Nancy Heinberg
Nancy Heinberg loved versatile actors. Her favorite actor, Jonathan Pryce, was known for his character work and ability to slip into different roles. This love of versatility was especially fitting for Ms. Heinberg, who played several different roles throughout her life. "She was always my hero," said longtime friend Kate Keith Hanley. "She was intelligent, witty - just enthralling to be around."
Ms. Heinberg died Saturday, May 25, 2002, of an intercranial hemorrhage at Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick, Md. She was 59.
Ms. Heinberg was born in Columbia on May 26, 1942, to John G. and Pauline Dorsey Heinberg. She graduated from Hickman High School and went on to earn three master's degrees. One in English from the University of Wisconsin, one in journalism from MU, and one in social work from the University of Maryland.
"She had tremendous intellectual curiosity," said her brother John Heinberg.
Friends and relatives said Ms. Heinberg had always loved the English language.
"Nancy was always a reporter in her own way," said Kathy Mussman Walsh, also a longtime friend of Ms. Heinberg. "She was incredibly well-read and articulate, and always knew exactly how to hit a phrase on the head."
Ms. Heinberg spent six years as a reporter for the Capital Times in Madison, Wis., before becoming a copy editor for the Washington Post in 1973. She later worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The News in Wilmington, Del.
Throughout her various jobs, Ms. Heinberg never lost track of her Columbia roots. She was able to maintain these ties through the Boone County Babes, a group of Hickman class of 1960-61 graduates who ended up living in the Washington, D.C. area.
Ms. Heinberg was one of the founding members of the Babes, and the glue that held the group together, Mussman Walsh said.
The group is still close. Last August, Ms. Heinberg, along with Walsh and another Babe, Jean Crawford Bittner, traveled to London to see Jonathan Pryce in a production of My Fair Lady, where she met Pryce in person.
As a life-long Democrat, Ms. Heinberg always had a strong interest in politics, her brother said. She created a scholarship fund named for her father, who taught political science at MU for 25 years.
"I am going to miss her participation and coming to the receptions," said Donna Hanly, senior academic advisor for MU political science undergraduates. "She really liked the idea of keeping her father's memory alive."
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Frederick, Md.
Ms. Heinberg is survived by a brother, John Heinberg of McLean, Va.; a niece, Susan Heinberg Oleinik of Paris, France; and a nephew, Jason Bruce Heinberg of Fairfax, Va. Memorials may be sent to the J.G. Heinberg Award Fund, 306 Reynolds Alumni Center, Columbia, Mo., 65211.
Earl William Lewis
Earl William Lewis of Columbia died Wednesday, May 29, 2002, at Boone Hospital Center. He was 95.
Mr. Lewis was born March 27, 1907 in Higbee to Ira and Frances Elizabeth Hamilton Lewis. He worked as a minister for 30 years, serving at Higbee Church of Christ, Macon Church of Christ and Hallsville Church of Christ.
He married Pauline White on June 5, 1929 in Randolph County.
Visitation for Mr. Lewis will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services, conducted by the Rev. Billy Moore, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. He will be buried at Chapel Cemetery in Clark.
Mr. Lewis is survived by a son, Ronald William Lewis of St. Joseph; a daughter, Doris Earline Bailey of Columbia; a brother, Edgar Lewis of Moberly; a sister, Belva Roddy of Centralia; six grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
His wife; two brothers, Henry Lewis and Bryson Lewis; and two sisters, Flossie Griggs and Ruby Lewis died earlier.
Memorials may be sent to Alzheimer's Association, 1121 Business Loop 70 E., Columbia, MO 65201.
William Wright
William "Billy" Wright of Columbia died Monday, May 27, 2002. He was 80.
Mr. Wright was formerly an employee at Harry S. Truman Veterans Memorial Hospital for 15 years. He retired in 1991. He served in the Army during World War II.
Mr. Wright was born May 23, 1922, in Tulsa, Okla. to Thomas R. Wright and Edith Brown Wright. He was married to Mary Jalia Wright.
Visitation for Mr. Wright will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Warren Funeral Chapel, 12 E. Ash. The family will receive friends from 7:30 to 8. Services, conducted by Rev. Donald R. McNeal, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Second Baptist Church, 407 E. Broadway. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Wright is survived by his wife of Columbia; six daughters, Alice J. Grantond and Karen E. Warren of Columbia, Sheridan McQuitty of Fayette, Helen Collins of Kansas City, Margaret J. Lawson of Dallas, and Alice Prince of Milwaukee; two sisters, Helen Brown and Lilla M. Jefferson of Columbia; four brothers, Maurice Wright of Columbia, Melvin Wright of Hawthorne, Calif., Thomas Wright of Marion, Ill., and James Wright of Omaha, Neb.; 16 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
His two sons died earlier.
Lewis Lawson
Lewis Lawson of Columbia died Monday, May 27, 2002, at Columbia Regional Hospital. He was 77.
Mr. Lawson was born Nov. 20, 1924, in Fulton. He was married to Dorothy Jean Lawson of Columbia.
Mr. Lawson was formerly an employee of the University of Missouri.
Visitation for Mr. Lawson will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Warren Funeral Chapel, 12 E. Ash St. Services, conducted by Rev. Gregory Pennington, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Warren Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Lawson is survived by his wife, Dorothy J. Lawson; a daughter, Linda S. Warren of Columbia; a sister, Goldie Lawson of Columbia; a brother, Bobby Lawson of Columbia; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several cousins.
A sister and three brothers died earlier.
Raymond Bass
Raymond Bass of Hannibal died Sunday, May 26, 2002, at Hannibal Regional Hospital. He was 82.
Mr. Bass was born Sept. 16, 1919, in Columbia to Arthur and Pearl Washington Bass. He is survived by his sister, Viola King of Chicago; his daughter, Kathy King; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
His wife, Hazel Richardson, died earlier. They were married in Columbia in 1943. A daughter, Linda Prush, and two sisters, Pauline Ashburn and Lena Bass Divers, also died earlier.
Mr. Bass served in the Army during World War II. He was a retired truck driver for the City of Columbia and the Dalton Coal Co.
Services and burial will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Log Providence Cemetery in Columbia, conducted by the Rev. Ray Warren. There will be no visitation.
Kevin P. Aherin
Kevin P. Aherin of Columbia died on Monday, May 27, 2002, at University Hospital. He was 46.
Mr. Aherin was born on Feb. 11, 1956, to Lawrence F. and Joyce M. Vogt Aherin in Decatur, Ill.
He was a general manager for Red Lobster, and worked in both Columbia and Springfield, Ill. He enjoyed baseball and basketball.
Visitation for Mr. Aherin will be at the Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield, Ill., from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday. Services, conducted by the Rev. Robert Franzen, will be held at 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mr. Aherin is survived by his mother, Joyce Aherin of Springfield, Ill.; his daughter, Jennifer Aherin of Conway, Ark.; two sisters, Kay Smargiassi of Pawnee, Ill., and Maureen Anne Kahn of St. Charles, Mo.; two brothers, Lawrence Michael Aherin of San Diego, and James Edward Aherin of Jacksonville, Ill.; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
His father died earlier.
Marion Leyden
Marion Leyden always had an independent streak in her. Her mother died when she was 11 years old, so she began raising her three younger sisters and brother. She could stretch money and appreciated the value of hard work. Through it all she never lost her sense of humor.
Mrs. Leyden died May 3, 2002, at the Westminster Towers Retirement Center in Orlando, Fla. She was 98.
Mrs. Leyden was born on Oct. 29, 1903, in Cottonwood, Minn., to John V. and Della Marie Kelly.
She worked her way through school and graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., in 1926. She went on to teach high school math.
In 1929, she married Ralph C. Leyden, and they lived in Virginia, Minn., until 1943.
That year, the Leydens moved to Columbia, where Mr. Leyden worked at Stephens College.
Mrs. Leyden went back to school and received her master's degree in library science from MU. She served as director of technical resources at the Boone County Regional Library for about ten years.
Mrs. Leyden participated in groups such as the League of Women Voters and the Stephens College Faculty Wives organization.
In 1965, the family moved to Lake Mary, Fla., because "they absolutely fell in love with the place they found," Mrs. Leyden's daughter Patricia Ramsay said. The pine trees reminded them of being home in Minnesota, she said.
The family will hold private services.
Mrs. Leyden is survived by two children, Patricia L. Ramsay of Ypsilanti, Mich., and Donovan K. Leyden of Carmel, Calif.; two grandchildren; and three great-grandaughters.
Her husband and a son died earlier.
Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Helen Albertson
Helen Albertson of Chillicothe, died Friday, May 24, 2002, at Indian Hills Retirement Village in Chillicothe. She was 75.
Mrs. Albertson was born Dec. 23, 1926, in Chillicothe to Dewey and Roberta Roney Runyon. She married Delmas Albertson in Mineral Wells, Texas, on Jan. 13, 1945.
Mrs. Albertson was a member of the Royal Neighbors and the American Legion Auxiliary. She was a longtime employee of Gaylen's Childrens Shop and a volunteer at the Chillicothe Senior Center.
Mrs. Albertson is survived by two sons, Dennis Albertson of Chillicothe and Daryl Albertson of Jefferson City; two daughters, Katie Donoho of Chillicothe and Brenda Rardon of Trenton, Mo.; one brother, Roy Runyon of Independence; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Her husband, parents, one brother and two sisters died earlier.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, and from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Norman-Wagy-Gordon Funeral Home in Chillicothe. Services will be Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Wheeling Cemetery in Wheeling.
Memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer's Foundation c/o Norman-Wagy-Gordon Funeral Home, 434 Locust St., Chillicothe, Mo., 64601.
Harold Andrew Mason
Harold Andrew "Andy" Mason was a big, strong guy. He had a 50-inch chest and a 34-inch waist. This big guy, however, also had a wonderful sense of humor and a deep love of animals.
"He was very easygoing, very funny," said his mother, Betty Acree. "It was impossible not to like him."
Mr. Mason died on May 22, 2002, in Columbia. He was 39. The cause of death is not yet known, and the family is waiting for results of the toxicology reports, Acree said.
Mr. Mason was born Nov. 19, 1966 in Joplin. He moved to Columbia in 1976 and graduated from Rock Bridge High School.
Mr. Mason first began roofing when he was young, but later took up framework and carpentry due to a bad back. He helped to construct many homes in Columbia and also roofed buildings such as the courthouse and Victoria Park office buildings. Acree said that just last week he installed a new roof on her house.
Mr. Mason also liked to build things for his nieces and nephews, including a cherrywood rocking horse, a swing and little wooden cars that are propelled by rubber bands, Acree said.
"These toys are definitely going to be handed down through the generations," she said.
When he wasn't doing carpentry work, he enjoyed practicing the martial art of Ju Jitsu, his sister, Julia Mason Loecker, said.
Mr. Mason liked the strength and discipline conditioning he got from Ju Jitsu, Acree said. The boy who once called himself "tall, skinny, and goofy-looking" became very strong and muscular.
Mr. Mason always had a strong love of animals. Acree recalled a time when she brought him to the MU School of Veterinary Medicine, as they were feeding the snakes. Andy, 11 years old at the time, tried to buy the mice to save their lives.
"He really loved animals," she said. "There are always pictures around of Andy with dogs, and they're always licking him and he's always laughing and smiling."
His two beloved dogs, Rocky and Bull Winkle, are now living with Acree.
Mr. Mason is survived by his mother of Columbia; one sister, Julia Mason Loecker of Blue Springs; his brother, Todd Mason of Hopkins; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be sent to Columbia Second Chance or Happy Tails Animal Sanctuary.
Wayne Swiney
Wayne Edward Swiney of Centralia died Wednesday, May 22, 2002, at his home. He was 71.
Mr. Swiney was born Aug. 16, 1930, in Pana, Ill., to Joseph A. and Agnes Rachel Jones Swiney. He married Dorothy L. Knollenberg in Mattoon, Ill., on Dec. 31, 1951. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.
Mr. Swiney was a U.S. Army veteran, serving from January 1952 to December 1953.
He was a lifelong farmer, initially in central Illinois and then for nearly 30 years after moving to Sturgeon in 1965. He also farmed in Centralia after moving there in 1992. He was a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Centralia.
Mr. Swiney is survived by his wife; four children, Michael Swiney of Centralia, Sharon DeGraffenreid of Cassville, Sandra Moore of Clark, and Bruce Swiney of Arnold; a brother, Leon Swiney of Centralia; a sister, Jean Schmitz of Tower Hill, Ill.; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services, conducted by the Reverend J. James Offutt, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Centralia. Burial will be at Glendale Memorial Gardens in Centralia.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, 2600 I-70 Drive N.W. Columbia, MO or the Mid-Missouri chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 1121 Business Loop 70 E. Columbia, MO 65201.
Elmer Edmon Forbes
Elmer Edmon Forbes of Boonville died Friday, May 24, 2002, at Truman Veterans Hospital in Columbia. He was 87.
Mr. Forbes was born on Oct. 21, 1914, in Boone County to Rollin John and Mary Alice Crenshaw Forbes. He married Evelyn Coil Tompson on Aug. 15, 1975, in Mexico, Mo.
Mr. Forbes served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1943. He was a farmer for much of his life, retiring in 1976.
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Boonville.
Visitation for Mr. Forbes will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia, 1217 Business Loop 70 W. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at East Lawn Memorial Park in Mexico, Mo.
Mr. Forbes is survived by one step-son, John Tompson of San Antonio; and several nieces and nephews.
His wife, three brothers and two sisters died eariler.
Kenith Ray Wheeler
If he wasn't tending stawberries in his garden, Kenith Ray Wheeler could be found inside working passionately on his favorite hobby: building radio-controlled model airplanes.
Wheeler, a Centralia resident, had loved airplanes ever since he was young. He spent 21 years in the Air Force, including service at Air Force Strategic Command, stationed at McConnel Air Force Base. Wheeler also served during the Vietnam War, working on silo missiles in England and Germany.
Mr. Wheeler died on May 19, 2002. He was 73.
At his request, Mr. Wheeler's body was donated to the MU School of Medicine for cancer research purposes.
"He was very giving, he always wanted to help anyone in need," his brother, Roy Wheeler Jr., said.
Mr. Wheeler was born on June 30, 1928.
He was a member of the nondenominational Church of Christ in Centralia.
Services for Mr. Wheeler will be held June 21, 2002, preceding the Wheeler family reunion.
Mr. Wheeler is survived by one son, Steven M. Wheeler of Wichita, Kan.; two daughters, Cara L. Lopez of Wichita, Kan. and Rosalee E. Zackula of Columbia; a sister, Joyce Nevitt of Vancouver, Wash.; three brothers, Mason Wheeler of Goreville, Ill., Roy Wheeler Jr. of Aurora, S.D. and Gary T. Wheeler of Wichita, Kan.; an aunt, three grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorials may be made to Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, One Hospital Drive, Columbia, Mo., 65201 or the American Cancer Society, 33 E. Broadway, Columbia, MO 65203.
