Tennie L. Houchins, daughter of the late William Louis Tate and Lucy Ann Branch Tate, was born in Risco, Missouri, on April 12, 1925, and passed away at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield, Missouri on March 9, 2012, at the age of 86 years, 10 months, and 26 days.
Mrs. Houchins had been a resident of Sikeston for many years and had moved to Essex in 1980. She was a member of the Full Gospel Pentecostal Church. She was employed by Southwestern Bell Telephone for many years.
On May 3, 1941 she was married to Charles W. Houchins in Gideon. He preceded her in death on November 16, 1998.
Surviving are one daughter: Bonnie Sue Hendon of Benton;by four sons, Gary Houchins and Charles T. Houchins both of Bloomfield, Larry Houchins of Wappapello, and Frank Houchins of Dexter;by 17 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren; by One sister, Mary House of St. Charles;. Other family and friends also survive her.
She was preceded in death by one son, John Curtis Houchins; by four daughters, Connie Houchins, Glenna W. Cline, Priscilla Ann Oliver and Shelby Jo Copland; two sisters Georgia Sanders and Opal Black; and one Edward Tate.
Visitation will be held beginning at 11 a.m., Monday, March 12, 2012, at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter. Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, March 12, 2012 at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, with Rev. Charles Lutes of Oran officiating.
Interment will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Sikeston, Missouri with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Dale Whittenberg, son of the late Rolla Whittenberg and Hynthia Jackson Whittenberg was born on August 31, 1935 and departed this life on Friday March 9, 2012 at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the age of 76.
Mr. Whittenberg was a member of the Second General Baptist Church in Dexter, the former owner of Dale’s Shell Service Station in Dexter, had worked for various service stations and oil companies in the Dexter area. He loved to restore antique tractors. He was a resident of Dexter.
He was united in marriage to Jean Jordan on December 18, 1959 at Broseley. Mrs. Whittenberg survives of the home in Dexter.
Besides his wife, survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Melana and Steve Hardin of Dexter: by two grandchildren, Lauren Hardin and Matthew Hardin: andby one sister, Virginia Craft of Cape Girardeau.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Pauline Davis.
Friends may call from 9L30 a.m. until 11 a.m., Monday, March 12, 2012, at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral Services will then be conducted at 11 a.m., in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Joshua Carpenter officiating. Interment will follow in the Bernie Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Stoddard County Gospel Rescue Mission, 207 One Mile Road, Dexter, MO. 63841: The Stoddard County Children’s Home, PO Box 164, Dexter, MO. 63841: Risen Church, 15 East St. Francis Street, Dexter, MO. 63841.
Elsie Burge, daughter of the late Lee and Jenny Oler Harris, was born in White Oak, Missouri on September 23, 1915, and passed away at her home in Puxico, Missouri on March 5, 2012, at the age of 96 years, 5 months and 11 days.
Elsie moved to Puxico as a young girl and remained there throughout her life as a pillar of her community. She was a member of the First Christian Church in Puxico and the Christian Women's Fellowship. She was a former member of the Business & Professional Women organization. She and her husband were co-owners of Burge Electric and Burge Drilling Company. Elsie enjoyed traveling and being with family.
She was married to Arlie "Hoss" Burge in Piggott, Arkansas. He preceded her in death on March 23, 1985.
Surviving are two daughters, Barbara Boone of Leesburg, Florida and Judy Arnold of Poplar Bluff; two sons and spouses, Bill and Nelda Burge of Puxico, Floyd and Valjeane of Poplar Bluff, one son-in-law, Jack Kinnaman of Missouri; 19 grandchildren and spouses - Paul Ludwig, Pam and Perry Hubbert, Kelly and David Kirkpatrick, Lynn and Tom Wasson, Brenda and Steven Kinnaman, Anne Woker, Art and Kim Kinnaman, Paula and Tom Grattan, Laura Burge, Brad Wallace, Gina and Lonnie Underberg, Boyd and Katy Wallace, David and Melissa
Burge, Scott and Kelly Burge, Aaron Burge, Misty and Michael Wiseman, Bobby and Janice Arnold, Tony and Debbie Arnold and Cheri Morgan; 34 great-grandchildren; and ten great-great grandchildren. Other relatives and friends also survive.
She was preceded in death by one daughter, Phyllis Kinnaman; by two sons, Kenneth Brantley and Arlie Ray Burge; one granddaughter, Patty Hon; one brother, Ansel Harris; and three sisters, Opal Harris, Louise Snider and Tincy Cookson.
Visitation will be held after 6 p.m., Friday, March 9, 2012 at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico, Missouri. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, March 10, 2012, at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Puxico with the Rev. Wiley McGhee and the Rev. Ray Placher, both of Puxico, officiating.
Interment will be in Puxico Cemetery with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements.
Pat Thomason, daughter of the late John Harvey Thomason and Flossie Evans Thomason was born on June 1, 1936 in Leachville, Arkansas, and departed this life at the Golden Living Center in Dexter, Missouri on March 4, 2012 at the age of 75 years.
Survivors include two brothers, DeWayne Thomason of Daytona Beach, Florida and Bobby Thomason of Elk Ridge, Maryland; and by one sister, Faye Peacock of Dexter.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Gene Thomason and Jerry Thomason; and by one sister Jewell Batchelor.
Friends may call from 12 noon until 2 p.m., Thursday, March 8, 2011 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Graveside services will be conducted at 2 p.m., at the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri with Rev. Kenneth Shelton officiating. Interment will follow in the Hagy Cemetery.
Oscar Vernon Ayers, Jr., son of the late Oscar Vernon, Sr. and Dessie Jane Godwin Ayers, was born in Sikeston, Missouri on August 3, 1934, and passed away at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on March 3, 2012, at the age of 77 years and 7 months.
He had lived in Sikeston before moving to Dexter, Missouri 40 years ago. He had worked as a pipefitter and was a member of the Pipefitters Local 562 in St. Louis. He was a member of Semo Son Riders Christian Motorcycle Group and Murray Lane Baptist Church in Sikeston.
On March 5, 1959, he was married to Kay Heather in Sikeston.
Surviving are his wife, Kay Ayers of Dexter; by two daughters and spouses, Angela & Mike Watkins, Andrea & Don Backfisch all of Dexter; four grandchildren and spouses, Daniel and Danelle Backfisch, Heather and Dan Mustain, Alex and Marybeth Watkins, Nate Watkins; by one great granddaughter, Falyn Marie Watkins; niece and husband, Karen & Ted Recker; and a nephew and wife, Larry and Teri Spivey; and one sister-in-law, Niva Spivey. Other family and friends also survive.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Doris Jean Spivey, and brother-in-law, Louis Spivey.
Visitation will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, March 5, 2012, at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, March 5, 2012, at Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter with the Rev. Mike Watkins of Dexter officiating.
Interment will be in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
