Funeral Services for Johnny Newton Woods, 98, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 23, 2012, at the Junction Hill Pentecostal Church, West Plains, with Reverend Dwain Galiher and Reverend Floyd Parks officiating under the direction of Carter Funeral Home,Inc., West Plains.
He was born the son of the late John Woods and Ada Layman Woods, on June 19, 1914 in Thomasville, Missouri and died June 20, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri.
He was united in marriage January 10, 1942 in Alton, Missouri to Opal Miller.
He is survived by his wife, Opal Miller Woods, of the home, West Plains, Missouri; five children, David Woods, wife, Jeralene, Birchtree, Missouri, J.R. Woods, wife, Donna, Marion, Illinois, Glenna Green, Salem, Arkansas, Lonnie Woods, wife, Catherine, West Plains, Missouri, Rebecca Thompson, husband, Barry, Birchtree, Missouri; one sister, Adaline Bradley, Kansas City, Kansas; eighteen grandchildren, and thirty-two great grandchildren.
Mary Ann Dowell (“Murph” to those who knew her as a child and “Maw” to almost everyone else) of West Plains, Missouri, was born into this world on the living room floor of the family home in Norman, Oklahoma, on April 17, 1946. After a brief bout with sudden illness, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and mother-in-law departed this life at the young age of 66 on Tuesday, June 20th. Her final moments of earthly existence were spent in the company of the family who loved her intensely – and then she was gone exactly in the manner she would have preferred – quietly and with dignity.
Mary Ann is survived by her husband and soulmate of 47 years, Charles Dowell; her children: Derek, Kent, and Drew; grand-children: Dakota, Keira, Atanna, Cassandra, LaTessa, and Evan; brothers and sisters: Jim, John, Betty, Evelyn, Elaine, and Jenny; and daughters-in-law: Christine, Lisa, and PJ. Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Van Grady Bryson and Teresa Bryson, both of Houston, Texas.
Though born in Oklahoma, Van and Teresa soon relocated their growing brood to Houston, Texas, in search of work. Mary Ann spent her childhood on Halifax Street and met her future husband there at the age of six. After marriage and giving birth to three children over the course of two years, the family moved to Canyon, Texas, before settling for good in West Plains, Missouri, where Mary Ann and Charles realized their lifelong dream of owning land in the country.
“The farm,” as referred to by her family, came to be a place of calm relaxation from the chaos of the outside world for Mary Ann and Charles. It was where Murph indulged in her creative side with an impressive assortment of “old world” skills tike gardening, quilting, sewing, pottery, cooking, (and HOW she could cook) and almost any other activity she decided to try her hand at. In later years, Mary Ann found ever fewer reasons to leave the farm, preferring a quiet life among the wooded hilts, big sky, and near zoo quality selection of cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, cats, and dogs.
Mary Ann’s working life began immediately following high school at Gordon’s Jewelry in Houston, Texas, but she was forced to quit when management discovered her status as a single woman was in jeopardy – back then, some businesses preferred their sales associates unencumbered by family ties. Soon afterward, Mary Ann was hired as a secretary by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where she worked in the office of one of America’s original Mercury Seven astronauts, Scott Carpenter.
Junior Bridges, son of the late Drew Thomas Bridges and Alpha Cooper Bridges, was born June 1, 1934 in Viola, Arkansas and died June 19, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri at the age of 78 years.
He was united in marriage December 2, 1951 in Salem, Arkansas to Lyndall Ball.
He is survived by his wife, Lyndall Ball Bridges, of the home, West Plains; three children, Kelly Bridges, wife, Debbie, Pomona, Missouri, LaDonna Bridges, Westborough, Massachusetts, and James Gregory Bridges, wife, Leslie, Noblesville, Indiana; one brother, Bobby Bridges, wife, Marge, West Plains; six grandchildren, Amee Minge, husband, Justin, West Plains, Rory Bridges, wife, Lexi, Nixa, Missouri, Caitlin Hoffman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Taylor Hoffman, Westborough, Massachusetts, Madeline Bridges, Noblesville, Indiana, and Olivia Bridges, Noblesville, Indiana; four great grandchildren, Ethan Minge, West Plains, Anna Minge, West Plains, Aven Bridges, Nixa, Missouri, and Paxton Bridges, Nixa, Missouri. Also the family wanted to mention Junior’s precious caregiver, Cheryl Morgan. She was truly a blessing for this family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Terry Bruce Bridges; four brothers, Clyde Richardson, J.C. Bridges, Roy Bridges, and Coy Lee Bridges; six sisters, Barbara Barnett, Anna Mae Wray, Ruby Jean Handlesman, Thelma Todd, Alma Davis, and Lola Westerfield.
He loved to hunt, fish, work in his garden, and work on his farm. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. In his early years he was the owner of a race car, traveling around to the different tracks. He was an avid NASCAR fan.
Services will be held Friday, June 22, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, with Reverend David Ball officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Gideon’s and left at the funeral home.
Visitation will be held Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains.
Funeral Services for Bessie Ernestine Vaughn, 97, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, with Reverend Glenn Murray officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.
She was born the daughter of the late John Henry Williams and Mary Rosetta Earls Williams, on August 26, 1914 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas and died June 18, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri.
She was united in marriage September 2, 1932 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas to Burnis R. Vaughn, who preceded her in death January 7, 1994.
She is survived by two sisters, Margaret Morgan, West Plains, and Tressie Quimby, Thayer, Missouri; two special nieces, Phyllis Parrett, Mountain Home, Arkansas and Jeanne Starman, Columbia, Missouri, and many other nieces and nephews.
Robert Lee Rieger died Friday morning, June 15, 2012 in his home in Marshfield, Missouri, after a long struggle with kidney failure. He was 76 years old.
Robert was born on April 13, 1936, in Dora, Missouri to the late Stephen Nathaniel and Sara Jane (Hale) Rieger. He was a proud graduate from Dora High School where he played shortstop on the baseball team.
In June of 1959, Robert married Linda Kay Hixon in Dora, Missouri. They enjoyed almost 42 years of marriage before she passed away with one of those years spent running a cafe and gas station together in Caulfield, Missouri. Robert was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and fish and be outdoors. While he was an excellent angler he was especially proud of his skills as a hunter. He began hunting at 9 years of age to help provide for the family and only missed one deer season the rest of his life. He was also proud that he could provide for his family. He started out as a surveyor with the Missouri Highway Department and would proudly point out the highways and roads that he had surveyed. He then came to work for Sho-Me Power where he stayed until he retired in 1999. A man of many talents, he was very talented artist and musician. He could play the guitar and banjo and entertained his grandson on many occasions with the harmonica.
Robert was a strong Christian and was at peace with the Lord at his time of death. He was baptized and described feeling the Holy Spirit wash through him. He was a member of the Marshfield United Methodist Church and until Linda Kay’s illness prevented them from going he attended church regularly.
Robert Lee Rieger is survived by his daughter and her husband Teresa Rieger Housholder and Keith Housholder of Marshfield, and his grandson, Christopher Lance Housholder also of Marshfield. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his two sisters, Lena Pauline Rieger and Betty Ileen Beecher and his brother, Horace Neil Rieger.
Robert’s funeral service will begin 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at Carter Funeral Home located at 1316 Porter Wagoner Boulevard in West Plains, MO 65775. Visitation will be held at Fraker Funeral Home located at 1131 State Highway A in Marshfield, Missouri, beginning 6:00 p.m. on June 17, 2012. He will then be taken to Carter Funeral Home where he will lay in wait until the services on Tuesday. He will then be laid to rest next to his wife and with his family at the Hale Cemetery in Dora, Missouri, located right across the road from the land where he grew up.
Chester Ben Harpole, 92, Orange, California, formerly of West Plains, Missouri, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. He was born December 10, 1919, in Myrtle, Missouri, to William J. Harpole and Sarah Birchett Harpole.He served as a deacon in several churches, being ordained in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1952. He was a member of the Hemet Valley Baptist Church, Hement, California. He had been a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in West Plains.
Mr.Harpole played baseball for Thayer’s town team, even playing the traveling All Stars. An avid gardener, he always had a beautiful garden. He was a sergeant in the CCC and loved to play golf. He also loved gospel music, and his favorite song was, “How Great Thou Art.”
Mr. Harpole worked as sales managaer for Morlan Shell Ford for many years.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Elwin Stanley Harpole; a sister, Hazel Jordan, and two brothers, Glen Harpole and Robert Harpole.
Funeral Services for Dudley Eugene Edwards will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains.
He was born the son of the late Robert L. Edwards and Pearl E. Harris Edwards, on April 27, 1939 in Fulton, Missouri and died June 2, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri.
He was united in marriage November 24, 1972 in Affton, Missouri to Barbara Edwards.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Edwards, of the home, West Plains, Missouri; four children, Martha Yarbrough, husband, Chris, Jefferson City, Missouri, Kathleen Koppitz, husband, Richard, Springfield, Missouri, Deborah Romans, husband, Charlie, West Plains, Missouri, and Terri Baker, Fulton, Missouri; one sister, Annie Ratliff, husband, Kenny, Columbia, Missouri; one brother, Charles Edwards, wife, Betty, Columbia, Missouri; fourteen grandchildren, and twenty great grandchildren.
Graveside services for Windell Ray Epley will be on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 1:00 p.m in Oak Lawn Cemetery.
Windell was born on July 31, 1932 in Dora, Missouri to parents Hurvul and Jessie Epley. He died on May 23 in West Vue Nursing Center at the age of 79.
He was educated in the Dora school system and enjoyed spending time with his seven siblings, riding horses, and listening to gospel and country music. Windell was a member of the Church of God for all his youth.
Windell was employed at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas before moving to West Plains, Missouri. There he became employed with Cloud Oak Flooring, Purina Feed, and Southwest Truck Body. He retired from Southwest in 1993 and devoted his time to his family and the family farm, raising angus cattle
Windell met the love of his life, Dorothy Lou Lowe and the two entered the union of marriage on November 5, 1968. To this union were born two daughters, Reta Kay Epley Crass, and husband Jerry, West Plains, and Dianna Raye Epley Locke, and husband John, West Plains. The couple had two grandchildren, Kevin Crass, Springfield, Missouri and Makenna Locke, West Plains
Funeral Services for Lena May McClellan, 94, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 21, 2012, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverends Marcus Allen and James Duddridge officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.
She was born the daughter of the late Charles McClellan and Gertie Eubank , on June 9, 1917 in Pomona, Missouri and died May 18, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri.
She is survived by two brothers, Ralph McClellan, Grand Prairie, Texas and Fred McClellan, wife, Delores, West Plains, Missouri; one sister, Fern Alvis, husband, Ray, Pomona, Missouri, and one sister-in-law, Ida McClellan, Willow Springs, Missouri, and many nieces and nephews.
Frances C. Trunk, 72, West Plains, formerly of Peoria, Illinois, died May 12, 2012 at National Health Care, West Plains.
She was born the daughter of the late Leland Hatten and Irene Tisdale Hatten, on January 3, 1940 in Sierra County, California, and died May 5, 2012 in West Plains, Missouri.
She was united in marriage March 7, 1965 in Peoria, Illinois to Edward Raymond Trunk, who preceded her in death March 30, 2003.
She is survived by four brothers, Leland Hatten, his wife, Rosalee, and Ernest Hatten, wife, Donna, both of East Peoria, Illinois, Robert Hatten, Kansas City, Missouri, and Charles Hatten, Spring Branch, Texas; one sister, Patsy Jones, South, Roxana, Illinois.
She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.
She was a graduate of Limestone Township High School in Bartonville, Illinois.
Local arrangements were under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains. Online condolences may be made at: carterfuneralhomeinc.com.
