Mt. Vernon, MO Obituaries - E & F

Updated 05-05-10

Mt. Vernon, MO Obituaries - E thru F

These Obituaries are reprinted from The Lawrence County Record, which is the hometown newspaper for Mt. Vernon, MO. The newspaper, published once a week includes the weekly deaths of Lawrence County residents & their families. In an effort to maintain Mt. Vernon, MO Genealogy I have only reprinted the Mt. Vernon Deaths. Other Lawrence County obituaries will be listed elsewhere in this website. I will list these alphabetically and I will add to them on a regular basis so be sure to check back often.

E

Alice Mable Ellison

Alice Mable Ellison, 91, Mt. Vernon, died Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. She was born April 28, 1918. Graveside services will be at 3:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Springfield, under direction of Greenlawn Funeral Homes, Springfield.

Billie Guy Emerson

Billie Guy Emerson, 76, Mt. Vernon, passed away at 6 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, in the Missouri Veterans' Home/Mt. Vernon. He was born Aug. 24, 1922, in Springfield, the son of Lloyd Guy and Pauline Mildred (Crow) Emerson. Billie graduated in 1951 from Stockton High School, was a United States Army veteran, a member of the Mt. Vernon Church of Christ and retired in 1998 from Springfield City Utilities, where he was a carpenter.

He married Darlene Maxine Sitton in Bolivar. She survives. Additional survivors include two sons, Greg Emerson and his wife, Terri, Meridianville, Ala., and Gary Emerson and his wife, Tina, Mt. Vernon; six grandchildren, Dru Emerson, Josh Emerson and his wife, Kelly, and Lindy, Lexie, Eli and Ezra Emerson. His parents preceded him in death.

Services were Tuesday, Dec. 8, in Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mt. Vernon, with burial following in the Lindley Prairie Cemetery;, Fair Play.

Memorial donations may be made to the Fair Haven Children's Home, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at www.fossettmosherfuneralhome.com.

Celia "Marie" Epps

Celia "Marie" Epps, 93, Mt. Vernon, formerly of Miller, died at 4:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, at the Lawrence County Manor, Mt. Vernon.

She was born Jan. 19, 1916, in Miller to William and Sara (Weaver) Younts. She lived in Miller until 1985, when she moved to Mt. Vernon. She worked at the Lawrence County Nursing Home from 1967 until 1981 and attended Onward Methodist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Linda Robertson, Vinita, Okla.; 12 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Wesley Epps, in 1966; three children, Sybile Harrelson, Don Epps and Charles Epps; and brothers and sisters, Herbert, Ira, Jim, Othel, Gene, Wesley, Alva, Anna, Walter, Nellie and Lygie.

Services were Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home, Miller, with burial in Sycamore Cemetery, northwest of Mt. Vernon.

Memorial donations may be made to Sycamore Cemetery, in care of the funeral home.

Cleo Marvin Ethridge

Cleo Marvin Ethridge, 92, Mt. Vernon, formerly of Cassville, died Tuesday, March 23, 2010, in the Missouri Veterans' Home/Mt. Vernon.

He was born June 22, 1917, in Golden to William Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Bruton) Ethridge. He married Elva I. Towler Nov. 19, 1940, in Cassville. She died Dec. 6, 1997. He was also preceded in death by two sons, Tommy and Marvin Ethridge.

Survivors include five daughters, Edna Ethridge and Mary Arnold, both of Springfield, Va., and Barbara Wittell, Dorothy King and Joanne Wright, all of Boise, Idaho; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

He grew up and went to school near Golden. He was employed by Union Pacific Railroad in Boise for 28 years. He entered the United States Army during World War II, serving from June 2, 1942, until Nov. 19, 1943. He was in North Africa with the 888th Airborne Engineers.

Graveside services were Friday, March 26, in Viney Creek Cemetery, Golden, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville, with Chaplain Michael Kanai officiating.

F

Mary Evelyn Falmer

Mary Evelyn Falmer - Mt. Vernon, 79, passed away at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007, in the Mt. Vernon Place Care Center.

She was born the youngest of six siblings on Aug. 26, 1928, near Malta, Mont., to Hans and Kjersti Kvale. Evelyn graduated valedictorian from Malta High School. She attended Seattle Pacific College and met Marion Falmer her freshman year, marrying him two years later, on Nov. 29, 1949.

Mrs. Falmer graduated from Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) in 1968. She taught fifth and sixth grade students in Mt. Vernon fro 22 years before retiring in 1990. Her surviving husband taught school for 30 years and retire in 1988. Evelyn loved to travel and enjoyed sports. She attended her grand children's basketball, softball and baseball games. He sports hero was Joe Montana and she was especially fond of the Southwest Missouri State University Lady Bears basketball teams. Evelyn accepted Christ at an early age and was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Mt. Vernon.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, Hans and Kjersti Kvale; her brother, Harvey Kvale; and sisters Helen Fey and Ruth Myron.

Evelyn is survived by Marion, her husband of almost 58 years; sisters Alice Greely, Vancouver, Wash., and Muriel Spuhler, Lindsay, Calif.; daughter Nancy Pweters, Palm Springs, Calif.; son and daughter-in-law Cal and Dayle Ann Falmer, Republic; six grandchildren, Danny Peters, Springfield, Chris Peters, Atlanta, Ga., Josh and Nate Peters, Seattle, Wash., Jan Brown, Cape Coral, Fla., and Marc Falmer, Aurora. Evelyn also had three great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was loved and will be missed by family, friends and former students.

Services were Tuesday Nov. 20, in Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home Chapel, Mt. Vernon, with the Rev. Chris Snyder officiating. Burial was in Mt. Vernon IOOF Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made tot he United Methodist Church, Mt. Vernon, in care of the funeral home.

Online condolences may be sent to http://www.fossettmosherfuneralhome.com/.

Walter Fischer

Walter Fischer, 93, Mt. Vernon, formerly of the Monett and Pierce City areas, died at 1:05 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22, 2010, in the Missouri Veterans' Home/Mt. Vernon. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 8, in the Pierce City Cemetery, Pierce City, under direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mt. Vernon.

POSTED 1 WEEK LATER: Walter Sheridan Fischer, 93, Mt. Vernon, formerly of Mulberry, Kan., Died at 1:05 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22, 2010, in the Missouri Veterans' Home/Mt. Vernon.

He was born July 16, 1916, in Monett to Henry and Hattie (Leftwich) Fischer. He was a World War II Army veteran and was a bridge inspector for the Frisco Railroad.

Survivors include one daughter, Nancy Henderson, Monett; two sons, Van Fischer, Pierce City, and Mickey Fischer, Auburndale, Wis.; one brother, Don Fischer, Pierce City; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Charlie and Earl Fischer; three sisters, Julia Carder, Lila Gregory and Hermoine Ellis; and one grandson.

Local arrangements are under direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mt. Vernon. Burial will be at a later date in the Pirece City Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Missouri Veterans Home/Mt. Vernon, in care of the funeral home.

Wilmer Russell Foust

Wilmer Russell Foust, 89, Mt. Vernon, died Saturday, March 13, 2010, in the Missouri Veterans' Home/Mt. Vernon. He was born Jan. 19, 1921, in Conway to George Washington and Margaret (Keesling) Foust. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. He owned and operated a photography studio most of his life.

He was preceded in death by four brothers, Lloyd, Robert, Ovid and Oral; and four sisters,Opal, Jean Wanda and Dorothy. Survivors include one sister, Edna Addison, Greenfield.

Memorial services were Wednesday, March 17, in Greenfield Funeral Chapel with Pastor Larry Wheeler officiating.

Ronald Gene "Ronnie" Frank

Ronald Gene "Ronnie" Frank, 76, Mt. Vernon, died Thursday, April 2, 2009, in the Missouri Veterans' Home/Mt. Vernon, following a long illness.

He was born April 28, 1932, in Springfield to Milton Joseph and Doris Ester Frank.

Survivors include one daughter, Jolene Eckhardt, Dallas, Texas; one sister, Sandra Lowther, Springfield; and three grandchildren.

He was a member of the class of 1950 of Senior High School (now Central), Springfield, and attended Missouri State University. He served in the Navy during the Korean War on the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge. He established Ronnie's Remodeling Center and was with Oak Grove Construction for several years.

Services were Friday, April 3, in the Missouri Veterans' Cemetery, Springfield, with the Rev. John Spalding officiating, with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Southwest Missouri Humane Society.

Donalean "Don" Baxter Friend

Donalean “Don” Baxter Friend , 83, Mt. Vernon, died Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, at his home following a short illness.
He was born Feb. 23, 1924, in Rayborn to Mont and Ina (Gaddis) Friend. He grew up and attended school in the Dawson area and served in the United States Army during World War II as an infantryman.
He married Melba Faye Fonville Feb. 22, 1947, in Yuma, Ariz. She died in 1997. They moved to the Riverside, Calif., area and moved back to Mountain Grove in 1963. He later moved to Mt. Vernon. He married Eunice - Jody: Bockman in March 1992 in Mt. Vernon. She died in February 2006.
He worked as a painter for many years and alter became a truck driver.
He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Gene Friend and Chelmer Friend; and one sister, Melba Hudson.
Survivors include two sons, Stan Friend, Licking, and Wesley Friend, Villa Ridge; one daughter, Mona Knox, Kearney; six brothers, Darrel and Terry Friend, both of Mountain Grove, Rex and Bythel Friend, both of Springfield, Harold Friend, Dawson, and Dwyane Friend. Shell Knob; three stepchildren, Liz, Bridgette and Bruce; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug 15, in the Dawson Assembly of God Church, Burial, with full military honors by American Legion Post 30, will be in Friendship Cemetery, under direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove.

Virgil Frogue, Jr.

Virgil Frogue Jr., 82, Mt. Vernon, died at 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, 2007, in the Lawrence County Manor, Mt. Vernon.
He was born June 30, 1924, in Elkton, Ky., to Virgil Sr. and Ora Lee (Henderson) Frogue. He was a World War II United States Navy veteran, was a nursing assistant at the Missouri Rehabilitation Center, Mt. Vernon, and a member of the Lockwood Immanuel Lutheran Church.
He married Leona L. Kumm Feb. 8, 1947, in Cherokee, Iowa. She survives.
Additional survivors include two daughters, Patsy Miller, Ozark, and Sharon Dunton, Verona; two sons, Wayne Frogue, Stotts City, and Randy Frogue, Mt. Vernon; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by 12 brothers and sisters.
Graveside services were Saturday, June 2, in Meinert Cemetery, with Pastor Gary Griffin officiating, under direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mt. Vernon.