coffeyville a few years ago to be near her niece, Mary Catherine Bookter, though she kept her membership at the Presbyterian church in Columbia.
There will be a graveside service Monday in Caney, Kan.
She is survived by her niece.
