James Buzzard
SENECA, Mo. - James Weldon Buzzard, 77, Gold Hill, Ore., formerly of Seneca, died Saturday, March 1, 1997, at Rogue Valley Medical Center, Medford, Ore., of natural causes.
Mr. Buzzard was born Jan. 4, 1920, at Seneca.
He grew up in Seneca and was a longtime Seneca resident.
In his youth, he worked at his father's hardware store.
He was graduated from the St. Louis School of Mortuary Science and became a licensed mortician.
He then worked with his father at Buzzard Funeral Home, Seneca, until it was sold in 1946.
He was Seneca postmaster for many years.
He had also worked as an attendant in national parks.
He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
He was a past president of the Seneca Chamber of Commerce and was an assistant district commissioner.
He had served as a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America in Seneca for several years and received the National Council Scholarship from the Boy Scouts for outstanding leadership.
He was a member of Neosho Masonic Lodge No. 247, York Rite Bodies and the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Temple, Springfield.
He was a member of Elks Lodge No. 1320, Miami, Okla.
He was a member of Seneca First Christian Church, where he was a deacon.
He married Esther Edith Murray on Oct. 2, 1948. She died on March 21, 1988.
He married Annie McNeil on Oct. 20, 1991. She survives.
Other survivors include two sons, Jamie Buzzard, Ozark, and Murray Buzzard, Tulsa, Okla.; a stepson, Richard McNeil, Huntington Beach, Calif.; three stepdaughters, Karen McNeil, Eugene, Ore., and Susi Simpson and Lisa Haley, both of Medford, Ore.; four grandchildren; a stepgranddaughter; and a great- granddaughter.
The body has been cremated.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Seneca First Christian Church with the Rev. Buel Buzzard officiating.
Burial will be in Seneca Cemetery, where graveside Masonic services will be conducted.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clark Funeral Home, Neosho.
Contributions may be made to the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Temple in care of the funeral home.
Arthur Higgs
ANDERSON, Mo. - Arthur Lee Higgs, 98, Anderson, died at 1:13 a.m. Tuesday, March 4, 1997, at a nursing home in Neosho after an illness.
Mr. Higgs was born Sept. 8, 1898, in Anderson and was a lifetime resident.
He was an engineer for the Prairie Pipeline. He was a member of Anderson United Methodist Church and was a 65-year member of the American Legion.
He was an Army veteran of World War I.
He married Sara Valentine Love in 1942 in Southwest Missouri.
She died Oct. 5, 1972.
Survivors include a brother, John Higgs, Anderson.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Anderson United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Thad Carter will officiate.
Burial will be in Anderson Cemetery.
Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Anderson United Methodist Church memorial fund, in care of the funeral home.
Ruby Newton
METZ, Mo. - Ruby Pauline Newton, 67, Metz, died Monday, March 3, 1997, at Nevada Regional Medical Center after a long illness.
Mrs. Newton was born Oct. 28, 1929, in Miami, Mo.
She lived in the Metz area most of her life. She worked as a nurse's aide in Nevada for many years.
She retired in 1980.
She was a member of Metz Christian Church.
She married W.J. Newton on July 25, 1960, in Nevada. He survives.
Additional survivors include five sons, Billy Wayne Newton and Jackie Paul Newton, both of Nevada, Kenneth B. Prewitt, Joplin, Ronald Lee Newton, Harwood, and Jay Lee Greenlee, Carthage; eight daughters, Barbara Uetva Beisley, Milo, Fron Marie Henrie, Era, Texas, Mary Francis Osborne, Tulsa, Okla., Judy Ann Johnson, Hermitage, Cecelia Dawn Cox, state of California, Patsy Jean Stokes, Joplin, Cynthia Louise Caviness and Mary Catherine Romesburg, both of Harwood; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Metz Christian Church.
Burial will be in Pryor Creek Cemetery, Metz.
Friends may call until noon Thursday at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today.
Contributions may be made to Metz Christian Church.
George Rostosky
DIXON, Mo. - George "Ski" Rostosky, 65, Dixon, died at 3:29 a.m. Monday, March 3, 1997, at Harry S Truman Veterans Hospital, Columbia, after a short illness.
He was the father of Bruce Hughes, Carl Junction.
Mr. Rostosky was born April 29, 1931 at New Eagle, Pa.
He was a retired Air Force technical sergeant. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 76, Laquey, American Legion Post 331, Waynesville, and Disabled American Veterans, Crocker.
He married Joyce Botterman on Oct. 11, 1963, at Roswell, N.M. She survives.
Other survivors include a daughter, Cheryl McCarthy, Dixon; two additional sons, Steven Hughes, Giddings, Texas, and Warren Hughes, Newport, Ind.; a sister, Linda Gavulich, Pittsburgh, Pa.; two brothers, John Rostosky, Satellite Beach, Fla., and J.J. Rostosky, Harrisburg, Pa.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Waynesville Memorial Chapel.
Burial will be in Sunrise Cemetery, Manhattan, Kan.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Bessie Wight
WENTWORTH, Mo. - Services for Bessie Wight, 93, Wentworth, who died Sunday, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Wessell Funeral Home, Pierce City.
The Rev. Richard Cerretti will officiate.
Burial will be in Pierce City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Gerald Brown
Graveside services for Gerald R. Brown, 53, Buena Park, Calif., a former Joplin resident, who died Wednesday, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
Pat Peck, minister, will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mason-Woodard Mortuary, Joplin.
Leila Dimond
Leila Florence Dimond, 86, 2810 Jackson Ave., died at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, where she had been a patient since Feb. 28, after several months of ill health.
Miss Dimond was born Dec. 10, 1910, at Yukon, Okla.
She had lived in Joplin for many years.
She was a member of the Christian Church and a former waitress.
Survivors include a brother, Floyd Dimond, Prescott, Ariz.
The body will be cremated.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary.
The Rev. Larry Six will officiate.
