John L. Ballenger
John Lowell "Jack" Ballenger, 91, Columbia, died Friday morning, July 21, 2000, at his home. He was born June 16, 1909, in Boone County to James Franklin and Helen "Nellie" Rees Ballenger. He married Frances Meredith "Fannie" Feaster on Jan. 27, 1928. He was a lifelong resident of Boone County, graduating from Hickman High School and attending the University of Missouri. For many years he owned and operated the JMC Market. When he sold the grocery store, he became food purchaser for the University of Missouri, the job he held until retirement. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a member and former board member of Dripping Spring Christian Church. Survivors include his sister, Mabel Berniece Carriker; a daughter, Jeanne Lee Ballenger Claxton of Fair Play, who married James Francis Claxton on May 14, 1950; a grandson and his wife, James Steven and Debra Jean Claxton of Bolivar; a granddaughter and her husband, Meredith Anne and William Bahr of St. Louis; and four great-grandchildren, Amy Beth Claxton, Angie Kay Claxton, Arthur William Bahr and Stephanie Meredith Bahr. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) with services immediately following at Parker Funeral Home, Columbia. The Rev. Robert Vegiard will officiate. Burial will be in Columbia Cemetery.
Mary E. Bruer
Mary Elizabeth Bruer, 76, Springfield, died Wednesday, July 5, 2000. A Springfield resident for most of her life, she was a retired telephone service representative with Southwestern Bell. She was a member of Dale Street United Methodist Church. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers. Other community services included Meals on Wheels, Homebound Shopper and Springfield Public Schools. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Bruer, owner of Bob's Auto Salvage; her parents, Carl and Helen McNutt; and a brother, Carl R. McNutt. She is survived by several nieces, nephews and their children. Services were Saturday, July 8, in Klingner Mortuary Chapel, Springfield, with the Revs. Ron Brooks and Alan Schmitt officiating. Burial was in Mount Gilead Cemetery near Bolivar.
Joshua Ryan Burch
Joshua Ryan Burch, 10, Hannibal, died Saturday, July 1, 2000, at the family farm in Bethel. He was born Aug. 26, 1989, in Grant City, Ill. Survivors include his parents, Clint and Dianna Hummel of Hannibal; one brother, Jacob Hummel; and his grandparents, Darrell and LaBeth Burch, Leo and Sheila Hummel and Gene Hodge. He was preceded in death by a grandmother, Carol Burch. Services were Tuesday, July 4, at the Grand View Chapel in Hannibal with the Rev. Gerald Begley officiating. Burial was in Grand View Burial Park. Pallbearers were Darrell Burch, Brian Hummel, Curtis Hummel and Erik Hummel. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Autism Association.
Lucille Buxton
Lucille Buxton, 80, Potosi, died Thursday, July 27, 2000, at Washington County Memorial Hospital. The daughter of John Alvis and Etta Fern Campbell Cheek, she was born Dec. 3, 1919, near Fair Play. She was united in marriage to Louis Jackson on Nov. 13, 1940, in Ozark, and two children were born to this union. On May 3, 1969, she was united in marriage to Oscar Buxton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Louis Edward Jackson, and her second husband, Oscar Buxton; two brothers, Gerald Cheek and John Alden Cheek; and one grandson, Aaron Boyer She is survived by one son, Dale Jackson and his wife, Marilyn, and one daughter, Judy Gillam and her husband, Danny, all of Potosi; nine grandchildren, Lisa Sutton and her husband, Randy, of Potosi, Jana Parks and her husband, Harold, of Gamaliel, Ark., Rickey Gillam and his wife, Angie, of Potosi, Joe Gillam and his wife, Cindy, of Bonne Terre, Sara Gillam, Luci Jackson and Lee Jackson, all of Potosi, Brooke Dickinson and her husband, Lloyd, of Cadet, Gordon Litton II of Potosi; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Bueford Cheek and his wife, Maxine, of Bolivar and Dr. Charles Cheek and his wife, Barbara, of Rocheport; one sister-in-law, Evelyn Cheek of Ballwin; and many other relatives and friends. Services were Sunday, July 30, at the Moore Funeral Home chapel in Potosi with Elder Leonard Compton officiating. Burial was in Lindley Prairie Cemetery, Bear Creek, with the Rev. Harold Hendrickson officiating. Serving as pallbearers were Ricky Gillam, Joe Gillam, Justin Sutton, Randy Sutton, Pat Cheek and Mike Cheek.
Richard "Dick" Cleaver
Richard Ancel "Dick" Cleaver, 66, Bolivar, died Wednesday, July 19, 2000, in Cox Medical Center South, Springfield. He was born March 17, 1934, in Hutchinson, Kan., the son of Alfred T. and Virle Blanche Abbott Cleaver. He attended Neosho High School. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Junior and Don Cleaver. Surviving are his wife of 31 years, Ruth M. Miller Cleaver; his sister and her husband, Eloyce Jane and Gene Avery of Napa, Idaho; and his eight children, Rodney Steven Cleaver and his wife, Cheryl, of Ukiah, Calif., Ricky Lane Cleaver of Salt Lake City, Utah, Vickie Quarals of Tacoma, Wash., Laura Jo Tritthart and her husband, Kurt, of Bartlesville, Okla., Roxanne Renee Grundy and her husband, Mark, of Afton, Okla., Gregory Kent Cleaver and his wife, Julie, of Riverton, Utah, Michael James Cleaver of Coffeyville, Kan., and Rhonda Lea Butcher and her husband, Terry, of Coalville, Utah. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and special friends Larry and Twola Bauman, Bolivar. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 27, in Riverton City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Irene A. Crites
Irene A. Crites, 83, Bolivar, died Thursday, July 13, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital. She was born July 20, 1916, in Dunnegan to Jim and Prudy Barnes Mitchem. She was united in marriage to Raymond Crites on Aug. 24, 1935, and to this union five children were born. She was a homemaker and a member of Barren Creek Church. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in December 1992; two brothers, Hallie Mitchem and Bert Mitchem; four sisters, Hazel Minor, Esther Bennett, Edna Waider and Margie Billingsley; as well as many nieces and nephews. Survivors include four sons and daughters-in-law, Darrell and Donna Crites, Larry and Margaret Crites, Dwight and Judith Crites and Rick and Becky Crites and a daughter and son-in-law, Donna and David Ballard, all of Bolivar; a brother, Charlie Mitchem of Humansville; four sisters, Maxine Huff and her husband, Ray, of Hood River, Ore., Dorothy Gambriel of Yuba City, Calif., Dora Mustain of Bolivar and Maudie Baker of Stillwell, Kan.; as well as 19 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Services were Saturday, July 15, in Pitts Chapel with the Rev. Harold Hendrickson officiating. Burial followed in Crestview Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Pallbearers were grandsons Darrell D. Crites, Keavin Crites, Shannon Crites, Larry W. Crites, Steve Crites, Gary Crites, Rick Crites Jr., Ron Crites, Justin Ballard, Brian Ballard, Jeremy Crites and Ryan Crites.
Edna H. Crook
Edna Hartley Crook, 93, Fair Play, died Friday, July 14, 2000, in Parkview Healthcare Facility, Bolivar. The daughter of John and Fannie Mayse Hartley, she was born March 22, 1907, in Cedar County. A resident of Fair Play since 1994, she moved here from Lodi, Calif. She was a homemaker and worked for several years as a clerk for the Thrifty Drug Company. She attended the Fair Play First Baptist Church. Her husband, Amos Lee Crook, preceded her in death July 31, 1991. She was also preceded in death by four brothers, Amos, George, Franklin and Ralph Hartley, and four sisters, Grace Curl, Thelma Lower, Cecil Duncan and Geraldine Hartley. Survivors include three children, Bill Crook of Fair Play, Wayne Crook of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Edna Torkelson of Sacramento, Calif.; two sisters, Ruth Daley of Apple Valley, Calif., and Elsie Lower Forgey of Fair Play; 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 20, in the Fair Play First Baptist Church with Rev. B. R. Tatom officiating. Interment will be at a later date in Barren Creek Cemetery. Cremation was under the direction of Murray Funeral Home, Bolivar. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Carl Dwight DeLong
Carl Dwight DeLong was born on Sept. 12, 1923, in Kansas City, the son of Carl Columbus DeLong and Lulabelle VanGundy DeLong. He departed this life at 10:55 a.m. on Friday, July 14, 2000, in Citizen's Memorial Health Care Facility in Bolivar at the age of 76 years, 10 months and 2 days. Carl was raised in Independence and graduated from William Chrisman High School in 1944. He attended two years of college in East Lansing, Mich. He was united in marriage to Mercedus L. Cooper of Independence, and they celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary on July 13, 2000. They had four children: one son, Richard, who preceded him in death in 1974, and three daughters, Cheryl Ann, Carlyn Jean and Deborah Diane. Carl served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and later became a member of the Missouri National Guard where he was a flight officer and later joined the "Quiet Birdmen" of Springfield. He retired after 30 years from Amoco Oil Co. of Sugar Creek in 1979. He was a member of the Church of the Brethren in Osceola. Carl was an avid pilot, owning his own plane for many years. He loved to share his joy of flying with many friends and relatives over the years. He also flew "fire patrol" in Polk, Dade and Cedar counties for the Department of Conservation after moving to Bolivar in 1985. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Richard; a son-in-law, Bill Riley, in 1998; a grandson, Jeff Riley, in 1991; and a brother, Leon DeLong, in 1996. Carl is survived by his wife, Mercedus "Marty" of the home; his three daughters, Carlyn Jean Riley, Cheryl Ann Santillian and her husband, Gabe, and Deborah Diane Smith and her husband, Richard, all of Lee's Summit; two sisters, Phyllis McCarty of Independence and LuElla Durbin of Urich; his grandchildren, Mark Riley, Brian Cravens, Jennifer Wilson, Kim Edmonsond, Becky Oliver, Allison Roth and Cassandra Smith; and his great-grandchildren, Brigette Riley, Megan Riley, Amanda Riley, Brittany Edmonsond, Alexandra Edmonsond, Nicole Ann Cravens, Garrett Roth and Larissa Wilson. Some of our special memories of Carl were: story teller, chocolate, John Wayne movies, his great joy, playing Santa Claus for his neighbor, special ice cream treats, long summer vacations, private airplane rides, historian, the color tan, very long family photo shots, love for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, when he called me "Sissy," homemade potato soup, summer water activities, lunch at McDonald's, and we will miss his Christmas light displays. We want to thank you, Daddy, for loving our mother and each one of us; for being our father, father-in-law and grandfather. Because of you, we are who we are. Services were Monday, July 17, in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Jim Powers officiating. Musical soloists were Charlie Ealy and Cathy Powers, singing, "How Great Thou Art," "Take My Hand Precious Lord" and "The Old Rugged Cross." Pauline Eggert was the pianist. Graveside services and burial were in the Brooking Cemetery in Raytown. Casketbearers were David Wilson, Ryan Roth, Brian Cravens, Mark Riley, Richard Smith, Gabe Santillian, Randy Oliver, Mark Edmonsond and Marshall Eggert.
Wilma S. Emmert
Wilma S. Emmert, 84, Morrisville, died Tuesday, July 4, 2000, in Parkview Health Care Center following a long illness. She was born Oct. 13, 1915, in Morrisville to Ben and Icey Matthews Shelton. She had been a homemaker and a member of Brighton Baptist Church. Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Doran and Jeane Emmert of Bolivar and Howard and Mary Emmert of Aldrich; a brother and sister-in-law, Joe and Donna Shelton of Bolivar; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Wanda Smith of Bolivar and Grace and Adron Hall of Willard; four grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Glen Emmert; two brothers, Roy Shelton and Ralph Shelton; and a sister, Ruth Cox. Services were Thursday, July 6, in Pitts Chapel with burial following in Brighton Cemetery. Music was provided by Lon and Maxine Killingsworth, accompanied by Shirley Daniel. Pallbearers were Michael Shelton, Joe Mullings, Rex Carpenter, John Mangan, Howard Long and Ron Hinkle. Honorary pallbearers were Jim Mullings Sr., Jim McCurdy Sr., Bob Mullings, Wayne Long and Joe Lovett.
Jacqueline M. Hemm
Jacqueline Mary Hemm, 56, Phoenix, Ariz., died Sunday, July 9, 2000. Born Jacqueline Mary Zellers in South Bend, Ind., to Margaret and Alfred Zellers, both of whom are deceased, she also had a twin sister named Penny who died of cancer about five years ago. Jacque was 56 years, 2 months and 5 days old at her passing. When she and her sister were 2 years old, the family moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where she grew up. She lived in Phoenix with her husband, Harlow P. Hemm. Harlow and Jacque were married on June 6, 1975. They had celebrated 25 years of marriage. Jacque was a cook at Arizona State University for about 10 years until her retirement several years ago. Jacque had jut this past couple of years learned about the wonders of Internet communications. In that short time, she had amassed quite an address list for e-mail. Through the Internet, she discovered that she had other brothers and sisters on her father's side. There was a brother, Glen Zellers of Judson, Ind., brother and sister, Ben and Emma Zellers of Winimac, Ind., and a sister, Bertha Kelsey of South Bend, Ind. Her twin sister Penny had six children. The nieces and nephew of this side of the family are Ruthann Ross of Indianapolis, Ind., Gail Sands of Payson, Utah., Laster Sands of Payson, Utah, Ernie Sands of Orem, Utah, Michelle Moore of Pleasant Grove, Utah, and Misty Wheeler of Salem, Utah. There are 11 grandnephews and six grandnieces in these families. Harlow and Jacque were in Missouri to attend a family reunion and were en route to Phoenix when she had a stroke in Kansas City. She died several hours later at Research Memorial Hospital. She was traveling with her husband, Harlow, her brother-in-law, Ron Lapham, and Jacque's grandniece, Cheress Lapham, both of Bolivar, and her father-in-law, Homer Hamm of Eureka, Calif. Jacque was a favored aunt with all of her nieces and nephews. She was easygoing and a lot of fun. She will be dearly missed by all her relatives. Jacque is survived by her husband, Harlow Hemm of Phoenix, Ariz.; her brothers, Ben and Glen Zellers of the state of Indiana; her sisters, Emma Zellers and Bertha Kelsey, both of the state of Indiana; her brother and sister-in-law, Ron and Barbara Lapham of Bolivar; her nephew, James Lapham of Walnut Grove; her nieces, Demaris Pires of Sonora, Calif., Diana Volkmar of Bolivar, Regina Bagwell of Valley Springs, Calif., and Terri Templeton and Allecia Sexton, both of Bolivar. She is also leaving behind five grandnephews and five grandnieces in Bolivar. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Pitts Chapel in Bolivar. There will be no service. Cremation will take place after the visitation, and her husband will take her back to Phoenix for interment.
Roger L. Herriott
Roger L. Herriott, 83, Pittsburg, died Friday, July 7, 2000, in Citizens Memorial Hospital following a short illness. He was born April 17, 1917, in Mahomet, Ill., to Matt and Mary Hoit Herriott. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, had been a gas station owner and was a member of the Mahomet, Ill., Methodist Church. Survivors include two stepdaughters, Linda Irle of Indianapolis, Ind., and Rebecca Hanes, state of Alaska; a brother, Francis Herriott of Tucson, Ariz.; two sisters, Aline Cruse of Champaign, Ill., and Geraldine Hickle of Mahomet, Ill.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Rose Marie, in May 1993. Services were Tuesday, July 11, in Pitts Chapel with the Rev. Harold Hendrickson officiating. Burial will follow at a later date in Grandview Memoiral Garden Cemetery in rural Champaign, Ill. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.
