Cecil B. Hicks, son of the late George Hicks and Trannie Ingle Hicks, was born on February 28, 1931 in Double Springs, Alabama and departed this life on September 16, 2015 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the age of 84.
Mr. Hicks had worked as a farm equipment mechanic and was a veteran of the United States Navy. He was a member of the Essex-Gray Ridge Lions Club and a resident of Essex. Mr. Hicks enjoyed hunting and fishing. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his grandchildren.
On December 24, 1954, he was united in marriage to Oleta Stumbaugh in Yuma, Arizona. Mrs. Hicks survives of the home.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by one son, Keith Hicks and his wife Evelyn of Essex, Missouri; by one daughter, Sheryll Page of Cape Girardeau, Missouri; by four brothers, Ed Hicks of Advance, Missouri. Bobby Hicks of Essex, Missouri, Dee Wayne Hicks of Jackson, Missouri and Lamar Hicks of Kansas City, Missouri; by five grandchildren, Nick Cozby, Katie Cozby, Ryan Hicks, Ashley Hicks and Luke Patrick; and by four great-grandchildren, Lily Cozby, Ryker Cozby, Finn Patrick and Hulson Daugherty.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, William Hicks and Billy Hicks; and by four sisters, Jewell Ramsey, Lois Richards, Lorene Fulgham and Gertrude Hicks.
A graveside service will be conducted at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield on Friday, September 18, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. with James Malloy and Ronnie Ledbetter officiating.
Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery.
The family requests that memorials be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, Tennessee 38101-9908 or the Stoddard County Children’s Home Memorial Tribute Fund, P. O. Box 164, Dexter, Missouri.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.
He was raised in Southeast Missouri, had lived in Colorado, New Zealand and California before moving to St. Louis five years ago. He was an animal lover, and helped rescue cats, and was a supporter of the Street Outreach Program for the homeless in St. Louis. He had worked as a server for several restaurants and was a licensed tattoo artist and graduated from Coleman College in San Diego, California as a computer graphic designer.
Surviving are his mother, Vickie Sue Heuring of Scott City, Missouri; his father, Dennis Spradling of Fisk, Missouri; and many aunts and uncles. Other relatives and friends also survive.
Graveside funeral services will be held on Friday, September 18, 2015, at 3:00 pm at the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with Rev. Jeff Roth of Dexter officiating.
Interment will be in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with full military honors. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Missouri in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.watkinsfuneralhome.com
Watkins & Sons Funeral Service - P O BOX 96 - DEXTER MO 63841
info@watkinsfuneralhome.com or phone 573 624 3548
Clyde Adolph Vaughn, Dexter, Missouri, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on September 9, 2015, at his home at the age of 94. He was born July 17, 1921, to the late William J. and Mary Alice (Bobbitt) Vaughn in Dexter, MO. He was a direct descendent of one of the oldest families in Stoddard County dating to around 1837. He grew up in a tightly knit family of six sons and one daughter and was the last surviving member. His mother, Mary Alice Vaughn, was a four star mother during World War II. On September 13, 1945, he married Lois M. Launius, Bloomfield, MO, who survives at the home.
Clyde graduated from Dexter Senior High School in 1940. He was co-captain and quarterback of the football team which won the 1939 Southern Conference Championship. Shortly before graduating from Dexter High School, he joined the Dexter Missouri National Guard Unit, which was Company L, 140th Infantry. He was mobilized in December 1940 and served on Active Duty until June 27, 1945. During World War II, he attained the rank of Platoon Sgt. and fought in Italy as an infantry soldier in Company F, 2/351st Infantry, 88th Infantry Division. Like many of his generation, he did not talk about his wartime experiences. He was quite modest in this regard. Yet, he fought in three Italian Campaigns (earning three Bronze Stars for Rome-Arno, North Apennines and Po Valley) and also received the Silver Star, Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart. He also was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) and the Presidential Unit Citation. Upon receiving the Silver Star, The Fifth Army issued the following News Release:
“Technical Sergeant Clyde A. Vaughn of Dexter, Missouri, recently was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action with Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark’s Fifth Army in Italy. When his company suffered heavy casualties, among them some of the officers, at the beginning of an assault Vaughn volunteered to lead one platoon on the attack. When the squad was fired upon by Germans using tracer ammunition, due to poor visibility, Vaughn was able to locate the hostile positions.
He moved ahead, throwing hand grenades, and personally knocked out three machineguns, killed seven Germans and forced another machinegun crew to surrender. Although he was severely wounded, Vaughn continued to advance, firing a German automatic pistol as he went. He refused medical aid and evacuation as he led his men on until he was finally forced to drop prone due to loss of blood and exhaustion.
“Such gallantry and heroism in the face of almost certain death is displayed only by the bravest of soldiers,” stated the citation with the award. Vaughn is a member of the 351st Infantry Regiment, 88th “Blue Devil” Division of the Fifth Army” (Fifth Army News Release, Nov. 6, 1944).
His Silver Star was awarded for his gallantry in the Mt. Capello battle, one of the four bitterest battles of the entire Po Valley campaign. The 2/351 Infantry received the Presidential Unit Citation as the result of this battle.
After the war ended, he attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. He then returned to Dexter and to the Missouri National Guard where he continued to serve the nation. Upon retirement, he had achieved 38 years of military service. During this time, he gained a commission, attained the rank of Captain, and retired as a CWO4. His last assignment as a full time technician for the Missouri National Guard was as the Command Administrative Officer for the 1140th En Bn (Cbt), Cape Girardeau, MO. During his time as a Captain, he commanded Company L, 140th Infantry, which was the same unit he was mobilized with for WWII in 1940. He was the last living commander of a Dexter infantry unit.
Clyde was married to the love of his life for nearly 70 years and together they had four children of which three survive: LT GEN (r) Clyde Alan Vaughn and his wife Carol, Winchester, VA; Susan Lynne Vaughn, Jefferson City, MO, and Dwight Thomas Vaughn, Nashville, TN. One child, Harold Dean, died in infancy. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Kristi and her husband Dr. Robert Meltvedt, Front Royal, VA, and LtCol Chad Vaughn and his wife Jenn, Yuma, AZ, and four great-grandchildren: Drew, Parker, Jeb, and Kaylee Lou.
Like many returning WWII veterans, he committed himself to providing for, and raising a family, while actively supporting the community. He served as scoutmaster for many young men, and was a lifelong member of the Dexter First Christian Church, American Legion, VFW, DAV, and Toastmasters of Cape Girardeau. He enjoyed fishing, planting trees, raising blackberries, hunting quail, football and the St. Louis Cardinals.
His attributes were many, but those that knew him and his background, will tell you of his great physical and mental courage, strength, perseverance, and “never ever quit attitude.” His influence will live on in the lives of all those he touched. He will be fondly remembered and his family will miss him deeply.
In addition to his parents and infant son, he was preceded in death by his brothers Ben, E.R. “Dutch”, William J. “Bill”, Joe, and Lowell “Cotton”, and his sister, Louise Vaughn Bailey.
Visitation will be from 12:00noon--2:00pm, Monday, September 14, 2015, at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home, Dexter, MO, with services at 2:30pm in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery located at 17357 Stars and Stripes Way, Bloomfield, MO. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Stoddard County Children’s Home, The Ben Kruse 18 FORE Life Foundation or charity of choice.
Margaret "Peg" Charlotte Bruyette, daughter of the late George C. Fischer and Margaret Mueller Fischer, was born on April 17, 1937 in Brooklyn, New York and departed this life on September 8, 2015 at SoutheastHEALTH in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the age of 78.
Mrs. Bruyette was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dexter. She had previously worked in retail for Jamesway Corporation and was a resident of Dexter.
On March 31, 1956, she was united in marriage to Edric “Ed” Bruyette in Delanson, New York. Mr. Bruyette survives of the home.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by four sons, Mike Bruyette and wife Fran of Temple, Texas, Doug Bruyette and wife Judy of Dexter, Missouri, Guy Bruyette and wife Lorraine of Round Top, New York, and Mark Bruyette and wife Stacy of Cobleskill, New York; by one daughter, Michele Coward and husband Todd of Port Charlotte, Florida; by nine grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Friday, September 11, 2015 from 9:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.
Funeral services will then be conducted at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 10:30 A.M. with Father David Dohogne officiating.Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery.
Sharon L. Longarini (nee Smith), age 73, a resident of Naperville, Illinois since 1978, passed away Saturday, September 5, 2015 at Edward Hospital in Naperville. She was born September 10, 1941 in Bakersfield, CA.
Prior to her retirement, Sharon had done clerical work for both Sears and Spiegel in the transportation department. She was devoted to her family and was an avid reader in her spare time.
She is survived by her husband Edmond “Ed” Longarini, children Kevin Unsell, Tony (Mary) Unsell, Tim (Amy) Unsell, Mark (Renee) Longarini and Linda (Aram) Kalashian; grandchildren, Austin and Anna Marie Unsell, Jayke and Olivia Longarini, Jimmy, Joey and Ike Unsell and Aram Kalashian; siblings Dr. Donald C. (Joyce) Smith and Frances Ann (Douglas) Alderson, many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. to 8: 00 p.m. at the Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Homes and Crematory, 24021 Royal Worlington Drive, Naperville; with a brief prayer service at 7:00 p.m.
An additional visitation will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home, 125 West Stoddard St., Dexter, MO. A graveside service will follow at the Dexter Cemetery.
Memorials in Sharon’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908.
