Leona ‘Mae’ McGarrah
Feb. 26, 1921 - Feb. 2, 2002
Mae McGarrah, as she was known, passed away Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002, at Granby House in Granby, Mo., at the age of 80 after a long illness.
She was born Feb. 26, 1921, in Bethlehem, Mo., to Andy E. “Bogue” and Bessie (Utter) Flaxbeard. She married Elmer McGarrah Dec. 4, 1937, in Neosho, Mo. They had just recently celebrated their 64th anniversary of marriage. They lived in the Wheaton area prior to moving to California for about 31 years, returning to the Wheaton area 35 years ago. She was a homemaker and attended the Bethlehem Methodist Church as a child.
Mae was preceded in death by her parents; a son, James McGarrah; a daughter, Betty McGarrah; and five brothers, Clovis, Carl, Henry, Noble and Homer Flaxbeard.
Survivors include her husband, Elmer; a son, Larry McGarrah of Farmington, Ark.; two daughters, Marlene Gunter of Wheaton, Mo., and Marie Paul of Wheaton; three brothers, Jessie Flaxbeard of Stark City, Virgil Flaxbeard of Wheaton, and Charley Flaxbeard of Redding, Calif.; 24 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; and her daughter-in-law, Rosemary McGarrah (her deceased son James’ wife).
Services will be held Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2002, at 2 p.m. at the Wheaton Funeral Home in Wheaton with burial at the Union Cemetery in Stella, Mo. Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home on Monday evening. The Rev. Richard Buck will officiate.
Patricia A. Deaton
Nov. 23, 1930 - Jan. 30, 2002
Patricia A. Deaton, 71, of Noel, died at 11:54 p.m., Jan. 30, 2002, at her home after an illness.
Mrs. Deaton was born Nov. 23, 1930, at Arkadelphia, Ark., and had lived in Noel since 1966, moving there from Little Rock, Ark. She was a member of the Noel United Methodist Church.
She worked as a switchboard operator for the telephone company in Arkadelphia and was a homemaker.
She married Guy Deaton Sept. 30, 1949, at Arkadelphia. He preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Wendy Deaton of Noel; a daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Ray Adair of Noel; one sister, Lillian Turner of Booneville, Ark.; and three grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2002, at the Noel United Methodist Church. The Revs. Bob Ewens and George Fuller, Jr., will officiate. Burial will be in the Noel Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Larry Fincher, Wayne Buck, Alan Marks, Brooks Turner, Robert Turner, Jerry Fincher, Tom Ed Buck and Tommy O’Baugh.
Visitation will be from noon until 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, 2002, at Ozark Funeral Home in Noel, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made the American Cancer Society in care of the Ozark Funeral Home, P.O. Box 520, Anderson, MO 64831.
Ruby I. Harper Jones
July 14, 1915 - Jan. 30, 2002
Ruby I. Harper Jones passed from this world Jan. 30, 2002, after a short illness at Freeman Neosho Hospital, Neosho, Mo.
Ruby was born at Kingston, Ark., July 14, 1915, to John W. Slaven and Dora McClung Slaven. Ruby married Ermon H. Harper July 26, 1934, at Lakin, Kan. He passed away April 24, 1956. Ruby married Raymond W. Jones Nov. 22, 1969. He passed away April 3, 1994.
Ruby is survived by three sons and one daughter, Gary and Susan Harper, Tom and Janey Harper of Lanagan, Mo., Ermon and Marie Harper of Pineville, Mo., and Gene and Dora Latty of Anderson, Mo.; three stepsons and two stepdaughters, Clyde Jones, Ivan Jones, Donnie Jones, Mary Cochraine and Linda Grohler, all of Lanagan, Mo.; seven brothers and three sisters, Winfield and Thelma Slaven of Syracuse, Kan., Frank Lewis and Jim Slaven of Tucson, Ariz., Maurice and Lois Slaven of Cascade, Colo., Paul and Doris Slaven of Cimmeron, Kan., Charles and Marcelle Slaven of Friendswood, Texas, Lily and Albert Finkenbinder of Oklahoma City, Okla., Isabell and Silas Smith of Vian, Okla., and Melissa and Robert Lopez of Waldorf, Md.; many, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and hosts of friends. She was known as “Granny” to many.
Ruby lived in Lanagan since 1950. She was very active in the Lanagan United Methodist Church, with the CYC and MYF which involved young people, the UMW the women’s part of the church and was on the board of the senior citizens.
Grandsons will serve as pallbearers and honorary pallbearers.
Services will be held Monday, Feb. 4, 2002, at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Lanagan, Mo. The Rev. Doris Schlessman will officiate. Burial will be in the Lanagan Cemetery. Friends may call Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Mo.
Contributions may be made to the Lanagan United Methodist Church Building Fund or Lanagan Senior Citizens OATS Transportation.
Sharon A. Martin
Feb. 16, 1942 - Jan. 30, 2002
Sharon Ann Martin, 59, of Goodman, Mo., formerly of Southwest City, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002, at 12:30 a.m. at her home in Goodman after an illness.
Sharon Martin was born Feb. 16, 1942, in Neosho, Mo., to the late Lois Faye (Lair) Patterson and Edward A. Patterson. She had lived in Goodman for six weeks, coming from Southwest City, Mo., where she lived most of her life. She was a member of the Oak Chapel Church at Southwest City, Okla.
Survivors include three sons, Doyce Latimer, George W. Scott and Jimmy Joe Scott, all of the home in Goodman, Mo.; two daughters, Cynthia Frye of Southwest City, Mo., and Judy Richey of Platte City, Mo.; and 12 grandchildren.
Funeral services for Sharon A. Martin will be held Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002, at 11 a.m. at the Oak Chapel Church in Southwest City, Okla. The Rev. Wesley Robbins will officiate. Minister Mike Frey will give the eulogy. Burial will follow the service in the Oakwood Cemetery in Neosho, Mo.
Visitation will be held Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, from noon until 8 p.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Southwest City, Mo. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 until 8 p.m.
Memorial contributions in memory of Sharon Martin may be given to St. John’s Hospice in care of the Ozark Funeral Home.
Gene Land
Jan. 1, 1931 - Jan. 28, 2002
Mr. Robert Eugene “Gene” Land, 71, of Anderson, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 28, 2002, at 5:10 a.m. at Freeman-West Hospital in Joplin, Mo., after an illness.
Mr. Gene Land was born Jan. 1, 1931, in Liberal, Mo., to the late Robert Land, Jr., and Audrey (Winship) Land. He had lived his entire life in Anderson where he was a member of the First Baptist Church. He was also a member of the Anderson Odd Fellows Lodge. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Department District #7 for 20 years before retiring.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Jim Land, and one sister, Pansy Baker.
He married Betty L. Martin Jan. 12, 1949, in Harrison, Ark. She survives of the home in Anderson, Mo. Additional survivors include one son, Randy Land and his wife, Debra, of Anderson, Mo.; two daughters, Debbie Greene of Gaithersburg, Mass., and Kathy Drumright and her husband Ken of Valley Center, Kan.; two sisters, Rosemary Wood of Lee, Fla., and Janice Koester of Indianapolis, Ind.; five grandchildren, Mike Drumright of Keller, Texas, Greg Drumright of Wichita, Kan., Krista Drumright of Valley Center, Kan., Brian Greene of Jacksonville, N.C., and Jeff Greene of Gaithersburg, Mass.; and two great-granddaughters, Delaney Drumright and Aubrey Drumright, both of Keller, Texas.
Funeral services for Mr. Robert Eugene Land will be held Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, at 10 a.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Mo. The Rev. Haskell Martin will officiate. Burial will follow the service in the Anderson Cemetery in Anderson.
Pallbearers will be grandsons, Mike Drumright, Greg Drumright, Brian Greene and Jeff Greene, and nephews, Bill Martin and Charles Land.
Visitation will be held Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002, at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson from noon until 8 p.m. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions in memory of Gene Land may be given to the McDonald County Nursing Center, where Gene had been a volunteer for the last five years, in care of the Ozark Funeral Home.
J.D. Shaver
July 15, 1967 - Jan. 29, 2002
J.D. Shaver, 34, of Anderson, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2002, at 1 a.m. at his home after an illness.
Mr. J.D. Shaver was born July 15, 1967, in Neosho, Mo., to Jack and Dana (Hollingsworth) Shaver. He lived in McDonald County all of his life. He graduated from McDonald County High School in 1986, where he participated in baseball, football and basketball. He attended John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark., where he played basketball and Crowder College in Neosho. He worked for Wal-Mart, Inc., at warehouse #4 in Bentonville, Ark. He was a member of the Buffalo Creek Baptist Church in Tiff City, Mo., where he sang. He also played the guitar and sang with “White Oak.”
He married Gina Frencken July 30, 1988, at Wanda United Methodist Church in Wanda, Mo. She survives of the home.
Additional survivors include his parents, Jack and Dana Shaver of Tiff City, Mo.; a son, Tyler Dean Shaver, and a daughter, Callie Jo Shaver, both of the home; a paternal grandmother, Virginia Shaver of Tiff City, Mo.; two sisters, Jenny Frencken and husband, Todd, of Tiff City, Mo., and Jill Dill and husband, Jason, of Anderson, Mo.
The funeral service for J.D. Shaver will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002, at the McDonald County High School in Anderson, Mo. Pastor Lloyd Crawford will officiate. Burial will follow at the New Bethel Cemetery in Anderson, Mo.
Pallbearers will be Kerry Fields, Rod Fields, Kyle Fields, Jason Dill, Todd Frencken, Troy Taggart, Keith Taggart, Jeff Frencken, Bo Speed and Jeremy Drouin.
A family visitation will be on Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, at the Buffalo Creek Baptist Church in Tiff City, Mo., from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Buffalo Creek Baptist Church in care of the Ozark Funeral Home, P.O. Box 520, Anderson, MO 64831.
Gail Lerae Atkins
Oct. 10, 1935 - Jan. 20, 2002
Gail Lerae Atkins age 65 of Magnolia Beach, Texas passed away on Sunday, January 20, 2002.
Gail was greeted at the shores of heaven by her parents, Tivis and Arlie Wilkins, and her son Bryan Atkins. Awaiting their reunion with her are, Barry and Tami Atkins of Smithville, Texas; Joseph Atkins and Donna Nelson of Liberal, Kansas; Jamison and Donna Atkins of Raytown, Missouri; Jill Atkins and sons Michael Weersing and Kyle Christy of South West City, Missouri; her sister Arlis Mercer of Cleveland, Ohio; brother Kaye Wilkins of San Antonio, Texas; her former husband of over 20 years, Ken Atkins of Liberal Kansas; and friends innumerable that she has made along the way.
As a Registered Nurse for over 40 years, Gail dedicated her life to helping others in need. This attribute certainly wasn’t limited to just her work, Gail was always quick to selflessly assist in any endeavor that would benefit another. With her friendliness, quick wit and sense of humor Gail Atkins brightened the lives of all that knew her. Her entire community will feel this loss for a very long time.
It was among Gail’s fondest wishes to return to her home in the Missouri Ozarks. Her family will carry her remains there to be interred in a small cemetery outside Noel, Missouri. There she will rest on a hill overlooking meadows, a river, and the Ozark Mountains.
There will be a graveside service at Riverside Cemetery located outside Noel, Missouri at 10:00 Friday, January 25th. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you follow Gail’s example and do a kind act for a stranger in her honor.
