Monday, January 16, 2012

Stephen Michael Howerton, Monett, MO Obituary

Stephen Michael Howerton
Stephen Michael Howerton, 44, Monett, died Thursday Jan. 5, 2012, at his home.  He was born Sept. 25, 1967, in Monett, MO to John and Kathy (Owens) Howerton. He married Diane Long Sept. 26, 2006.  She survives.
     He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
     Additional survivors include one son, Derek Sooter, Webb City, MO; one daughter, Toni Sooter, Monett; his parents, John and Kathy Howerton, Monett; two stepsons, Jeffrey Davis, Monett, and Jared Ballard, Grove, Okla.; one brother, Eddie Howerton, Monett; and two sisters, Tina Sebastian, Monett, and Margaret Howerton, Verona, MO.
     Services were Jan. 9, in the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Chapel in Monett with the Rev. Ronnie Howerton officating.  Burial was at Bethel Cemetery in Monett.

J. Barton Burson, Mt. Vernon, MO Obituary

J. Barton Burson
J. Barton Burson, 84, Mt. Vernon, passed away Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at the Lawrence County Manor residential care facility in Mt. Vernon.  He was born Dec. 8, 1927, in Avilla, MO to John O. and Nellie Burson.  He was preceded in death by wife Mary Alice in 1978, and wife Ruth in 1998.  He was also preceded in death by sisters Bernice Shelton and Mary Sue Dickerson and bother John Burson.
     J.B. is survived by Virginia Payne, former wife and mother of his children, and by former wife Rozell Porter.  He is also survived by sister Ruth Sherrel, Marianna, Fla., and brother Gerye Burson, Blue Springs, MO; and by children, Max Burson, Wichita, Kan., Barton Burson, Los Alamos, N.M., Ryan Burson, Washington DC., Mary Jensen, Overland Park, Kan., and Ken Burson, Jefferson City; 13 grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.
     Except for his time serving in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947, and attending college at Missouri State University and Drury University in Springfield, he lived and worked in Mt. Vernon, MO all his life.
     He began his career at First National Bank in 1948, rising to the office of president of the bank in 1972.  He retired from the bank in 1992.
     Over the years, J.B. was involved with a number of civic organizations, including the American Legion and the Lions Club.  He served for a time as city treasurer and served on the Mt. Vernon City Council in the late 1990s.  He was an active member on the boards of the IOOF Cemetery and the Mt. Vernon High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation and a longtime member of the Mt. Vernon Golf Association.
     In recent years, J.B. devoted a lot of his time renovating and remodeling many homes in Mt. Vernon.  He enjoyed playing golf, reading, wood-working, planting trees, feeding the birds and squirrels and spending time with family and friends.
     Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mt. Vernon.  Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home, with the Rev. Jack Daniel officiating.
     Memorial contributions may be made to the Barry=Lawrence Regional Library and the Mt. Vernon High School Class of '45 Scholarship Fund.
     Online condolences may be shared at http://www.fossettmosher-funeralhome.com/.

Una Marie Schmidly, Mt. Vernon, MO Obituary

Una Marie Schmidly
Una Marie Schmidly, 91, Mt. Vernon, MO passed away at 9:55 a.m. Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, MO.  She was born Nov. 22, 1920, in Sarcoxie, MO, the daughter of Elmer J. and Frances C. (Palmer) Long.  Una grew up in the Sarcoxie area and attend Sarcoxie Schools.  On April 2, 1939, she married Arthur W. Schmidly in Sarcoxie.
     She moved to Mt. Vernon in 1966 and pastored, alongside her husband, A.W. Schmidly, at the Mt. Vernon Assembly of God Church on the Loop for 19 years.  She and her husband pastored six churches over a period of 42 years.  She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her husband of 72 years, Arthur, of the home; three sons, Bill and Carol Schmidly and Ron and Janice Schmidly, all of Mt. Vernon, and Jim and Sandy Schmidly of Springfield, MO, seven grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
     She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Freeda Timm, Beatrice Archer and Bertha Clark; and four brothers, Roy, Clyde, Cecil and Lloyd Long.
     Services were Jan. 6 in the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, Mt. Vernon, with burial at the Harvey Cemetery near LaRussell, MO.
     Memorial donations may be made to the Ministers Benevolent Fund for the Assembly of God Churches, in care of the funeral home.
     Online condolences may be shared at http://www.fossettmosher-funeralhome.com/.

This obituary was reprinted from the Lawrence County Record, Mt. Vernon, MO

Patsy Sue (Woods) Smith, Strafford, MO Obituary

Patsy Sue (Woods) Smith
Patsy Sue (Woods) Smith, 70, Strafford, MO, died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012.  She was born Sept. 14, 1941, in Strafford, MO to Clinton and Leona (Boehme) Woods.
     She graduated from Central Senior High School, Springfield, MO in 1960 and married Lloyd Smith in Miller, MO.  He died July 10, 1979.  She was also preceded in death by one sister, Irene Wimsatt.
     Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, in Greenlawn Funeral Home North, Springfield, MO.  Burial will be in Bass Chapel Cemetery, northeast of Springfield.  An open visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the funeral home.

Rayetta (Cantrell) Beyer, Billings, MO Obituary

Rayetta (Cantrell) Beyer
Rayetta (Cantrell) Beyer, 92, Billings, MO died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, in the Aurora Nursing Center, Aurora.  She was born May 24, 1919, in Neosho, MO to William Raymond and Etta Mae (Bodine) Cantrell.
     She married the Rev. Fred W. Beyer March 25, 1939.  He preceded her in death.
     She was a junior high teacher at the New Baden and Steger, Ill., schools.  She was a member of the Aurora Presbyterian Church and had a longtime affiliation with the St. Peters United Church of Christ in Billings.
     She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Judith Ann Arnott; and two siblings, Juanita Stroud and Bill Cantrell.
     Survivors include one son, John Beyer, Billings; three grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.
     Services were Jan. 6 in the St. Peters UCC, with the Rev. Lansford Lawrence officiating.  burial was in the St. Peters Cemetery, Billings, MO under the direction of Meadors Funeral Home, Billings.

This obituary was reprinted from the Lawrence County Record, Mt. Vernon, MO

Elsie Allen Obituary

Elsie Allen
Elsie Allen, 87, Monett, MO, formerly of Pierce City, died Wednesday evening, Jan. 4, 2012, at the Ozarks Community Hospital in Springfield, MO.  She was born April 7, 1924, in Mt. Vernon, MO to Rodney Dale and Sarah Jane (Williams) Kirby.  She graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1943.  She was a lifelong resident of the area, having resided in Pierce City for more than 30 years before moving to Monett, MO.  She and her husband owned and operated Allen's Pump Service.  She was a member of the community of Christ Church in Aurora.
     She married William Harrison Allen March 25, 1946, in Lawrence County.  He survives.
     Additional survivors include one son, Chester Allen, Asheville, N.C.; one daughter, Brenda Conn, Aurora, MO; one sister, Luella Baker, Alameda, Calif.; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.
     Memorial services were Jan. 7 at the Buchanan Funeral Home Chapel, Monett, with the Rev. Bruce Larson officiating.
     Memorial donations may be made to the Lawrence County Historical Society, in care of the funeral home.
This obituary was reprinted from  the Lawrence County Record, Mt. Vernon, MO