West Plains

Funeral Services for Alfred W. Banuat, 68, Willow Springs, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February 14, 2013, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains,with Chaplain Bruce Underhill officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, West Plains.

He was born the son of the late Valentine Banuat and Wilhelmina Masker Banuat, on October 5, 1944 in Middletown, New York and died February 10, 2013 in Willow Springs, Missouri.

He was united in marriage October 14, 1967 in Greenville, New York to Virginia Moore.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia Moore Banuat, of the home, Willow Springs, Missouri; two children, Paul Banuat and wife, Mary, Rapid City, South Dakota, and Paulette Romans and husband, Travis, Peace Valley, Missouri; one brother, Doug Banuat and wife, Joan, state of Florida; two sisters, Ellen Banuat, state of New York, and Valerie Smith, state of New York; four grandchildren, Pacen Banuat, Rapid City, South Dakota, Makayla Banuat, Perrin Romans and Greg Romans, both of Peace Valley, Missouri.

Funeral services for Virgil Alfred Lasater, 97, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, February 9, 2013, at the First Christian Church, West Plains, with Pastor Mike Heston officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.

He was born the son of the late Daniel Lasater and Kate Victoria Fisher Lasater, on February 20, 1915 in Oregon County, Missouri and died February 5, 2013 in West Plains, Missouri.

He was united in marriage November 20, 1937 in Bryan, Ohio to Ruby Virginia Thompson.

He is survived by his wife, Ruby Virginia Thompson Lasater, of the home, West Plains, Missouri; four children, Jerry Lasater and wife, Kelly, Bella Vista, Arkansas, Jean Adams and husband, Charles, Springfield, Illinois, Janet Alexander and husband, Scott, Shawnee, Kansas, and Jacque Gorman and husband, Marv, Franklin, Tennessee; one sister, Evelyn Uphaus, West Plains, Missouri; fifteen grandchildren, forty great grandchildren; five great great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services for Anna Marie Watson, 87, South Fork, Missouri, will be held Saturday, February 2, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. in Mountain View Cemetery under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.

She was born the daughter of the late Tim Stokes and Grace Brown Stokes, on October 1, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri and died January 30, 2013 in West Plains, Missouri.

She was united in marriage September 11, 1946 in Salem, Arkansas to A. L. Foster, unto this union two children were born, Micky and Michael. She was united in marriage May 12, 1951 in Salem, Arkansas to Cecil Paul Watson and his children, Maxine, Paul and Charles, unto this union one child was born, Sheila Marie.

She is survived by five children, Micky Hastings, West Plains, Missouri, Michael Foster and wife, Connie, Wichita, Kansas, Sheila Marie Watson, Ozark, Missouri, Paul Watson and wife, Frances, Rockford, Illinois and Charles Watson and wife, Robin, Rockford, Illinois; one sister, Culen Haughn, West Plains, Missouri; twelve grandchildren and many great grandchildren.

     Funeral services for Mary L. Tucker, 65, West Plains, Missouri, will held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 28, 2013, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, Missouri.

     She was born the daughter of the late Everett Walters and Ella Stevens Walters, on February 24, 1947 in Alton, Missouri and died January 25, 2013 in West Plains, Missouri.

     She was united in marriage to William Harvey Jones. Later she was married to Hardy Dodge, who preceded her in death in 1978. She later married Gerald Tucker who also preceded her in death in 2010.

     She is survived by two children, James Jones, Kansas City, Missouri and Cristal Greenawalt and husband, Kendall, Cape Girardeau, Missouri; two sisters, Anna Jean Thomas, Mammoth Spring, Arkansas and Dianne Walters and Mark Halacy, West Plains, Missouri; four grandchildren, Christopher Jones, Kenny Ray Greenawalt, James Greenawalt, and Angela Greenawalt, two great grandchildren and one foster sister, Norma Showalter, Pittsburg, Kansas.

     She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands, Hardy Dodge and Gerald Tucker; two sisters, Glenna Sue Madden and Wilma Walters, and one brother, William Everett Walters.

     Visitation will be held Sunday, January 27, 2013 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, Missouri.

     Burial will be in Bailey Cemetery, Oregon County, Missouri, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.

Funeral services for Nancy Lou Counts, 71, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, January 25, 2013, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, with Reverend Dennis McGinley officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.

She was born the daughter of the late Everett Thompson and Alberta Yoachum Thompson, on April 8, 1941 in West Plains, Missouri and died January 22, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri.

She was united in marriage September 24, 1956 in West Plains, Missouri to Gerald D. Counts.

She is survived by her husband of fifty-six years, Gerald D. Counts, of the home, West Plains, Missouri; four children, Debbie Greenfield, Florissant, Missouri, Alan Counts and wife, April, Stella, Missouri, Brenda Lewis and husband, Delbert, West Plains, Missouri, and Carmen Wilson and husband, Joe, West Plains, Missouri; one brother, Charles Thompson, state of Illinois; seven grandchildren, Richard Greenfield and wife, Melanie, Florissant, Missouri, James Counts, Manchester, Missouri, Michael Lewis and fiance, Miriah, West Plains, Missouri, Jerry Lewis and fiance, Alexis, West Plains, Missouri, Mindy Whitmire and husband, Jordan, Springfield, Missouri, Zach Wilson and special friend, Abby Nichols, West Plains, Missouri, and Tyler Counts, Stella, Missouri; three great grandchildren, Maddy Greenfield and Tommy Greenfield, Florissant, Missouri, and Lilly Marie Duncan, West Plains, Missouri.

Funeral services for Betty Dewey, 75, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 21, 2013, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, Missouri.

She was born the daughter of the late Guy Scaggs and Orbrie Crosnoe Scaggs, on March 5, 1937 in Hope, Arkansas and died January 17, 2013 in West Plains, Missouri.

She was united in marriage September 3, 1960 in Las Vegas, Nevada to Frederick D. Dewey, who preceded her in death.

She is survived by one daughter, Sandra Phillips and husband, Kenneth, Peace Valley, Missouri; two sisters, Dora Markum, West Plains, and Mary Scaggs, Bellevue, Washington; seven grandchildren. Tiffany Dusenbury, Springfield, Missouri, Joshua Dusenbury and Philisha, West Plains, Michael Dusenbury, Peace Valley, Missouri, Christopher Dusenbury, Dyersburg, Tennessee, Anthony Phillips, Peace Valley, Missouri, Megan Toulas and husband, Shane, Peace Valley, Missouri, and Katlyn Phillips, Peace Valley, Missouri and several great grandchildren.

Funeral services for Chloa Sarah Sanders, 98, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 19, 2013, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, with Reverend Glen Murray and Reverend Dennis McGinley officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.

She was born the daughter of the late Edward James Bridges and Una Mae Martin Bridges, on August 20, 1914 in Viola, Arkansas and died January 17, 2013 in West Plains, Missouri.

She was united in marriage August 20, 1932 in Sturkie, Arkansas to Albert M. Sanders, who preceded her in death.

She is survived by four children, Wanda Lee Roberson and husband, Carl, West Plains, William “Eddie” Sanders and wife, Donna, Springfield, Missouri, Ruby Roberson and husband, Alten, Holden, Missouri, and Vera Sanders, West Plains, Missouri; one daughter-in-law, Jula Scott and husband, Joe, West Plains, Missouri; one brother, Austin Bridges and wife, Della, Moko, Arkansas; one sister, Koma Kerin, Hanford, California; fourteen grandchildren; twenty-four great grandchildren, and twenty-one great great granchildren, and several step grandchildren, and step great grandchildren.

Funeral services for Fonda E. Neal, 91, Pottersville, Missouri, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Pottersville, Missouri,  with Pastor Jerry Arnold officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, West Plains.

 She was born the daughter of the late Claude Blankenship and Floy Johnson Blankenship, on November 23, 1921 in Alton, Missouri and died January 14, 2013 at her home in Pottersville, Missouri.

 She was united in marriage September 5, 1938 in West Plains, Missouri to Joe C. Brewer who preceded her in death October 8, 1986. She was later united in marriage in 1987 in West Plains, Missouri to Kenneth Neal who preceded her in death March 5, 2008.

She is survived by two sons, Keith Brewer and wife Daisy, Pottersville, Missouri, Kyle Brewer, Pottersville, Missouri; one daughter, Gail Hand and husband Willard, Pottersville, Missouri; one brother, Dewey Blankenship, Odessa, Missouri; four sisters, Mary Link, Higginsville, Missouri, Sue Lahey and husband Bill, Independence, Missouri, Louise Kingston and husband Ron, Oak Grove, Missouri, Lois Lewis, Plattsburg, Missouri; ten grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; and 11 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services for Elsie Oleeta Parker, 98, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, January 13, 2013, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains with Brother Bill Bales officiating under the direction of Carter Funeral Home.

Oleeta Parker was a living page from a history book. She witnessed world events that, as we look back, are quite extraordinary. She was born in a rural setting in Oklahoma, which had been a state for only 7 years. World War I was clammoring on another continent and the czars still ruled the Russian Empire. As a child, her home was blown away by a tornado, and she married and started her family during the Great Depression. The Calhouns and Parkers survived the devastation of drought and the Dust Bowl, and joined hundreds of families praying for a new life as they travelled the dusty roads of Route 66 on their way to California.

She found work in the Kaiser Ship Yards of San Francisco and was trained as a welder during the War — she and so many other “Rosie the Riveters” made their contribution to the war effort. The prototype single mother, she raised two boys who served their country in the military and became fine young men.

After the war, she worked at the Gibson Guitar manufacturing facility in Michigan, and retired there to move closer to family who had settled in Missouri. And she found West Plains. She lived here longer than any other place. She loved her little house on Hynes Street, and West Plains was home for almost 40 years.

Her family will miss Aunt Sis. But we are comforted that she is “absent with the body, but present in the Lord.” And what a relief….no more suffering, confusion, fear. She can walk without falling, and we all smile when we remember….her index finger is straight now.

We are comforted in knowing that death has no sting, and she is resting and happy in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, and can be left at the funeral home.

Burial will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery, West Plains.

Alvin Richard “Short” Bittick, 72, of Pomona, Missouri passed away on Friday, January 4, 2013.

Alvin was born in Topaz, Missouri to Sim Bittick and Mary C. (Loomis) Bittick on February 24, 1940. He graduated from Cabool High School in 1958. He was married to Betty Louise Wake on April 16, 1967. They were married for 45 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Wayne, Audie, and Merle; three sisters, Doris, Dorothy, and Verla.