Missouri, U.S., Marriage Records, 1805-2002
Erma “June” Graham, 71
Jan 3, 2008
Erma "June" Graham, 71, of Bolivar, born Dec. 2, 1931, at Ongo, the son of Cleveland and Stella May (Nelson) Maggard. He served his country in Korea with the U.S. Army. He was united in marriage to Alma Gullett on Sept. 24, 1955. To this union two children were death by his wife, Alma in 1982, his parents, a sister, Goldie, and his father-in-law, Herman Gullett.
Funeral services will be at Highlonesome today (Thursday, Jan. 3) at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Gene Crewse officiating. Burial will follow in Chadwick passed away Monday, Dec. 24, 2007, in St. John’s Hospital, Joplin. He was death. On Sept. 9, 1954, he was united in marriage to Floretta Lockhart in Sparta.
Tommy proudly served his country as a member of the United States Army entering the military at the young age of 17.
During his professional career, he was district manager for Meadow Gold Dairy, retiring after dedicating 29 years of service. He also attended and was a member of Blendville Christian Church. He especially enjoyed bluegrass gospel music and woodworking. Tommy was a dedicated family man and will be dearly missed by his family and many friends.
Tommy is survived by his wife, Floretta; three children, Sheri Page and husband Steve of Joplin, Mike Swearengin of Joplin, and Gary Swearengin and wife Janet of Wichita, Kan.; two grandchildren, Ryan Swearengin and Rachel Cole; and one great-grandchild, Andrew Cole. Other surviving relatives include seven siblings, Jim and Katherine Swearengin, Janis and Bill Preston, Dean and Dortha Swearengin, and Betty Fitzgerald all of Sparta, Joan and Stanley Workman, Dwight and Diana Swearengin, all of Seymour, and Peggy and Jesse Grimes, of Rogersville; other caring relatives and several friends.
Tommy was preceded in Cemetery. Visitation was held Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m., in Barnes Family Funeral Home, Ozark.
Robert J. Sparkman, 82
Jan 10, 2008
Robert J. Sparkman, 82, Springfield, born Nov. 15, 1925, in Willard, Mo. He was a graduate of Springfield Central High School and Southwest Missouri State College.
Bob worked in the banking Industry for 40 years. He was a former resident of Ava, having worked at Citizens Bank, now Town & Country Bank, in Ava.
He was preceded in Cemetery. Public visitation was from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in Gorman Scharpf Funeral Home, Springfield.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
Mary Pearl Bellinger, 92
Jan 24, 2008
Mary Pearl Bellinger, daughter of Charles and Anna Freeman, was born.
Her parents, a brother, a sister, two grandsons and one granddaughter preceded her in born and reared on the family farm near the Little York and Monmouth area. She was a devoted Christian mother, raising her family and keeping the home running. They lived around the Little York community for many years.
In 1979 she moved to Lancaster, Calif., to be with her daughter, Linda, where she was a day care cook for 13 years at her church. Then in 1994, she moved with her daughter and husband to Mansfield and volunteered her time at the Crisis Center and Friends In Action Intl., until a few months before her home going.
Pearl was a hard working lady, enjoyed her volunteer work and taking care of neighbors and friends. She loved growing beautiful flowers and maintaining them herself. She was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.
Memorial services were held at the First Baptist Church in Mansfield at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to Friends In Action Intl., Shipping Ministry Expansion Project, PO Box 88, Mansfield, MO 65704, where she volunteered for 12 years.
Virgil Ethmer Smith, 86
Jan 24, 2008
Virgil Ethmer Smith was death.
On Sept. 6, 1990, Virgil and Velma (Phillips) Trivitt were united in marriage in Wasola.
Virgil was also preceded in Interment followed in the Oak Grove born on May 5, 1916, in Colima, Mexico to Estela Concepcion and Santos Lepe Duran. His father was a French soldier working for the government during the Mexican Revolution and was killed in front of a firing squad by Poncho Villa a month before Jose' was married Ruth Anne Rohrer on May 16, 1946. They had nine children, Jose Jr., Diana, Ana, Thomas, Estela, Patricia, John, Christopher, and Ruth Anne.
Upon returning to civilian life, he worked at a small arms factory during the Korean War, and then, in 1959, the ever-growing family moved to the rural town of Squires, Mo., where they farmed for nine years. Then they moved to Ava, in 1967, where Jose' worked as an industrial sewing machine mechanic for Rawlings and Spalding sporting goods. He also opened a small business in their home where he repaired sewing machines and sold new ones. When the factory closed in 1973, Ruth and Jose', along with their four youngest children, moved to Shelbyville, Ky.
Jose' was employed at McGregor Brunswick in Eminence for one year, and then worked for Louisville Manufacturing in Louisville, where he was an industrial sewing machine mechanic and head of maintenance. He retired in 1982, at the age of 66. During this time they also started a small business in their home, called "Duran's Sewing Center" at 10th and Main Street in Shelbyville. He repaired sewing machines and she sold new ones, along with other odds and ends. They closed the business in 1987 due to their declining health.
In 1994, Jose' had a major heart attack, and then in 1997, they moved to Birmingham, Ala., to be closer to their son John. During his retirement, he enjoyed making wooden trucks, boats, and animals for his grandchildren.
In May 2006, Ruth and Jose' celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and Jose's 90th Birthday with a family reunion and a cookout at his daughter, Estela's (Larry) home in Oklahoma, where the couple has been living due to declining health for the past three and a half years.
During his life, Jose' was a Kentucky Colonel, a life member of the American Legion Post 7 in Frankfort, Ky., a member of the Disabled American Veterans Post 155 in New Castle, Ky., a member of the 40 and 8 in Frankfort, Ky., and helped start a VFW Post in Shelbyville, Ky., where he was also a life member. He also served as 2-time commander of Post 7, 2-time commander of the 40 and 8, as well as Kentucky State Chaplain of the 40 and 8 for several years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, 3rd Degree, in St. Louis. Over the years, he has been a member of St. Leo's Church in Ava, the Church of the Annunciation, in Shelbyville, Ky., and St. Teresa's Church in Harrah, Okla. Jose also spoke several languages including Spanish, Hebrew, German, and Italian.
He is survived by his wife of over 61 years, Ruth Anne, of Harrah, Okla.; eight children, Jose' Duran Jr. and his wife, Beverly, Helotes, Texas, Diana Tarrant Arkansas City, Kan., Ana Trumbo, Danville, Pa., Thomas Duran and his wife, Sue, Salem, Ala., Estela Campbell and her husband, Larry, Harrah, Okla., John Duran, Birmingham, Ala., Christopher Duran and his wife, Beverly, Frisco, Texas, Ruth Marcum and her husband, Steve, Coral Springs, Fla., and a son-in-law, Floyd Seals, Frankfort, Ky.
He is also survived by 26 grandchildren, including Mindy Pinckney and her husband, Tanner, of Ava, and their three children, along with 36 great-grandchildren, one brother-in-law, Milton Rohrer of Apache Junction, Ariz., and one sister-in-law, Nadine Scholfield, of San Raphael, Calif., along with several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in Cemetery. All four of Mr. Duran's sons will serve as pallbearers as well as two of his sons-in-law, Larry Campbell and Floyd Seals. Mr. Duran will be buried with full military honors. Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Catholic Church of the Annunciation or to Hospice.
