West Plains

Funeral services for Michael David Swims, 1 month old, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, December 8, 2016, at the Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains.

He was born the son of Joshua Swims and Tabitha Jones, on October 28, 2016 in West Plains, Missouri and died November 28, 2016 in St. Louis, Missouri.

He is survived by his parents Joshua Swims and Tabitha Jones; three siblings, Addison Swims, Newbern, Tennessee, Jacub Jones and Khloe Swims, both of West Plains, Missouri; maternal grandmother, Terri Hall, West Plains, Missouri; paternal grandmother, Denise Jones, Newbern, Tennessee; maternal great grandmothers, Thelma Collins, West Plains, Missouri and Janice Hall, West Plains, Missouri; paternal great grandmother, Vollie Hendrix, Dyersburg, Tennessee and paternal great grandfather, Ronald Hendrix, Dyersburg, Tennessee;

Alene Mefford, daughter of the late Albert Mefford and Vera Sewell Mefford, was born November 13, 1943 in Thayer, Missouri and died December 4, 2016 in Salem, Arkansas at the age of 73 years.

She is survived by three children, Telesa Peek and husband Randy, West Plains, Missouri; Bob Johnson and wife Racquel, Mountain Home, Arkansas, and Connie Cunningham, Mountain Home, Arkansas; one brother, Amon Mefford and wife Carolyn, West Plains, Missouri; three sisters, Joan Bunch, West Plains, Missouri, Judy Henson, West Plains, Missouri, and Shirley McCutchen and husband Mike, Thayer, Missouri;

Terry DeWayne Brown, son of Edna Merritt, was born June 4, 1967 in Bernie, Missouri and died November 25, 2016 in West Plains, Missouri at the age of 49.

He was united in marriage on February 13, 2010 in West Plains, Missouri to Stephanie Cash.

He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Brown, of the home, West Plains, Missouri; his mother Edna Merritt, Bernie, Missouri; sister, LaVena Davis, Vancouver, Washington; brother Kendall Merrit and wife Betty, Bernie, Missouri, 3 step-sons and 5 grandchildren.

May Dean Manley Parker Callaway, daughter of Eli and Nancy Jane Romans Manley, was born April 8, 1933 in Neeleville, Missouri. May Dean went to her heavenly home on November 23, 2016 at the age of 83 years.

She was united in marriage with Marvin Vergil Parker in 1951 in West Plains, MO. From this marriage came four children; Marvin Vergil Parker Jr., Brenda Gail Parker Dewitt, Beverly Sue Parker Gregory, and Melvin Glen Parker. Vergil preceded her in death in January 1983.

In 1991, she married Charles Henry Callaway in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Charles preceded her in death in February 2016.

She is survived by her children; Marvin Parker, wife Vicki, West Plains, MO; Brenda Dewitt, husband Calvin, Springfield, MO; Beverly Gregory, husband Donnie, West Plains, MO; Melvin Parker, wife Kristy, Sparta, Missouri; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; along with several nieces, nephews, and special friends.

David Leland Smith was born on January 17, 1945, in West Plains, Missouri, and passed away on November 7, 2016, in West Plains, Missouri, at the age of 71.

He is survived by his son Jeff Smith and Jeff’s mother, Jackie Shelton of West Plains, Missouri; one sister, Janet Womack and husband, Jerry of West Plains, Missouri; two brothers, Dale Smith and wife, Carolyn of West Plains, Missouri, and Danny Smith and wife, Alice of West Plains, Missouri; three grandchildren, Shelby Smith, Karsyn Smith, and Sawyer Smith of West Plains, Missouri; niece, Frankie Harrill-Jones and husband, David of West Plains, Missouri; nephew, Scott Womack of West Plains, Missouri; niece, Angie Holloway and husband, Jason of West Plains, Missouri; nephew, Greg Smith and wife, Kim of Ozark, Missouri; niece, Melissa Wiehe and husband, Kurt of West Plains, Missouri; nephew, Stace Smith and wife, Mindy of West Plains, Missouri; nephew, Garach Smith and wife, Kristen of Columbia, Missouri; several great nieces and nephews; close family friends, Teresa McDaniel and son Ryan McDaniel of West Plains, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Dave and Effie Roberson, paternal grandparents Horace Harrison “H.H.” and Myrtle Smith, parents Frank Leland and Lottie Marie Smith, and niece Carrie Womack.

David attended school in his early years at Howell Valley and graduated from West Plains High School in 1963. He worked 38 years for the Missouri Department of Agriculture as a Market News Reporter; reporting the local markets on the radio.

Helen L. Arnold, 94, West Plains, Missouri died October 19, 2016 at 3:35 a.m. in Brooke Haven Healthcare, West Plains.

Helen, the daughter of the late Mark L. Arnold and Tommie Lee Arnold, was born October 21, 1921 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Private services will be held at a later date. Local arrangements were under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.

Funeral services for Milton Frank Geissinger, 91, Dora, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 15, 2016, at the Carter Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Richard Martin officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, West Plains.

He was born the son of the late Milton Ross Geissinger and Marie Josephine Fries Geissinger, on December 21, 1924 in Bellevue, Pennsylvania and died October 12, 2016 in West Plains, Missouri.

He was united in marriage to Jean Brown, who preceded him in death. He later was united in marriage February 14, 1969 in West Covina, California to Marcella Labrousse.

He is survived by his wife, Marcella Labrousse Geissinger, of the home, Dora, Missouri; four children, Linda Ann Geissinger, Redlands, California, Carol Ann Geissinger, Redlands, California, Nancy Christiansen and husband Gary, Beaumont, California, and Milton Russell Geissinger and wife, Jeannie, Dora, Missouri; three sisters, Ann Fader, state of California, Lenore Piper, Kingman, Arizona, and Lee Stanionis and husband Roger, state of California, and one brother Russell Geissinger and wife Annie, state of California; eight grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; one great great grandchild, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Darlene Marie Ralston, 84, West Plains, Missouri, will be 2:00pm Tuesday, October 4, 2016, at the Graveside, Cave Springs Cemetery, with the Brother Edward Casey officiating under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, West Plains.

She was born the daughter of the late Frank Davis and Fronia Bolton Davis, on September 5, 1932 in Alton, Missouri and died October 2, 2016 in West Plains, Missouri.

She was united in marriage August 14, 1948 in Alton, Missouri to Burton Ralston.

She is survived by two brothers, Phil Davis and wife Linda, West Plains, and Bob Davis, West Plains; one sister, Elsie Beck of West Plains, Missouri; one sister-in-law, Freida Davis, Alton, Missouri; special friends, Loretta Bradshaw and Nancy Fukasawa both of West Plains; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services for Buddy (Bud) Gene Mayberry, 81, Pomona, Missouri, will be held Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, with Reverend Steve Fowler officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, West Plains.

He was born the son of the late Herbert Mayberry and Carrie Bilyeu Mayberry, on September 22, 1935 in Mt. Vernon, Missouri and died October 1, 2016 in West Plains, Missouri.

He is survived by four children, Wayne (LeAnn) California, Missouri, Alesia (Steve) Billings, Montana, Anita (David) West Plains, Missouri, Shane (Anna) Willow Springs, Missouri; nine grandchildren, Heath (Vannessa) and Aaron of California, Missouri, Carrie, Zakariah, and Autumn of Billings, Montana, Mark (Ashley) Custer, Montana, and Dakota (Rachel), Ethan, and Samantha of Willow Springs; five great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

It is not the number of years you live, but the quality of them. Sue Ellen Moore, born September 12, 1920 was one of the fortunate women to claim both a long and rich life. She was born to Plato and Eva Caroll in Crowell, Texas where she was raised with her three siblings on the cotton farm. She was educated in Needmore, Texas until the eleventh grade when she met the love of her life Ernest R. Moore.

Sue Ellen and Ernie raised two children, Gerald Moore of Junction City, Oregon and Sue Willard of West Plains, Missouri, while traveling from one job to the next ranging from Alaska to Cuba. After the children were raised, they settled for five years in Springhill, Tennessee where they were the superintendents of Springhill Children’s Home. She cherished this time with her husband, and the 175 children they served. She moved to Missouri in 1977, Ernie passing away only four years later.

The last forty years she has shared a driveway with her daughter Sue and her husband Dennis Willard in West Plains, Missouri and has watched her family grow with delight. Sue Ellen has five grand children: Charles Willard, Susan Manis, Amy DeMott, Chris Moore, and Bryan Moore, and seven great-grandchildren: Makay Manis, RJ Manis, Luke Willard, Claire Willard, Ella DeMott, Sam DeMott, and Willard DeMott.

Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would find Sue Ellen baking legendary cookies, working on puzzles, watching old movies, or sitting in her chair crafting. She kept special letters in her Bible from her family far away, and an open door for her daughter, Sue, who was able to be there every day.

Sue Ellen would be proud to say the high point of her life was becoming a member of the Church of Christ at sixteen. She was a member of the Curry Street Church of Christ in West Plains. Her faith and her family were her priorities and will remain her legacy.

Graveside services for Sue Ellen will be held on Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 2:00 pm at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, Howell County, Missouri.