Ralph ‘Windy’ Pogue
July 21, 1919 - May 8, 2003
Ralph Winfred ‘Windy’ Pogue, 83, of Pineville, Mo., died Thursday, May 8, at his home.
Ralph was born July 21, 1919, in Stella, Mo., to Grover Cleveland Pogue and Ethaellen Gary Pogue. Following graduation from Pineville High School, he attended University of Missouri and received a degree in forestry from University of Michigan in 1941. He married Ruth Clement of Springfield, Mo., in 1941.
Ralph was the first state forester for the Missouri Conservation Commission’s new five-county district in southwest Missouri. He pioneered forest management methods for the commission and the U. S. Forest Service in the early 1940s. Ralph was promoted in 1949 to news director and associate editor of the Missouri Conservationist magazine, headquartered in Jefferson City, Mo.
Ralph and Ruth purchased the Noel Ozark Press in Noel, Mo., in 1951. They acquired the Southwest City Republic in 1970 and with their son, George Pogue, added several additional McDonald County newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s, including the Pineville News Gazette, Anderson Graphic and Goodman News Dispatch.
Ralph’s articles, commentaries and columns appeared in print over a period of more than 40 years. His articles were reproduced by large newspapers, magazines and commentaries, including the St. Louis Post Dispatch, H. L Mencken’s American Mercury magazine and Paul Harvey of radio fame. Ralph retired from McDonald County newspaper publishing in the early 1990’s.
Ralph was predeceased by his first wife, Ruth Clement Pogue, in 1991. He is survived by his second wife, Ruth C. Boucher Pogue, of Monett, Mo.; one sister, Cleva Dell Parsons of Fort Myers, Fla.; three children, Martha Ann Gregory of Tulsa, Okla., Dwight Winfred Pogue of Hatfield, Mass., and George Gilbert Pogue of Pineville, Mo.; two step-children, Mary Stubblefield of Monett, Mo., and Bonnie Haubrich of Quincy, Ill.; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and seven step-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at Shelt-Noel Cemetery, Highway H, between Noel and Pineville, on Monday, May 12, at 10 a.m. Visitation will be at Ozark Funeral Home in Pineville on Sunday, May 11, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Wildlife Federation, Attn: Memorials, 11100 Wildlife Center Dr., Reston, Va, 20190, (800-822-9919).
Gifts should reference the Ralph W. Pogue Memorial.
Arrangements are under direction of Ozark Funeral Home, Anderson, Mo.
James G. ‘Jay’ Strickland
Oct. 13, 1917 - May 5, 2003
James G. “Jay” Strickland, 85, of Neosho, died at 6:05 a.m. Monday, May 5, 2003, at Medicalodge of Neosho after an 18 month illness.
He was born Oct. 13, 1917, in Stella, Mo., to Orvalle Lee and Susie May (James) Strickland. He was raised in Stella and attended Stella schools. He served in the U.S. Army/Air Force during World War II. He worked as an airline mechanic for Douglas Aircraft of Long Beach, Calif., for 15 years and then for Continental Airlines of Los Angeles, Calif., for 18 years. He moved to Goodman in 1981. He was a member of the Goodman Senior Citizens for 20 years. He was also a member of the Hillcrest Church of Christ, Neosho.
He married Marlyn Frances Case, June 22, 1940, in Pineville, Mo., and she survives. Additional survivors include one son, Clayton Dean Strickland of Huntington Beach, Calif.; three brothers and one sister-in-law, Wayne Strickland of Okmulgee, Okla., George and Mary Strickland of Conway, Mo., and Glenn Strickland of Stella, Mo.; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Elizabeth and Cleo Guinn of Stella, Mo., and Virginia and Leon Johnson of Joplin, Mo.; three grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and two step-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Friday, May 9, 2003, at the Clark Chapel of Memories with Don Deffenbaugh and Robert Moss officiating. Interment followed in Union Cemetery. The family received friends at the funeral home Thursday.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Neosho Christian School, c/o Clark Funeral Home, P.O. Box 66, Neosho, MO 64850.
Services were under the direction of Clark Funeral Home in Neosho.
Mary Edna Stutts
Aug. 6, 1900 - May 8, 2003
Mary Edna Stutts, 102, of Anderson, Mo., died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at 2:55 a.m. in McDonald County Nursing Home in Anderson, Mo., after an illness.
Mary Edna Stutts was born Aug. 6, 1900, in Savannah, Tenn. She had lived in Anderson since 1996, coming from Springdale, Ark., where she had lived for 50 years. She was a member of the Sycamore Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Ark. She was a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cason Virgil Stutts, who died in 1968; her parents, John and Kate (Casteel) Clausel.
Mary Edna Stutts is survived by her three sons, E.V. Stutts of Fayetteville, Ark., John Stutts of Anderson, Mo., and Gary Stutts of Melbourne, Fla.; three daughters, Marie Nichols of Lee Summit, Mo., Arby Smith of Boonville, Ark., and Willie Kate McWilliams of Bella Vista, Ark.; 12 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; 26 great-great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mary Edna Stutts will be held Monday, May 12, 2003, at 2 p.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Mo. The Rev. Jim Wallis will officiate. Burial will be in the White Oak Cemetery in Harmon, Ark.
Grandsons Kenneth Smith, Dewayne Smith, Eugene Smith, Ronnie Nichols, John Weible and James Weible will serve as pallbearers.
Visitation will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 2003, at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Mo. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. at the funeral home.
Calvin Joe Sturgis
July 17, 1983 - July 21, 2003
Calvin Joe Sturgis, 20, of Joplin, Mo., died July 21, 2003 at 12:05 p.m. at his home after a long illness.
Calvin Joe Sturgis was born on July 17, 1983 in Granbury, Texas. He had lived most of his life in Joplin. He attended Joplin High School.
Calvin Joe Sturgis is survived by his mother, Linda Thomas and her companion Dan “Dapper” Dudley of the home; three uncles Jerry Wiley of Neosho, Mo., Frank Raines and Leroy Raines, both of Goodman, Mo.; three aunts Carolyn Jordan of Neosho, Mo., Joyce Hartsook of Branson, Mo. and JoAnn Raines of West Mineral, Kans. and many cousins.
Graveside services for Calvin Joe Sturgis were held Friday, July 25, 2003 at 2:00 PM. at the Howard Cemetery in Goodman, Mo. Brother Larry Stites officiated.
Visitation was held Thursday, July 24, 2003, from 12 noon until 5 p.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Goodman.
Memorial contributions may be given to the funeral home to help with the final expenses.
Patricia Ann Garner
May 19, 1945 - July 20, 2003
Patricia Ann Garner, 58, of Noel, Mo., died Sunday, July 20, 2003, at 4:17 a.m. at Gravette Medical Center in Gravette, Ark. after an illness.
She was born on May 19, 1945, in Bakersfield, Calif., to the late Jack and Norma (Corneilson) Benson of Little Rock, Ark. She was also preceded in death by her three grandchildren James Christopher garner II, Krisinda Mae Garner and April Lemac Garner of Stella, Mo.
Patricia Ann Garner is survived by three sons, Kenneth Wayne Garner, address unknown, Robert William Garner and Ernest Garner, both of Noel, Mo.; one brother; four sisters; nieces and nephews; aunts and uncles, cousins; great nephews and great nieces.
The funeral service for Patricia Ann Garner was held Thursday, July 24, 2003, at 2 p.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Mo. The Reverend jerry Crider officiated. Burial was in the Union Cemetery at Stella, Mo. Family and friends served as pallbearers.
Visitation was held Thursday, July 24, 2003, from 12 noon until service time at the funeral home..
Gene Strickland Tracy
May 29, 1942-Sept. 19, 2005
Gene Strickland Tracy, 63, suffered a fatal heart attack on Monday, Sept. 19, 2005, while on his daily run.
Funeral: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 1800 W. Randol Mill Road, Arlington, Va. Visitation: The family received friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at Moore Funeral Home, 1219 N. Davis Drive, Arlington.
Memorials: Rather than flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Neuro-Fitness Foundation, 251 West Park Way, LB 12, Suite 201, Euless, Texas 76040, or contact them at www.neurofitnessfoundation.org.
Gene was born May 29, 1942, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Mo., to Betty Strickland Tracy and Winton Godby Tracy. Gene’s father was home on leave from World War II to be at his birth. Gene was 2 years old when he and his two older brothers, W.G. and Wiley Winton, were finally able to welcome their dad home.
Gene spent his pre-college days in Anderson, Mo. As a young boy, Gene was popular with all those who knew him and was elected class president all four years of high school. He enjoyed being on the basketball, baseball and track teams, was an Eagle Scout and loved all the outdoor activities that McDonald County, Mo., afforded a curious youth.
After graduating from high school, Gene attended Drury College in Springfield, Mo., before transferring to Texas Wesleyan University in Forth Worth. In 1961, Gene married his high school sweetheart, Linda Jane Newby. While at Texas Wesleyan, Gene worked as a salesman at Leonard’s Department Store and as a night-shift supervisor at Burlington Northern Railroad. Shortly before graduation, Gene’s first son, Todd, was born in May of 1964.
Gene’s first job as a college graduate was with Montgomery Ward as a manager traveling from town to town setting up catalog stores. In 1967, Gene accepted a position with NCR, where he climbed the corporate ladder for many years. Several times he was voted the best salesman or Manager of the Year. In 1969, Gene’s second son, Sean, was born. In 1983, Gene went to work at EDS, where he would continue his corporate achievements until he was asked by his son Todd to help him with his law firm in 1993.
In 1981, Gene married Suzanne Godfrey and proudly welcomed three daughters, Jackie, Kathy and Kelly, into his family. Gene always thought of the “girls” as his own children.
Gene Tracy was never a rich man in terms of monetary wealth. However, if the measure of a man’s wealth is how he is loved and respected, how many friendships he has gained, and how he has impacted people’s lives, then Gene Tracy was the richest man in the world. He will truly be missed by all who knew him.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Judge Winton Godby and Betty Tracy of Anderson, Mo., and brother, Judge W.G. Tracy of St. Joseph, Mo.
Survivors: His wife, Suzanne Tracy of Colleyville; sons, Todd Tracy of Southlake and Michael Sean Tracy of Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; daughters, Jackie Summers of Colleyville, Kathy Cochran of Colleyville and Kelly Lyman of Grapevine; grandchildren, Sydney and Chance Summers, Alexandra, Grayson and Olivia Tracy, Kendall and Cameron Lyman; and brother, Wiley Winton Tracy of Jefferson City, Mo.
Herman O. ‘HOP’ Parsons
July 31, 1917-Oct. 4, 2005
Retired Air Force Colonel Hop Parsons died peacefully 4 Oct. 2005 in his residence at Cypress Cove in Ft. Myers with his beloved wife Cleva at his side. He was 88.
Hop was born in Jasper Co., Mo., on 31 July 1917 to Gladys Crutcher and Oscar Burl Parsons. He grew up in Dog Hollar Road east of Pineville. After graduation from Pineville High School, Hop had his fill of the family farm and went to Kansas City. He decided to go to the Ford Plant in Dearborn but ended up on a freight train to California. There he joined the Army. He returned home after a year and married Cleva, his high school sweetheart, in Fayetteville, Ark., on 10 August 1937. Hop bought his way out of the Army and got a job teaching at a one-room school house. In 1941, Hop returned to active duty and later qualified for Officer’s Candidate School. After graduation, he applied for flight training and in June 1944, was assigned to the European Theater where he flew 76 missions over France and Germany as a P-47 pilot. Hop’s decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Air Medal with 13 devices to name a few. Hop was noted for his high speed low level passes over the Pineville area.
Hop had many outstanding assignments in his 31-year tour in the Air Force. After the war he designed the newly formed USAF’s regulation management system. He served as adjutant general in Korea. Hop put his manpower experience to work when he staffed the new BOMARC missile wing at Hurlburt Field and served as executive officer from 1958 to 1960. He graduated from FSU in 1961 under the Bootstrap Program. He and Cleva went to Europe where Hop served as Group Commander of a Mace missile wing. Following his retirement in 1967, Hop and Cleva moved to Cape Coral, Florida, where he got his broker’s license and developed and sold real estate. Hop and Cleva moved to Cypress Cove in 1999.
Hop was an avid golfer, fisherman and boater. He and Cleva took many cruises in their trawler, the Suzi-K. Hop loved mental challenges and was an outstanding poker player and crossword puzzle aficionado.
Survivors include his wife, Cleva; a daughter, Carolyn S. Glaze and son-in-law, Harry, of Nokomis, Fla.; a son, Gary H. Parsons and daughter-in-law, Kay, of Niceville, Fla.; a sister, Virginia Whitten of Cape Coral, Fla.; grandchildren Brett and Bart Glaze and Lisa McCracken and Eric Parsons; seven great-grandchildren; nephews George Pogue, Dwight Pogue and Melvin Whitten; and nieces Martha Gregory and Karen Buchannon.
Memorial services will be Sunday 9 Oct. at 3 p.m. at the Coral Ridge Cemetery, Cape Coral, Fla.
