Kathy Rhea Stobaugh Jones, 63, of Bloomfield, MO (rural Aquilla), passed away peacefully on a beautiful Sunday morning, August 28, 2016 in Cape Girardeau, MO at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Lora and Joe Galati, surrounded by close loved ones.
She was born on July 11, 1953 in Dexter, MO, to William Avery and Martha Elizabeth Ethridge Stobaugh. She grew up in Charter Oak, MO, the baby of the family, and was taught to help work on the family farm and in their garden.
She and Larry B. Jones, high school sweethearts, were married March 25, 1972 in Dexter, MO at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Glenda and Gerald Barber. With the exception of the years Kathy was enrolled in college at Southeast Missouri State University, the couple made their home in the Bloomfield area. They raised their three children and helped foster other children at times on their farm in Aquilla.
Survivors include two children and five grandchildren: her daughter and son-in-law, Lora Elizabeth and Giuseppe (Joe) Galati of Cape Girardeau, and their children, Salvatore (Sam) Isaiah Galati, Vita Claire Galati, and Anna Kate Galati; her son, Larry Kyle Jones of Bloomfield, and his son, Larry Mason Jones, and Mason’s mother, Che’ Holford Jones; her grandson, Keaton Avery Leija, and Keaton’s father, Brian Lee Leija. She is also survived by two sisters and three brothers-in-law, Glenda Ruth and Gerald Barber of Dexter, MO, Margaret Ann and Walton Weaver of Beaumont, TX, and Bill Baldwin, Sr. of Charter Oak, MO; two half-sisters, Lela Jeannine McCoy of Lubbock, TX, and Jan Rene Powell and her husband Allen Powell of Dexter, MO; one sister-in-law, Wanda Sue Bellers of Lenexa, KS, and two brothers-in-law, John Paul Jones of Warthen, GA and Ronnie Lee Jones of Rector, AR; three aunts and uncles, Wanda and Luther Bryant of Birdtown, AR, Peggy and Charles Holifield of Columbus, MS, and Loeta Stobaugh of Plumerville, AR; twenty-one nieces and nephews, and a host of great nieces, great nephews, other relatives, and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband on March 14, 2011 after nearly 39 years of marriage; their cherished daughter, Sara LeAnn Jones Leija on November 1, 2012; a miscarried baby in the fall of 1985; her mother on July 26, 2012 at the age of 93; her father on August 11, 2013 at the age of 94; her mother-in-law, Wanda Lee Williams on October 30, 2011; her sister, Rebecca Sue Baldwin on April 28, 2013; her sister-in-law, Mary Jones on March 10, 2011; an infant brother, William Charles on December 31, 1957; her fathers-in-law, John Ivy Jones on January 19, 1997, Richard Lee on December 26, 1987, and James (Jim) Leo Williams on August 15, 2002, as well as numerous other beloved family members and friends.
Kathy graduated from Richland High School in Essex, MO in 1971, began college that summer, and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in the summer of 1974. She was a teacher for 31 years. She taught Special Education at Bernie Elementary in Bernie, MO from 1974 to 1977. She then worked with third and fourth grade students within the same classroom at Bernie Elementary for the 1977-1978 school year. She worked at Bloomfield Elementary in Bloomfield, MO from 1978 through 1998 (minus a little time off when she had her children), where she taught students in kindergarten, first and second grades, as well as Special Education. In September 1998 tragedy hit, and Kathy had to resign her position from Bloomfield Public Schools, following a diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer. She was able to go back to Bloomfield Elementary in January of 2000 as a Resource Teacher, working again in Special Education. She continued in this position until retiring from public education in 2003 with 26 years of service. Kathy stayed home for one year and decided that full-time retirement was not for her at that time. She began substituting at the area State Schools, working with severely disabled children. She was later approached about a full time teaching position and taught for five years at Parkview State School in Cape Girardeau, MO. She officially resigned on August 31, 2011, following a recurrence in March 2011 of her breast cancer, this time in her bone and liver.
Kathy truly loved God, her family, her students, and her community, and it is very apparent that they all loved her as well. She was an inspiration to all who knew and loved her. She exhibited much strength and grace and loved others unconditionally. She carried a trademark smile with her always, even in the face of much adversity. She is such an example of beautiful Christian love, and she inspires us all to be better people. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy. Her favorite color was red. She loved peanut butter, chicken and dumplings, coconut pie, chocolate gravy, white beans and cornbread, and Leon’s Dexter Queen. She shared her love and words through poems.
She was a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association, the Council of Exceptional Children, and the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and was always active in the local Parent Teacher Organization. In May of 2010, Kathy was presented with one of KFVS 12’s Heartland’s Best Teacher awards for the 2009-2010 school year-- The Heartland’s Best-- they had no idea!
She was a member of the Dexter Church of Christ in Dexter, MO. She loved her church family and deeply appreciated them for all of their prayers, love and caring support.
As a breast cancer survivor, Kathy became active in participating in and helping at the local Relay for Life for a few years until her health prevented her from volunteering as much. In March of 2011, when Kathy lost her husband Larry to lung cancer, Kathy and her family established the Larry B. Jones H.O.P.E. Campaign (Celebrating Healing, Optimism, Prayer and Example). The H.O.P.E. Campaign has raised nearly $68,000 in the past five and one half years to benefit area cancer warriors. The H.O.P.E. Campaign officially teamed up with 18 FORE Life in the Spring of 2013 and is honored to be a part of giving back to the local community in such a huge and powerful way.
Memorials may be made to the Larry and Kathy Jones Family H.O.P.E. Campaign, established in March 2011 and renamed in August 2016, P.O. Box 1785 Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. The family desires to honor Larry and Kathy’s legacy of helping and loving others by continuing their mission of blessing area cancer warriors and individuals faced with life-threatening illness.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel, with Clyde Jacques, member of the Dexter Church of Christ, and Walton Weaver, minister of the Major Drive Church of Christ in Beaumont, TX, officiating.
Interment will follow in the Bloomfield Cemetery. Pallbearers include her son Larry Kyle Jones; her son-in-law Joe Galati; grandsons Keaton Leija and Sam Galati, and nephews Billy Baldwin, Chris Baldwin, Wesley Carr, Michael Wilburn, Michael Weaver, and Bret Yount.
Walt Turner, son of the late Walter R. and Emma Ruth Gabbard Turner was born on June 7, 1935 in Breathitt County, Kentucky and departed this life on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at Chaffee Nursing Home at the age of 81.
Mr. Turner was the owner of KDEX Radio Station in Dexter, Missouri. He was of the Baptist Faith. He was a member of the Dexter Elk’s Lodge #2439 where he served as past Exalted Ruler, past President of the Dexter Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Turner also enjoyed golfing, and watching Kentucky Wildcats Basketball.
He was united in marriage to Barbara Burgan in Cincinnati, Ohio on September 9, 1963. Mrs. Turner preceded him in death on February 10, 2000.
He is survived by one daughter; Joeli and husband Jay Barbour of Dexter; by one son: James and wife Sherry Turner of Ponte Vedra Beach Florida; by 3 sisters; Mina Mullins of San Antonio, Texas, Stella Meece, and Ella Turner both of Cincinnati, Ohio; by one brother; Ervine Turner of Cincinnati, Ohio; by five grandchildren; Logan Turner, Jillian Turner, Cade Turner, Jason Barbour, and Lauren Bishop; by four great-grandchildren; Rylan Turner, Bennett Turner, Bailey Barbour, and Taylor Gross; by one Sister-in-Law, Inez Burgan of Cynthiana, Kentucky.
He was also preceded in death by four brothers; Willis Turner, John Turner and two in infancy; and by one sister; Rachel Turner; by one Brother-in-Law; Prentice Burgan Jr.
Friends may call at the Rainey Mathis Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 30, 2016 from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Funeral Services will be conducted on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. in the Rainey Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Ken Davidson Officiating.
Interment will follow in the Chalk Bluff Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests all memorials be made to the Walter F. Turner Scholarship Fund at First Midwest Bank , PO Box 158, Dexter, Missouri.
Mary Ellen Sisler, daughter of the late Alvin Smyth Sr. and Sarah Manion Smyth was born on April 26, 1926 in Dexter and departed this live on August 24, 2016 in Frederick, Maryland at the age of 90.
Mrs. Sisler was a former resident of Dexter currently living in Frederick, Maryland. She was a member of the First Christian Church Disciples of Christ, and had worked as a secretary.
On July 9, 1944 she was united in marriage to James Sisler. Mr. Sisler preceded her in death on August 15, 1999.
She is survived by two sons, Stephen Sisler of Frederick, Maryland and Todd Sisler of Derwood, Maryland; by one daughter, Elaine Sisler of Phoenix, Arizona; by one grandson, Taran Sisler of Derwood, Maryland; by three brothers, Alvin Smyth Jr. of Dexter, Jimmie Lee Smyth of Dexter, Michael Smyth; and by one sister, Malenda Allen of Dexter.
Besides her husband and parents she was preceded in death by one brother, John Alan Smyth.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 from 9:30 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. Services will be conducted on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. with Rev. Michael Williams officiating. Interment will follow at Dexter Cemetery.
In lieu of Flowers the family requests all Memorials be made to the First Christian Church at 224 E. Stoddard Street, Dexter, Missouri 63841.
Frankie Marie Kinder, daughter of the late Charles Roscoe Farmer and Lucy Ann Ruggles Farmer was born on November 4, 1936 in Dexter, Missouri and departed this life on August 24, 2016 at The Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the age of 79 years.
Mrs. Kinder was a member of the ARK of Hope Church and a resident of Dexter, Missouri.
On November 8, 1954 she was united in marriage to Harold Thatcher Kinder in Tunica, Mississippi. Mr. Kinder preceded her in death.
Survivors include two sons, Harold Gene Kinder and wife Tina of Greenville, Missouri and Joseph Michael Kinder and wife Tina of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; one daughter, Pamela Houart and husband Steven of Dexter; by one brother, Allen L. Farmer of Dexter; one sister, Yvonne D. Taylor of Wappapello, Missouri; also by nine grandchildren Ellen Enghauser, Nick Haight, Melissa Ladyman, Jenny Crow, Lindsay Levitt, Justin Crow, Ashlyn Williams, Otto Kinder and Harry Kinder and nine great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Jimmie S. Farmer, Raymond Farmer, Robert Farmer, and Ernest Farmer; by five sisters Levella Gold, Sylvia Terrill, Hortense Davis, Ruth Elledge, and Lawanda Farmer.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on Friday August 26, 2016.
Funeral services will then be conducted at 12:00 noon on Friday August 26, 2016 in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter with Rev. Joe Payne officiating.
Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.
On August 18th, 2016, Pat Colleen Tharp, passed away and went to be with the Lord. Pat was born on April12th, 1938 to Don and Celia Harris.
Pat always loved to sing and while in high school she and other school mates formed a group that sang at Functions Around Town and ended up with a radio show on Saturdays in Dexter and was followed by Narvel Felts, who she remained friends with her entire life.
Pat was visiting in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1957 where she met and married William Lee Tharp. The couple had two children after returning to Dexter, Missouri. The couple left Missouri in 1964, Pat pursued her music career, which flourished from the late 60’s through the 80’s with one detour when her father, Don Harris passed away in 1975, where she took control of Harris Ready Mix in Dexter, Missouri. The family sold the business and Pat returned to Las Vegas. In 2000 she returned to Dexter to assist her mother Celia Harris and remained until her passing.
She is survived by her mother Celia Harris of Dexter, her brother, Doug Harris of Arizona, son Craig Lee Tharp of Las Vegas, daughter, Cammy Lynn Tharp of Twin Falls, Idaho and granddaughters Amanda Lynn of Spokane, Washington and Jessica Hicks of Boise, Idaho.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.
