Robert Mitchum
NEVADA, Mo. - Robert Raymond "Ray" Mitchum, 76, Nevada, died Sunday morning, March 2, 1997, at Nevada Regional Medical Center after a short illness.
Mr. Mitchum was born Nov. 15, 1920, in Vernon County.
He was manager of the Nevada plant of Key Industries for 47 years before retiring.
He was a longtime member of Pine Street Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and held other church offices.
He was general chairman of two of the church building projects and financial chairman of both.
He was an Army veteran of World War II.
He married Vernette Peak on Jan. 6, 1946, at Nevada. She survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, RaNetta Mitchum, Hampton, Va.; two sisters, Eileen Johnson, Leavenworth, Kan., and Vanita Davis, Nevada; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Pine Street Baptist Church, Nevada.
John Nichols will officiate.
Burial will be in Newton Burial Park.
Friends may call until noon Wednesday at Ferry Funeral Home.
Contributions may be made to the Pine Street Baptist Church building fund or American Heart Association.
Esther Walters
NEOSHO, Mo. - Esther E. Walters, 84, Neosho, died at 5 a.m. Monday, March 3, 1997, at her home after a long illness.
Mrs. Walters was born March 31, 1912, at Laurium, Mich. She had lived in California for 30 years before moving to Branson 18 months ago.
She moved to Neosho on Dec. 31, 1996. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include four sons, Jack Walters, Laurium, Delmar Walters, Walnut, Calif., Robert Walters, Santa Ana, Calif., and Donald Walters, Grover City, Calif.; four daughters, Jean Oikarinem, Panoma, Calif., Patricia Reed, Branson, Theresa Chapman, Camino, Calif., and Mary Newlan, Neosho; two sisters, Elena Crawford, Detroit, Mich., and Blondie Karpinen, Laurium; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The body has been cremated.
Private family services were Monday under the direction of Clark Funeral Home, Neosho.
Bessie Wight
WENTWORTH, Mo. - Bessie Beatrice Wight, 93, Wentworth, died at 8:12 p.m. Sunday, March 2, 1997, at Cox Monett Hospital, after a sudden illness.
Mrs. Wight was born Sept. 20, 1903, at Wentworth.
She was a lifetime resident. She was a homemaker and a member of Wentworth Presbyterian Church.
Her husband, Edison Wight, died in 1973.
Survivors include a son, Jack Wight, Wentworth; a daughter, Sally Mullins, El Dorado, Ark.; two sisters, Nell Murphy, Sarcoxie and Jean Smith, Westphalia, Kan., and three grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Wessell Funeral Home, Pierce City.
Fran Woodward
LAMAR, Mo. - Sara Frances Woodward, 78, 205 W. Fifth St., died at 3:28 a.m. Sunday, March 2, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, after a sudden illness.
Mrs. Woodward was born April 27, 1918.
She moved to the Lamar area in 1939.
She was a 1937 graduate of Nevada (Mo.) High School and received a bachelor's degree in social work and education from Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, in 1971.
She had operated a dance studio and was a social worker for Barton County.
She was a member of Lamar United Methodist Church and Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her husband, Robert Anthony Woodward, preceded her in death.
Survivors include two sons, Jim Woodward, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Tony Woodward, Scotia, Neb.; a daughter, Irma Woodward, Key Largo, Fla.; and a grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Daniel Funeral Home, Lamar.
The Rev. Clif Crockett will officiate.
Burial will be in Lake Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Roger Kuhn, Larry Kuhn, Danny Kuhn, Bud Sumners, Chuck Vaughn and Bub Curless.
The casket will be closed at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Contributions may be made to Barton County Historical Society, Mary K. Finley Library or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Leone Boswell
Leone L. Boswell, 83, 3812 Indiana Ave., formerly of Liberal, died at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1, 1997, at her home after a short illness.
Mrs. Boswell was born Feb. 4, 1914, near Nashville, Mo.
She had lived since 1995 in Joplin, moving from Nashville.
She was a homemaker and a member of College Heights Christian Church, Joplin.
She married Lou N. Boswell on March 19, 1933, at Pittsburg, Kan. He died April 28, 1994.
Surviving are a son, Billy Lou Boswell, Vallejo, Calif.; two daughters, Carol Marie Lemaster, Republic, and Karen Lee Smothers, Cocoa, Fla.; a sister, Lois Smith, Joplin; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Lohmeyer-Konantz Funeral Home, Lamar.
The Rev. Donald Smith will officiate.
Burial will be in Nashville Cemetery, south of Liberal.
Gerald Brown
Gerald R. Brown, 53, Buena Park, Calif., a former Joplin resident, died at 4:19 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997, at his home of an apparent heart attack.
Mr. Brown was born Feb. 14, 1944, in Joplin.
He moved to California in 1973 from Joplin.
He was a heavy equipment operator and had previously worked for the Brown Construction Agency, Joplin.
He graduated in 1962 from Joplin High School.
He served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
He married Mary Alice Smith on Sept. 20, 1969. She survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Mark Brown, Meaquite, Nevada, and Kurt Brown, Denver, Colo.; two daughters, Cetta Spell, Fayetteville, N.C., and Joy Della Cornish, Foothill Farms, Calif.; his father, Nolan Brown, Joplin; a sister, Virginia Brown, Joplin; a brother, Bill Brown, Brazil, Ind.; and three grandchildren.
The body is being returned to Joplin for memorial services, which are pending with Mason-Woodard Mortuary, Joplin.
Joseph Reynolds
Joseph E. Reynolds, 81, 2125 Mississippi Ave., died at 2:42 p.m. Saturday, March 1, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center after a short illness.
Mr. Reynolds was born Jan. 28, 1916, at Harper, Kan.
He had lived in Joplin since 1979, when he moved from Diamond.
He retired in 1978 from the Atlas Power Company, now ICI Explosives after 26 years of service.
He also raised cattle for more than 40 years in the Diamond area.
He was a member of the Church of Christ, 26th Street and Connecticut Avenue.
He married Mary Greer on March 15, 1939. She died Aug. 25, 1973.
He married Bonnie Williams on March 18, 1981, at Honolulu, Hawaii. She survives.
Also surviving are a son, Lyndall Reynolds, Independence; two step-daughters, Debbie Forehand and Becky Cagle, both of Joplin; a brother Bertle Reynolds, Wichita, Kan.; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Mason-Woodard Mortuary.
The Rev. Don Deffenbaugh will officiate. Burial will be in the Powers Cemetery, east of Diamond.
Pallbearers Newt Vannaman, Jim Vannaman, Hugh Aubrey, Carl Elkins, Don Elkins and Alvin Thomas.
The family will receive friends 7 to 8 p.m. today at the mortuary.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
