Helen M. Pitts
Helen Maude Pitts, 92, Adrian, died December 30, 1999, at Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler. She was born Aug. 10, 1907, at Pittsburg to Henry "Bud" and Nell Roy Houser. She was a member of Antioch Christian Church. On December 31, 1927, she married Cecil L. Pitts. They were the parents of three children, Arnold Pitts, Dan Pitts and Patricia Pitts Arnold. She lived her entire life in Missouri, living over 50 years in Humansville. Most recently, she had lived at Adrian. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Pitts; a brother, Frank Houser; and a sister, Gladys Galbum. She is survived by three children, Arnold Pitts and his wife, Jo, of Kansas City, Kan., Dan Pitts and his wife, Laura, of Mexico and Pat Arnold and her husband, Tom, of Adrian; seven grandchildren, Mike Pitts and his wife, Mary Ellen, Diane O'Malley and her husband, Dennis, all of Kansas City, Kan., Karen Polacek and her husband, Kevin, Scott Pitts and Susan Pitts, all of Mexico, Lydia Arnold and Paul Arnold of Adrian; seven great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; a brother, Bill Houser of Yuma, Ariz.; and two special nieces, Frankie Walker and Carol Rohrer. Services were Monday, Jan. 3, in Antioch Christian Church with the Rev. Ron Anderson officiating. Music was by Susan Davis. Pall bearers were Junior Watt, Earl Ball, Mike Pitts, Dennis O'Malley, Scott Pitts and Kevin Polacek. Interment was in Antioch Cemetery under the direction of Murray Funeral Home, Humansville.
Merrill R. Pratt
Merrill Richard Pratt, 90, Fair Play, died Dec. 25, 1999, at his home. He had been ill for four months. He was born in Waterloo, Iowa, on July 27, 1909, the son of Edward Alonzo Pratt and Ellen Jane Berhle Pratt. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Nelly McCarty and Gladys Clutter; four brothers, Harold, Lewis, Don and Kenny Dewayne; and one great-granddaughter, Jessica Lynn Miller. He met his wife, Anna June Walker, in Kansas City and was married to her for 62 years. Merrill and June printed and edited the Bolivar Herald in 1966-1967, using the offset method of newspaper printing for the first time in Polk County. In 1968, the paper was consolidated with the Bolivar Free Press and the Polk County Times, leaving one paper in Bolivar. At that time, he and his wife founded the Twin Lakes Press Commercial Printing Co. and operated that business until it was sold in 1980. They retired to Fair Play and opened a small discount store, which they operated until their health made them close it and take time to enjoy the fishing and hunting. Merrill was a family man and loved all sports and ball games of all types. He is survived by his wife, Anna June of the home; one son, Allen Marion Pratt of Fair Play; and one daughter and son-in-law, Merilyn June and Carl Miller of Springfield. Also surviving are six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren as well as a host of other relatives and many friends. Services were Tuesday, Dec. 28, in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jack C. Smothers officiating. Music was provided by Chris Taylor. Burial was in the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery south of Aldrich.
Leila P. Pritchard
Leila Pauline Pritchard, 81, Bolivar, died at 4:10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 25, 1999, at Citizens Memorial Hospital. The daughter of Francis Asberry Moffitt and Nannie Belle Brooks Moffitt, she was born May 18, 1918, in Half Way. She was a homemaker in the Goodson community for may years. She loved gardening and doing yard work. Leila was a member of the Goodson Missionary Baptist Church. Her greatest joy was to spend time with her family. She delighted in preparing and sharing meals with those she loved. Leila was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Herbert Elvis Pritchard; a sister, Margaret Nelson; and two brothers, Kenneth and Earl Moffitt. Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Ben Gorden, her grandchildren, Christa Owens and Brian Gorden, and great-grandchildren, Katelyn and Kassidy Owens, all of Half Way; and two brothers, Carl Moffitt of Hinton, Okla., and Orville Moffitt of Clinton, as well as many other relatives and friends. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Services were Monday, Dec. 27, in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with Elder Jerry Crain officiating. Music was provided by David Barham and Cindy Francka with Janice Barham as pianist. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery. Casketbearers were Randy Barham, David Barham, Mike Greer, Gary Greer, Ross Rantz and Harold Entrop.
Jack Riedesel
Phillip Jackson "Jack" Riedesel, 72, Fair Play, died at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999, at his home after a battle with cancer. He was born Feb. 23, 1927, in Nevada, the son of Phillip Marcus and Susie Eberle Riedesel. They moved to the Polk County area in 1937. He was united in marriage to Effie Marie Rotramel on Dec. 22, 1948, and to this union were born one son and three daughters. An entrepreneur and self-made man in the construction business, he gave to many charities, some of which included a trust fund for the Fair Play School District, the Riedesel Charitable Trust for Community Services and, most recently, a donation of funds for a new senior citizens center in Bolivar. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, June Riedesel Pitts; and one daughter, Helen Louise Riedesel. Survivors include his wife, Effie Riedesel of the home; one son, Ed Riedesel and his wife, Barbara, of Goodson; two daughters, Sandra Parks and her husband, Owen, of Fair Play and Sherry Riedesel and her husband, Daniel Kauffman, of Otis, Ore.; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Also surviving are one brother, Dean Riedesel and his wife, Alyce; and three sisters, Maxine Christian and Gertrude Fellows of Bolivar and Harriet Edmondson of Eureka, Kan. In keeping with his request, his body was donated to the University of Health Sciences, Kansas City. No services are planned. Memorial contributions may be made to Citizens Memorial Hospital Hospice. Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel.(48c)
Theresa Sue Riley
Theresa Sue Riley, 54, Dayton, Texas, died Monday, Dec. 27, 1999, at her home. She was born in New Hall, Calif. She was a homemaker and mother, a nurse's aid and a member of the Midway Baptist Church, Dayton, Texas. She was preceded in death by a brother, Artie McGowen. Survivors include her husband, Clifton Riley; two sons, Darrell Riley of Norfork, Va., and Lynn Riley of Dayton, Texas; her father, Arlie McGowen of Walnut Grove; her mother, Callie McGowen of Aurora; two brothers, Wesley McGowen of Aurora and Daniel McGowen of Mustang, Okla.; one sister, Katie Rust of Springfield; and her mother-in-law, Marie Cooper Kendrick of Dardanelle, Ark. Graveside services were Friday, Dec. 31, in Brearley Cemetery under the direction of Cornwell Funeral Home, Dardanelle, Ark.
Gordon "Con" Robertson
Gordon "Con" Robertson, 52, Stover, died Friday, Dec. 24, 1999, in St. Louis. He was born Sept. 26, 1947, in Bolivar, a son of the late Willard Carl and Betty Jo Gordon Robertson. He was married June 10, 1977, in Versailles to Karen Opal Brown, who survives of the home. He served in the U.S. Air Force. At the time of his death, he was employed as an over-the-road truck driver with Potter Transport. He was the 1996 Driver of the Year and received an award for 3,000,000 miles accident-free. He was a member of the Stover First Baptist Church. Also surviving are two sons, Rodney Foushee Sr. and his wife, Judy, of Versailles and Jason Robertson of Springfield; one daughter, Roslyn Cook and her husband, Damien, of Laurie; two brothers, Jimmy and Donnie Robertson, both of Stover; two sisters, Clara Bumgardner and her husband, Cliff, of Stover and Ann Stevenson and her husband, Dale, of Kingsville; and four grandchildren, Rodney Jr., Josh, Justin and Sarah. He was preceded in death by one sister, Carletta Dority. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) at the Stover First Baptist Church with Dr. James Henderson officiating. Interment will be in the Stover Cemetery with Walter Draffen, Vernon Zurmiller, Gary Henderson, Larry Oder, James Crockett and Jim Gross as casketbearers and Harry Profit, Kenny Campbell, Gail Fitzpatrick and Randy Potter as honorary bearers. Arrangements are under the direction of the Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home, Stover.
Anna Lee Routh
Anna Lee Routh, 66, Humansville, died December 30, 1999, in Big Spring Care Center, Humansville. She was born March 26, 1933 in Humansville, to Bert and Opal Mitchem. She was a graduate of Humansville High School. On March 22, 1952, she married Raymond Junior Routh. They were the parents of three sons, Chipper, Terry and Larry. Moving to Kansas City in 1952, they returned to live near Humansville in 1974. She had been a member of the Humansville First Baptist Church since April 25, 1976. For several years, she managed the Corner Quick Stop in Humansville. Her father, Bert Mitchem, preceded her in death. Surviving are her husband, Junior, of the home; her sons, Chipper Routh and his wife, Sherri, Terry Routh and Larry Routh, all of Humansville; her mother, Opal Mitchem, Shawnee Mission, Kan.; three grandchildren, Joani Anne Routh, Matthew Paul Routh and Luke Raymond Routh; three sisters, Norma Jean Mayo, Kansas City, Berta Mottesheard and Betty Crozier, both of Shawnee Mission, Kan.; and many other relatives and friends. Services were Sunday, Jan. 2, in Murray Chapel, Humansville, with the Rev. Martin Micke officiating. Soloist was Ashley Tucker, accompanied by Sandra Routh. Honorary pallbearers were Matthew Paul Routh and Luke Raymond Routh. Pallbearers were Tom Wilson, Mike Crozier, Bill Mayo, Gary Routh, Don Haling and Mike Routh. Interment was in Humansville Cemetery.
Zula M. Sicard
Zula M. Sicard, 87, Fair Play, died at 8:38 a.m. Monday, Dec. 6, 1999, in Cox Medical Center South from injuries received in an automobile accident. She was born Sept. 27, 1912, in Masters to Granville and Cleo Mase. She was a retired telephone company supervisor and a member of First Baptist Church of Fair Play. Survivors include a son, Granville "Lee" Sicard of San Jose, Calif.; a brother, Clyde Mase, state of Illinois; as well as six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Her parents and a brother preceded her in death. Services were Friday, Dec. 10, in First Baptist Church of Fair Play with Dr. Russell Adams officiating. Burial was at a later date in Lake Cemetery, Lamar. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fair Play Athletic Boosters in care of Fair Play High School. Arrangements were under the direction of Pitts Chapel.
Robert O. "Bob" Sikes
Robert O. "Bob" Sikes, 83, Bolivar, died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 1999, in Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility following a lengthy illness. He was born Jan. 13, 1916, in Pawnee, Okla., to Sid and Ida Deshazier Sikes; he was one of seven children. He was saved as a young man in Oklahoma City, Okla. He and his wife, Veta, moved to Bolivar in 1940 and have lived here ever since. He was a member of Southern Hills Baptist Church and for several years served as Sunday school superintendent at Mt. Etna Baptist Church and as a deacon at First Baptist Church in Morrisville. For several years, he worked as a construction worker, then in 1961, he joined the Southwest Baptist University maintenance department, where he worked until his retirement in 1976. He was an avid fisherman all of his life. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Veta, of the home; three sons and two daughters-in-law, L.C. and Twyla Sikes of Bolivar, Kenneth Sikes of Creighton and David and Donna Sikes of Humansville; three daughters and sons-in-law, Carolyn Sue and Ron Vote of Bolivar, Darlene and Roy Stalker of St. Charles, Ill., and Teresa and Paul Rauch of Bolivar; a sister, Gertrude House of Bolivar; 22 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandson and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, one sister, his eldest son, Bobby Sikes, and a great-grandson. Services were Saturday, Dec. 11, in Pitts Chapel with the Rev. Ed Long and the Rev. Joe Rouse officiating. Burial followed in Greenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers were six of his grandsons, Tim Sikes, Greg Sikes, Keith Sikes, Stacey Sikes, Mike Vote and Andy Rauch. Memorial contributions may be made to Citizens Memorial Hospice.
Loren J.D. Murray Sr.
Loren J.D. Murray Sr., 92, Bolivar, died Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1999, at Citizens Memorial Hospital. The son of Elmer S. and Exonia Brockus Murry, he was born at Pleasant Hope April 22, 1907. He married Opal M. Lyman April 21, 1929. She preceded him in death April 9, 1985. He later married Clara Newland Schaefer on Nov. 19, 1988. She preceded him in death Oct. 28, 1995. He was also preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Maynard, Lotis and Delbert Murray. He graduated from Southwest Baptist College and received his undergraduate and master's degrees in business and public administration from the University of Missouri. He began his career in education as a teacher, later serving as superintendent of schools at Cross Timbers, Wheatland, Liberal, Clever, Morrisville and Fair Play. He was a member of the Bolivar First Baptist Church. Surviving are two children, Yolanda Palmer and her husband, Robert, of Glencoe and Loren Murray Jr. and his wife, Esra, of Bolivar; seven grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Services were Saturday, Dec. 18, at Bolivar First Baptist Church with the Rev. Ray Leininger officiating. Pallbearers were Clark Palmer, Shelby Palmer, Scott Palmer, Steve Sickmeier, Douglas Love and Bo Russell. Interment was in Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Murray Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Bolivar First Baptist Church, 316 N. Main Ave., Bolivar, MO 65613.
