David Kelly
David Kelly, formerly of Columbia, died Monday, May 7, 2001, in Kansas City. He was 36.
Mr. Kelly was born on Jan. 20, 1965, in Galesburg, Ill., to Ronald and Rose Etta Darland Kelly. He graduated from Hickman High School in 1982 and received a bachelor's degree in Russian studies from MU in 1992.
Mr. Kelly's mother said he was an avid traveler who had traveled through Europe and Russia and attended Moscow State University.
Mr. Kelly enjoyed being outdoors. His mother said he liked to bicycle, hunt, fish and "explore the caves in Missouri."
Mr. Kelly also served with the U.S. Army Reserves for 16 years.
"David loved his family and everyone loved him," his mother said. "He's got a lot of friends in Columbia."
A graveside service will be held for Mr. Kelly at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park Cemetery, 1217 Business Loop 70. Msgr.Michael Flanagan will officiate.
Mr. Kelly is survived by his parents; two sisters, Angela Kelly of Ossining, N.Y., and Stephanie Kelly of Columbia; and a grandmother, Dorothy Kelly of Williamsfield, Ill.
A brother died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the charity of the donor's choice.
Blanche Ranz
Blanche Ranz of Columbia died Tuesday, May 8, 2001, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 95.
Mrs. Ranz was a very thoughtful person who loved to send cards to people, said her daughter, Norma Nyberg.
Mrs. Ranz was a member of Bethany Baptist Church for 42 years and enjoyed reading her Bible. She also liked to crochet and quilt.
Mrs. Ranz was born Nov. 28, 1905, near Sapp, to William Henderson and Ina Crane Grooms.
She was born and raised on a farm and continued to work on the farm after marrying Jim C. Ranz on Dec. 15, 1926, in Columbia. He died in 1953.
After his death, Mrs. Ranz moved to Columbia, where she worked at Stephens College. After this, she worked for several years at MFA Insurance Company.
Visitation for Mrs. Ranz will be from 10 to 11 a.m. today at Parker Funeral Service, 22 N. Tenth St. Services, conducted by the Rev. Fred Neiger, will follow at 11 a.m. at Parker Funeral Service.
Mrs. Ranz is survived by two daughters, Norma Nyberg of Columbia and Rachael Walton of Houston, Texas; one grandson, Jimmy Walton; and two sons-in-law, Ivan Nyberg of Columbia and D. Leon Walton of Houston.
One brother died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the Gideons International, P.O. Box 7108, Columbia, Mo., 65205.
Cranston Van Buren
Services for Cranston D. Van Buren Sr. will be at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, 501 Park Ave.
"Cranston was a person with many talents. He played the drums with many of the local bands, was a great joke teller, excellent dancer and loved to fish," said his sister-in-law Wynna Elbert.
Mr. Van Buren, of Columbia, died Monday. He was 51.
Roger A. Whitesides
Roger A. Whitesides of Columbia died Monday, May 7, 2001, at Boone Retirement Center. He was 94.
Mr. Whitesides was born Nov. 20, 1906, in Columbia to John and Nora McBaine Whitesides.
He served in the Navy in the South Pacific during World War II. He was awarded two Bronze Stars.
He married Dorothy Richey on Aug. 28, 1962, in Payson, Ill. He worked for Pepsi-Cola Co. for 26 years before retiring in 1972. He was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, the American Legion and the Navy Club.
Visitation for Mr. Whitesides will be from 1 to 2 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 West. Services, conducted by the Rev. Al Oetman, will be at 2 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Mr. Whitesides is survived by his sister, Helen Awe of Paradise, Calif., and several nieces and nephews.
His wife died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Diabetes Association, 1316 Parkade Blvd., Columbia, Mo. 65202.
Willard Nichols Jr.
Willard Melvin Nichols Jr. of Columbia died Saturday, May 5, 2001. He was 77.
Mr. Nichols served with the United States Army 87th Infantry during World War II. He served in Africa and Italy at the same time that Patton was there. Mr. Nichols was awarded two purple hearts, a silver star, a bronze star and an oak leaf cluster for his service in the war.
Mr. Nichols was born March 29, 1924, in Columbia to Willard M. Nichols Sr. and Virginia K. Pauley Nichols. On Oct. 16, 1945, he married Leona M. Perkins in Jefferson City.
"He loved his kids," said his wife Leona Nichols. "Anybody that needed help, he would help out," she said. "When the eldest son, James, was going to get married, he wasn't very well off financially." She said Mr. Nichols told his son's fianc�e, "You have to have a ring to get married."
"So he bought her a ring, and she still has it," said Mrs. Nichols.
He worked for Ameren UE, formerly Union Electric and Missouri Utilities, for 38 years.
Services, conducted by the Rev. Bart Larson, will be at 2 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W.
Mr. Nichols is survived by his wife of Columbia; six sons, James M. Nichols of Millersburg, Gerald Nichols of Centralia, William Nichols, Charles Nichols, Jeffrey Nichols and Virgil Nichols, all of Columbia; a sister, Juanita McHugh of New Jersey; 20 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
A daughter, Diana Lynn Nichols, three brothers, and four sisters died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Diabetes Association, 1316 Parkade Blvd., Columbia, MO 65202.
Cranston Van Buren Sr.
Cranston Van Buren Sr. of Columbia died Monday, May 7, 2001, at University Hospital and Clinics. He was 51.
An Air Force veteran, Mr. Van Buren was born April 26, 1950, in Saline county to Howard Williams and M. Charlene Broadway.
Private services will be held at a later date under the direction of Nilson Funeral Home in Columbia.
Mr. Van Buren is survived by three sons, Cranston D. Van Buren of Lee's Summit, Craymond Ayers and David Ayers of Columbus, Ohio; his father, Howard Williams of Des Moines, Iowa; his mother, M. Charlene Broadway of Marshall; his stepfather, Donnell Broadway of Marshall; three brothers, Donald Connor and Harold Connor, both of Columbia, and Keith Williams of Des Moines, Iowa; three sisters, Flame L. Cotton of Fayetteville, N.C., and Debra Williams and Denise Williams, both of Des Moines, Iowa; two aunts, Emma Brame and Betty Van Buren, both of Kansas City, Kan.; two uncles, William J. Van Buren of Rex, Ga., and Elmer Van Buren of Marshall; six grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Manuel Navarro
Manuel Ignacio Navarro of Columbia died Friday, May 4, 2001, at his home. He was 72.
Dr. Navarro was born Nov. 16, 1928, in Granada, Nicaragua, to Atanasio and Luisa Martinez Navarro. He graduated from the University of Nicaragua in 1957. He then studied and worked in Europe before completing a fellowship in neuroradiology at Masonic Hospital in Chicago.
In 1969, Dr. Navarro joined the medical staff at University Hospital. He served as an assistant professor in the School of Medicine and as head of the department of radiology until retiring in 1984.
Services, conducted by the Rev. David Veit, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, 903 Bernadette Drive. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Dr. Navarro is survived by his wife, Zeneyda Navarro of Columbia; three sons, Manuel Navarro of Columbia, Henry Navarro of San Francisco and Daniel Navarro of Chicago; three sisters and two brothers.
Memorials may be sent to the American Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1250 Hyland Blvd., Suite 4B, Staten Island, NY 10305 or the American Cancer Society, 33 E. Broadway, Suite 100, Columbia, Mo. 65203.
Max Allen Volkart
Max Allen Volkart of Columbia died Friday, May 4, 2001, in a car crash. He was 25.
Mr. Volkart, a diesel mechanic, worked at Columbia Freightliner and Midwest Kenworth. He also worked as a race car mechanic. Family members said he had many hobbies.
"He was a hardworking individual," his friend David Stayton said. "He used to show horses all over the U.S."
Mr. Volkart was born May 27, 1975, in Jefferson City. He grew up on a farm in Eugene and graduated from Linn Tech University in 1994. He moved to Columbia about four years ago to pursue his passion for diesel mechanics. His brother, Harold Volkart, said he was very active.
"He made the best of every day," Harold Volkart said. "He didn't wait around for things to happen - he made them happen."
Mr. Volkart was also a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Honey Creek.
His friend, Ryan Sommerer, also died in the crash. The two attended high school together.
"They were best friends," Harold Volkart said.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Bowlin-Cantriel Funeral Services in California, Mo. Services, conducted by the Rev. Greg Morrow, will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church, also in California. Burial will be in Flag Spring Cemetery, which is southwest of California.
Mr. Volkart is survived by his parents, Truman and Deborah Volkart of Tipton, Mo., and Judy and Edwin Ehrhardt of Jefferson City; brother, Harold T. Volkart Jr. of Tipton, Mo.; half-sister, MaDonna Duncan of Jefferson City; two stepsisters, LuShawna Martens of San Diego, Calif., and Lynnea Hufendiek of California, Mo.; grandfather, William F. Miller of Jamestown; and eight nieces and nephews.
His paternal grandparents, Christopher and Minnie Bolinger Volkart; and his maternal grandmother, Helen Mae Miller, died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Flag Spring Cemetery Fund, c/o Bill Allee, 33554 Highway F, California, Mo. 65018.
Harold L. Gordon Jr.
Harold L. Gordon Jr. of Columbia died Wednesday, May 2, 2001, at Boone Hospital Center of a stroke. He was 42.
Mr. Gordon was born Aug. 27, 1958, in Columbia to Harold L. Gordon Sr. and Barbara Williams Gordon. He graduated from Hickman High School and played football for the Kewpies. Mr. Gordon owned R. B. Maintenance and worked as handyman for about 10 years.
Mr. Gordon's boots and wallet personified him, his daughter Bethany Gordon said. "He lived in his boots - he was a boot man," she said. Mr. Gordon always wore his wallet on his belt and never took it off unless he was relaxing at home, his daughter said. When he wasn't working, Mr. Gordon liked to fish and do puzzles.
"Jigsaw puzzles were his main thing," Bethany Gordon said. "He would spend hours on them."
Mr. Gordon also loved country music and was a fan of Garth Brooks.
Visitation for Mr. Gordon was held Friday at Warren Funeral Chapel. Graveside services, conducted by the Rev. Rick Cheek, were held Saturday at Columbia Cemetery.
Mr. Gordon is survived by two sons, Harold L. Gordon III and Shawn M. Gordon, both of Columbia; one daughter, Bethany M. Gordon of Columbia; his parents, Harold L. Gordon Sr. and Barbara Gordon of Columbia; his stepmother, Melba Gordon of Columbia; three brothers, Timothy Gordon of Los Angeles, Robert R. Gordon and Jeffrey T. Gordon, both of Columbia; a stepbrother, Keith Kelly of Columbia; a stepsister, Carla Kelly of Columbia; his grandfather, Eugene Gordon of Kansas City; and his stepgrandmother, Alton Gordon of Kansas City.
Alice Marie Nichols
Alice Marie Nichols of Columbia died Friday, May 4, 2001, at the Williamsburg in Columbia. She was 85.
Mrs. Nichols was born June 25, 1915, in Caruthersville to George H. and Shirley Roullett. On Dec. 25, 1939, she married George J. Nichols in Boone County. When she was 57, Mrs. Nichols went to beauty school to become a hairdresser. She opened her own salon, Nichols Beauty Salon, in her home in rural Boone County. She worked there until her retirement in 1979.
Mrs. Nichols later lived in Oak Towers, where she was a member of the square dancing club and danced about twice a week.
"She loved square dancing," said her daughter, Shirley Glaser. "It kept her young." Mrs. Nichols also enjoyed ceramics and playing pool. She won several trophies in pool tournaments.
"She just really had an active life," Glaser said.
Mrs. Nichols was a member of Wilkes Boulevard United Methodist Church. Private services were held Saturday at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Nichols is survived by a daughter, Shirley Frances Glaser of Holts Summit; a brother, Lloyd Roullett of Ashland; a sister, Frances Stidham of Columbia; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Her husband, a daughter and five brothers died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the Ronald McDonald House, 1001 Stadium Road, Columbia, Mo. 65201.
Owen C. Nichols
Owen Clifton Nichols of Ashland died Friday, May 4, 2001, at Ellett Memorial Hospital in Appleton City. He was 81.
Mr. Nichols was born Nov. 11, 1919, in Ashland to Owen C. Nichols Sr. and Millie Pauley Nichols.
Mr. Nichols served in the U.S. Army during World War II. When he returned from the war, Mr. Nichols married Maurine Walker on Feb. 22, 1948.
Mr. Nichols, who attended Ashland High School, lived in Columbia for most of his life before returning to Ashland in 1994. He moved to Appleton City in December. Mr. Nichols worked for Paul Watkins Roofing Co. in Columbia until his retirement. He was also a member of the Pape Christian Church.
Visitation for Mr. Nichols will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Monday at Robinson Funeral Home, 601 N. Henry Clay Blvd. in Ashland. Services, conducted by Elder Wallace Johnson, will follow at 1:30 p.m. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, 1217 Business Loop 70 W.
Mr. Nichols is survived by his son, Michael C. Nichols of Columbia; one daughter, Marilyn Miller of Appleton City; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
His wife and three sisters died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the Evelyn Laney Hospice of St. Clair County, P.O. Box 154, Appleton City, Mo. 64724, or through the funeral home.
Dorothy Parker
Dorothy May Ganaway Parker of Armstrong died Thursday, May 3, 2001, at Columbia Regional Hospital. She was 73.
Visitation for Ms. Parker will be at 1 p.m. today at the Armstrong Community Center in Armstrong. Services at 2 p.m. will be followed by burial at Roanoke Cemetery in Roanoke.
Ms. Parker is survived by three daughters, Ollie Craig of Columbia, Arletha Parker of Armstrong and Eva Fehrensen of Apache Junction, Ariz.; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Her husband and five brothers died earlier.
