Frances Gertrude Minnick
Frances Gertrude Minnick had music in her blood. She was 3 years old when she sang in her church choir. At age 12, she played the church organ. Music was so important to Mrs. Minnick that after she married her husband, Oley Price Minnick Sr., on Aug. 29, 1926, in Camden, the first piece of furniture they bought was a $100 piano.
Mrs. Minnick spread her love for music to those close to her, in every way she could.
"As children, we never took a nap without my mother playing the piano and singing to us," said her daughter, Gertrude Combs.
Bedtimes were not the only times for music. Mrs. Minnick often wrapped her babies in dishcloths and cradled them while she played the piano. The music enthusiast died Friday, April 2, 1999, at her home in Columbia. She was 95.
Mrs. Minnick was born Aug. 2, 1903, in Burlington Junction to John Simon and Mary May Heflin Bollinger. She was a graduate of the Shenandoah (Iowa) High School and attended Oklahoma Baptist University to study piano and voice. She was a first-grade teacher in Camden, and she later taught piano and voice in Independence. She was also a member of the Broadway Christian Church in Columbia.
Services for Mrs. Minnick, conducted by the Revs. Rick Frost and Kim Ryan, will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Parker Funeral Service, 22 N. Tenth St. Visitation will be held one hour before the service.
Mrs. Minnick is survived by her daughter, Gertrude Combs of Columbia; two sons, Oley P. "Bud" Minnick Jr. of Columbia and Sidney A. Minnick of St. Louis; eight grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Her husband, two sisters and a brother died earlier. Memorials may be sent to Salvation Army, 1108 W. Ash St. or Broadway Christian Church, Music Program, 2601 W. Broadway.
Francis Garland Russell
Francis Garland Russell of Columbia died Friday, Apr. 2, 1999, at Lenoir Health Care Center. He was 95.
Mr. Russell lived on the farm that has been in his family for many generations. His son, Francis Garland Russell Jr., remembers his father fondly.
"He was 95 years old, he had a good life, he was successful and accomplished what he wanted to do," he said.
His son remembers a man who loved the land and spent much of his time working on his farm. He recalls a phrase his father sometimes used, "Farming is more exercise than golf and more chance than gambling." Mr. Russell was born Sept. 30, 1903, near Columbia to Francis Hayden and Alice Withers Russell. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Agriculture in 1924. Soon after graduating, he was hired by Swift and Co., then a leader in the meat-packing industry. In 1929, he married Emily B. Joslyn of Charleston, Mo.
He worked for Swift and Co. for more than 40 years but finally returned to his farmland to raise livestock, wheat, beans and corn.
"It was a style of life he had grown up with," his son said.
Beyond the lives he has touched, the most enduring mark Mr. Russell has left behind is his land. He wanted to donate 100 acres of wooded property to Fairview Park, a city recreation area that lies adjacent to his farm.
"He wanted to do something for the community and the people," his son said. "He wanted to let them enjoy it as he did.
Mr. Russell is survived by his son, Francis Russell Jr. of Columbia; and a grandson, Francis Leland Russell of Austin, Texas. Services are pending. Memorials may be sent to the Boone County Historical Society, 3801 Ponderosa Drive, Columbia, Mo. 65203.
William J. March
William Joseph March of Columbia died Saturday, April 3, 1999, at Boone Hospital Center. He was 60.
Mr. March was born Feb. 16, 1939, in Fulton to John Joseph March and Opal M. Tucker March. He married Susie Knipmeyer on April 20, 1957, in Kansas City.
Mr. March served with the Army Reserves and was employed as an ironworker with Local 396. He was an avid fisherman and hunter. He also loved Missouri Tiger football and was a strong supporter of the Fulton Athletic Booster Club.
Visitation for Mr. March will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Maupin Funeral Home, 301 Douglas in Fulton, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Services, conducted by Father William Korte, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 700 Route Z in Fulton.
Mr. March is survived by his wife, Susie; two sons, Mike and Jim March, both of Columbia; one daughter, Wendy Collier of Atlanta; two brothers, Fred and Charlie March, both of Fulton; six grandchildren; two nieces; and two nephews.
Russell W. Knehans Sr.
Russell W. "Russ" Knehans Sr. of Columbia died of natural causes Saturday, April 3, 1999, at the Boone Retirement Center. He was 57.
Mr. Knehans was born May 31, 1941, in Union, Mo., to Erving and Emma Peters Knehans. He married Mary Morris on Feb. 22, 1986, in Columbia. Mr. Knehans was a security guard for the Pinkerton Agency and worked at Shelter Insurance Co.
Visitation for Mr. Knehans will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today at Parker Funeral Service, 22 N. Tenth Street. Services, conducted by the Rev. James Cunningham, will follow.
Mr. Knehans is survived by his wife, Mary Knehans of Columbia; two daughters, Melissa K. Baxter of Fulton and Dawn A. Woods of Holts Summit; one son, Rusty Knehans of Holts Summit; two step-sons, James Clark of Huntsville, Ala. and Jason Clark of Columbia; and six grandchildren.
Memorials may be given to Boone Retirement Center Hospice at 1621 Anthony, Columbia, Mo. 65201.
Donald Carruth
Donald Carruth of Columbia died Thursday, April 1, 1999, at The Williamsburg. He was 83.
Mr. Carruth was born Feb. 6, 1916, in Columbia to Richard and Mattie Jenkins Carruth. He married Faye E. Walls on April 8, 1945, in Columbia.
Mr. Carruth was a retiree of SEMCO Manufacturing in Columbia. Hearing-disabled since birth, he attended the Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton. He also was active in the deaf ministry at Memorial Baptist Church.
Allene Harmon, who had known Mr. Carruth since he was a child, interpreted Sunday school classes for him and other deaf ministry participants.
"All I can say is he was a very nice person," Harmon said. "He was always happy and smiling."
The Rev. Robert Webb supported this view of Mr. Carruth.
"He was a very upbeat person and enjoyable to be around," Webb said. "He had a strong faith and was well-liked by everyone."
Visitation and services for Mr. Carruth was Saturday at Memorial Funeral Home.
Mr. Carruth is survived by one sister, Betty Watson of Columbia.
His wife, four brothers and one sister died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Memorial Baptist Church, 1634 Paris Road, Columbia, Mo., 65201.
Joe Crane
Joe Crane of Columbia died Thursday, April 1, 1999, at Truman Veterans Hospital. He was 80.
Mr. Crane was born Jan. 8, 1919, in Boone County to J.O. "Ove" and Maggie Easley Crane. In 1943, he married Marjorie Stiles.
Mr. Crane served in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Honda, Texas, during World War II. He also owned and ran Joe's Cafe in downtown Columbia for more than 40 years.
Services, conducted by the Rev. Kevin Collins, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Nashville Baptist Church, Route N Nashville Church Road in Ashland. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.
Mr. Crane is survived by his wife, one son and one grandson.
Memorials may be sent to Nashville Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 335 W. Nashville Church Road, Ashland, Mo., 65010.
Judith Klapper
Judith Klapper spun a colorful yarn around those she loved.
Columbia wife, mother, grandmother and knitter extraordinaire died Wednesday, March 31, 1999, at Boone Hospital Center. She was 68.
Friends and family will remember Mrs. Klapper's devotion to family, her fantastic baking and her unmatched prowess with the knitting needle.
"Knitting was her life," said her husband, Melvin Klapper.
Friends in the Afternoon Knitters Club agree.
"Anyone that knits that well is an artist," said Jean Shaneberger, friend and fellow knitter. "All that she made is left behind, and it all leaves a sense of her."
Mrs. Klapper came from a strong tradition that influenced everything she did. Her mother, whose name is inscribed on a plaque at Ellis Island, came to America in the early 20th century from Eastern Europe.
Mrs. Klapper brought her Jewish heritage into the delicacies she baked and the fabrics she created. Before her death, she made the tallit (a fringed prayer shawl worn by men) for her oldest grandson's bar mitzvah next March.
Mrs. Klapper was born March 10, 1931, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Charles and Clara Gersch. She married Melvin Klapper on Dec. 17, 1950.
She moved to Columbia in 1989 and volunteered at Boone Hospital Center from 1992 until 1997.
"My wife was a wonderful woman," Melvin Klapper said. "I say that not because she passed away but because I had 48 wonderful years with her."
Services, conducted by the Rev. Dick Millspaugh, will be at 1 p.m. today at Nilson Funeral Home, 5611 St. Charles Road.
Mrs. Klapper is survived by her husband; two daughters, Robin Ward and Mindi Berchman, both of Columbia; one son, Jeffrey Klapper of Long Island, N.Y.; and five grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the American Lung Association, 1118 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, Mo., 63139-3196; the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 30638, Columbia, Mo., 65205; or to the charity of the donor's choice.
Freda Schultz
Freda Augusta Bertha Schultz of Columbia died Tuesday, March 30, 1999, at Columbia Regional Hospital. She was 89.
Mrs. Schultz was born Oct. 18, 1909, in Ash Grove, Ill., to John and Emily Kogler Casper. She married Donald E. Schultz on Dec. 17, 1927. Mrs. Schultz moved from St. Louis to Columbia 30 years ago. She was a member of Fairview United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Mrs. Schultz is survived by four grandchildren, Patty Alfermann of Columbia, Ann Schultz of Kirkwood, Mark Scultz of Sturgeon, and Mike Schultz of Wellington, Fla.
Her husband, two sisters and two sons died earlier.
William O. White
William O. White Sr. of Middletown died Tuesday, March 23, 1999, at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. He was 62.
Mr. White served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as an engineer. He was a retired custom carpenter and member of the Carpenters District Council Local 1596.
Mr. White was born March 19, 1937, in Tupper Lake, N.Y., to Lester and Theresa Cole White. In 1983, he married Kathy S. DeWitte in St. Louis.
Services will be set at a later date. Mr. White is survived by his wife; two brothers, Lester and David White and two sisters, Diane White and Janis Eggsware, all of Tupper Lake, N.Y.; three daughters, Theresa Hubbard of St. Charles, Tonia White of Warrenton, and Tosha White of St. Louis; and several grandchildren.
Ada P. Botner
Ada P. Botner of Columbia died Monday, April 5, 1999, at South Hampton Place. She was 96.
Mrs. Botner was born Aug. 13, 1902, in Boone County to Emmett and Rena Via Wade. She married Stanley L. Botner in Boone County on Dec. 8, 1921. She was a member of Dripping Spring Christian Church.
Visitation for Mrs. Botner will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 West. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, and burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Botner is survived by one daughter, Grace Butler of Columbia; one sister, Ora Wade Squires of Evansville, Ind.; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a longtime friend, Roy F. Smith of Columbia.
Memorials may be sent to Dripping Spring Christian Church, 2701 W. Dripping Springs Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65202.
Viola Ruth Holland
Viola Ruth Holland was a brave and likable girl who liked everyone she met, despite the hardships she endured.
"She was one of those rare individuals who knew the meaning of unconditional love, and she will be deeply missed," said her father, Dan E. Holland. "She was probably the most loving kid you'd ever want to meet."
Miss Holland of Columbia died Saturday, April 3, 1999, at University Hospital from complications related to kidney failure. She was 15.
She was born Dec. 15, 1983. Dan E. Holland and Barbara Friskey took Miss Holland in as a foster child when she was seven. They adopted her in June 1998.
"She loved music, especially old rock and roll, and she loved playing with her sister," her father said.
She was a student at the Delmar Cobble State School for the Severely Handicapped.
"She was persistent, optimistic and a good communicator," said one of her teachers, Nancy Borengasser. "She was a social butterfly who lit up a room, and most everyone was her friend."
Borengasser said her favorite part of school was participating in group activities with the other kids.
"Her last day at school she worked at filling plastic Easter eggs for the younger kids even though she didn't feel well," she said.
Miss Holland was born with a genetic disorder and used a wheelchair most of her life, but "she didn't feel sorry for herself because she was handicapped, and she made those around her feel good," her father said.
She was on dialysis for about 10 to 12 hours a day for the past 18 months. She was hospitalized for several days before her death. Her father said Miss Holland endured painful procedures while hospitalized, but she would not let it get to her.
"She was tolerant and forgiving and never complained about the pain. She was a brave kid, always smiling and cheerful," Holland said. "Her death will leave a big hole in our lives. She will be missed by a multitude of friends, family and teachers."
Visitation for Miss Holland will be from 3 to 5 p.m. today at Nilson Funeral Home, 5611 St. Charles Road. Services, conducted by the Rev. Joe Hendren, will immediately follow visitation. She will be buried at Sulphur Springs Cemetery.
Miss Holland is survived by her parents, Dan E. Holland and Barbara Friskey of Columbia; one brother, Scott Holland of Denver, Colo.; two sisters, Maggie Holland of Columbia and Jackie Holland of Carbondale, Kan.; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Friskey of Pinehurst, N.C.; paternal grandparents, Rose and Floyd Holland of Lawrence, Kan.; one great grandmother, Clara Gregory of Salem; and three aunts and three uncles, Jerry and Judy Holland, Gary and Carol Oneslager of Lawrence, Kan., and Brad and Sarah Luecke of Columbia.
Memorials may be sent to the Holland Family, c/o Nilson Funeral Home, 5611 St. Charles Road, Columbia, Mo. 65202.
Beverly Pfremmer
After a 39-month-long battle, lung cancer claimed Beverly Sharon Pfremmer's life, but she never let the disease keep her from living, her family said.
Mrs. Pfremmer of Columbia died Saturday, April 3, 1999, at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center in Columbia. She was 56.
She was a tough, friendly woman who always had a smile on her face and never gave up, said her husband, Ralph Pfremmer.
"We were married 17 years," Ralph Pfremmer said. "All of them were very happy."
Even in the middle of her struggle, Mrs. Pfremmer still did her own cooking and kept up with the housework while carrying around an oxygen machine, her husband said.
When she was in the hospital, Mrs. Pfremmer's doctors were amazed at her perseverance, her husband said.
"The doctors couldn't believe she was still up and around," he said.
Mrs. Pfremmer was born April 19, 1942, in Meta, Mo. to Leonard William and Inez Maria Grosvenor Barnhart.
She married Ralph Pfremmer on Feb. 17, 1983, in Newkirk, Okla. Mrs. Pfremmer attended public school in Jefferson City and went to Lincoln University. She was a member of the Methodist Church in Columbia and was a housewife and homemaker who loved to work in the garden.
Visitation for Mrs. Pfremmer will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Buescher Memorial Home, 429 E. Capitol Ave. in Jefferson City. Services, conducted by the Rev. Paul Scheperle, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Buescher Memorial Home. Burial will be at the Riverview Cemetery, 2600 W. Main St. in Jefferson City.
Mrs. Pfremmer is survived by her mother, Inez Maria Grosvenor Barnhart of Jefferson City; one son, Curtis Bowman of Jefferson City; two daughters, Lisa Zielke of St. Clair and Jennifer Zitzmann of St. Louis; four stepchildren; and three grandchildren.
Her father died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, One Broadway, Columbia, Mo. 65203.
William R. Deatz
William Ross Deatz of Columbia died Sunday, April 3, 1999, at Boone Hospital Center. He was 83.
A graduate of the St. Louis University School of Dentistry, Dr. Deatz had a private dental office in Columbia. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant colonel.
Dr. Deatz was born on December 30, 1915, in Rock Port to George Robert and Gladys Such Strickland Deatz. He married Marjorie Berry on July 5, 1943, and she died in 1987.
Services will be conducted by the Rev. Sally Bailey at 3:00 p.m. today at the Columbia Cemetery, 30 E. Broadway.
He is survived by a son, George Deatz of Springfield; two daughters, Judith Deatz Manlove of Columbia and Gloria Deatz Banning of Armstrong; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
His sister Mary died earlier.
Memorials can be sent to Calvary Episcopal Church, 1235 Ninth Street, Columbia, Mo., 65201 or the Salvation Army, 1108 W. Ash, Columbia, Mo., 65201.
James F. Davidson
James Franklin Davidson of Osage Beach died Monday, April 5, 1999, at Osage Beach Care Center. He was 86.
Mr. Davidson was a farmer near Hannibal and the owner of a farm implement company in Monroe City. He was a member of the Commerce Bank Board of Directors in Hannibal for many years and was the first president of the Hannibal High School Booster Club.
Mr. Davidson attended the University of Missouri, where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He lettered in football in 1933, playing in eight games as a running back.
Mr. Davidson was born Feb. 16, 1913, in Mercer, N.D., to John Helm Davidson and Nita Kabler Davidson. He married Helen Melker on June 27, 1933; she died earlier.
Services for Mr. Davidson will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 8, at Smith Funeral Home in Hannibal. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Hannibal.
Mr. Davidson is survived by two sons, Charles Melker Davidson of Monroe City and James Franklin Davidson III of Osage Beach; one daughter, Mary Helm Jones of Chesterfield; one brother, John Helm Davidson Jr. of Hannibal; two sisters, Mary Faurot and Rose Fore, both of Columbia; and 16 grandchildren.
Freda Schultz
Freda Augusta Bertha Schultz of Columbia died Tuesday, March 30, 1999, at Columbia Regional Hospital. She was 89.
Mrs. Schultz was born Oct. 18, 1909, in Ash Grove, Ill., to John and Emily Kogler Casper. She married Donald E. Schultz on Dec. 17, 1927. He died earlier.
Mrs. Schultz moved from St. Louis to Columbia 30 years ago after the death of her husband. She was a member of the Fairview United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.
Visitation for Mrs. Schultz will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Fairview United Methodist Church, 3200 Chapel Hill Road. Services will follow.
Mrs. Schultz is survived by two granddaughters, Patty Alfermann of Columbia and Ann Schultz of Kirkwood; two grandsons, Mark Schultz of Sturgeon and Mike Schultz of Wellington, Fla.; and four great-grandchildren.
Her husband, two sisters and two sons died earlier.
G. Thomas Homan
G. Thomas Homan loved his work.
He was in the heating and air conditioning business for almost 40 years and had a lot of knowledge to impart to those he worked with.
"He was like a second father to me," said Mr. Homan's co-worker, Joseph Schpeker, store manager for Schpeker's Parts Supply. "He really taught me a lot about managing a store. I was glad that I got to work with him."
Mr. Homan of Columbia died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at Boone Hospital Center of a heart attack. He was 65.
This was not Mr. Homan's first sign of heart trouble.
"This was like his fifth heart attack," Schpeker said. "He was a tough old bird."
Mr. Homan was born July 12, 1933, near Towanda, Ill., to Leslie Milton and Annie May Schofield Homan. He attended high school in LeRoy, Ill., and graduated in 1951. Following high school, he served in the U.S. Air Force.
On July 17, 1954, he married June Brechbuhler near Normal, Ill. Four years later they moved to Columbia, and Mr. Homan went right to work in the heating and air conditioning business.
He has worked with several companies since moving to Columbia, and Mr. Homan spent the past five years working in sales with Schepker Parts Supply in Columbia.
"He was always here," Schpeker said. "He worked Monday through Sunday, probably eight to 10 hours a day."
His wife, June Homan, felt that Mr. Homan's dedication was due to his love for what he did and his willingness to help others
"He'd bend over backwards for anyone who needed him," Schepker said.
His family was also very important to Mr. Homan.
"He was always here for the kids," June Homan said. "If they needed something, he wouldn't just give it to them, he made them work for it."
In his spare time, Mr. Homan enjoyed reading Western novels. His wife said he had a large collection of paperbacks and that he particularly liked the work of Louis L'Amour.
Visitation for Mr. Homan will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Roger McMurry, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Cremation will follow the service. Burial will be at a later date at the Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Homan is survived by his wife of Columbia; four sons, Bryan Homan, Barry Homan and Bryce Homan, all of Columbia, and Bruce Homan of Tacoma, Wash.; one daughter, April Homan-Hunt of Columbia; and two granddaughters.
Eight brothers and two sisters died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to the National Federation of the Blind, Columbia Chapter, 1203 S. Fairview Road, Columbia, Mo., 65203.
