Frances grew up on a farm in the Frisco, MO area and attended school at Trotter and Gray Ridge. She was married first to William Albert Rainwater on 15 March 1941 in Bloomfield. They were divorced in 1968. Her second marriage was to Finis Newton Cope on 23 November 1974 at Steele.
Frances dropped out of high school to marry and a vivid dream made her decide to continue her education. She got her high school equivalency at age 28. When she moved to Fontana, CA the following fall, she discovered that Chafee Community College was free and a bus would pick her up at the end of the block. She was in heaven! She loved school and loved to learn! She was always grateful to those who helped her obtain a college education.
Frances worked at the shoe and shirt factories in Dexter after her marriage and then moved to Flint, MI near the end of WWII to work as a gun and bomb sight inspector.
In 1959, she got her teaching certificate from Arkansas State and taught 5th grade at Essex for three years. In 1969, at age 42, she earned a degree in Social Work from SEMO State. She was a social worker for the Missouri Department of Social Services in Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Sikeston from 1968 till her retirement in 1992 after 25 years of faithful service. She worked in the children's division for 15 years and was a hotline worker for neglected and abused children. The last 10 years of her career, she worked for the Division of Aging.
Frances was baptized into the Catholic faith at Sacred Heart Church in Dexter on 15 August 1965. She moved to Sikeston after her husband’s death and was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church for many years. After retirement from social work, she volunteered for 10 years as a "Pink Lady" in the gift shop at Missouri Delta Memorial Hospital. She was a lifelong Democrat. She loved to listen to music and had an extensive collection of her favorites. She was always an avid reader.
Her great loves were Faith, Family, Service, Learning, and Music which gave joy and meaning to her life. Frances had a kind and gentle soul and a beautiful smile. She touched the lives of many and everyone loved her. Even in the last stages of Alzheimer's she hugged and kissed her family and those who took care of her. She had lost the ability to speak, except for "I love you," the most important words of all.
Frances is survived by her daughters Brenda Rainwater Garner (Bethel) and Gloria Rainwater Wethington (Don) of Bloomfield, MO.
Grandchildren: Keith Garner (Bambi), of Waco, TX; Dena Garner Creg Emerson (Rod) of Charleston, MO; Sherri Garner Moore Kennedy (Paul) of Russellville, MO; Lisa Wethington Pulley (Tim) of Bloomfield, MO; Tara Wethington Cooper Halcomb (Tim) of Rogersville, MO; Sharon Wethington Slayton (Steve) of Fairdealing, MO; and Jay Yourch (Kim) of Raleigh, NC.
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Great-grandchildren: Hilary Garner Hollingshad Hamilton (Eric) of Bardstown, KY; Josh Creg of Dexter, MO; Heather Creg Dowdy of Charleston, MO; Laura Creg Pruett of Bloomfield, MO; Catherine Lucas-Creg Gibson (Duke) of Dexter, MO; Jennifer Moore Guthrie (Wayne) of Sikeston, MO; John and Adam Kennedy of Russellville, MO; Matt Pulley (Cassy), Megan Pulley Henson (Aron), Michael and Mason Pulley of Bloomfield, MO; Briget Cooper of Rogersville, MO; Brittany Slayton (Jeff Micke) of Festes, MO; Courtney, Derek and Abby Slayton of Fairdealing, MO; Kathryn and Andrew Yourch of Raleigh, NC.
Great-great-grandchildren: Harley Hollingshad, Landon and Weston Hamilton; Ryleigh, Brendan, and Karsynn Dowdy; Cayton and Logan Pruett & Kodi Creg; Kayleigh & Alleigh Gibson; Mila and Cali Guthrie; Emmitt & Asher Pulley, and Collin Henson.
Frances was preceded in death by her spouse Finis Cope, parents Richard and Gladys McDaniel and siblings James Lee McDaniel and Harriet June McDaniel Widrig.
A funeral mass is to be celebrated by Fr. David Dohogne at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dexter on Saturday, 3 September 2016, followed by interment at Walker Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Memorials can be made to: Mayo Clinic – Alzheimer’s Research, 200 First Street NW, Rochester, MN 55905.
The family would like to thank those angels at Central Gardens, Golden Living and Crown Hospice who ministered to her during her ten year journey with Alzheimer's. Words cannot express how much you have meant to her and to us!
Barbara (Brown) Tanner Lettington, born May 24, 1946, passed away peacefully on August 29 at her home in Wappapello, Missouri.
Survivors include her daughter Amy Elise Tanner, son Brady Tanner and his wife Alyssa; all of Memphis, and her husband Harold Lettington of Wappapello. Other survivors include Judy Gregory, Jerry and Beverly Brown, Jim and Jeri Adkins; all from Dexter.
Raised in Dexter, Barbara is a descendant of one of the town’s first families. Proud of her ancestry, she had a remarkable memory of family stories, sharing them with her children.
She graduated from Dexter High School in 1964 and attended Southeast Missouri State University majoring in Home Economics. While at SEMO, Barbara met Carl Nathan Tanner, of Bernie MO. The two were married in 1966 and moved to Memphis, TN.
In 1968, the couple returned to Dexter to start a family. Barbara and her family lived in Dexter, Rolla, and Hannibal before returning to Memphis in 1985. Carl preceded her in death in 1993.
Throughout her life she was active in the community, volunteering with non-profits and serving as Secretary for the First Presbyterian Church. Her life-long passion to serve led to extensive work among people with disabilities, creating and administering several programs benefiting those in special need. For two years, she served as Executive Director of the United Way of Marion County. Another passion was volunteering at Cape Arrowhead, assisting veterans diagnosed with PTSD and serving on their Board of Directors. Barbara was also an artist, co-owning a gallery in Hannibal’s historic district that featured her original paintings and wood pieces.
In 2000, Barbara married Harold Lettington. Traveling extensively, their experiences took them to the American Southwest, Jamaica, the Florida coast and local wineries across the Heartland.
Diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer in 2012, Barbara’s faith in God supported her through chemotherapy at the West Clinic in Memphis. A devoted daughter, wife and mother, Barbara was a very special person who lived an incredible life.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Thursday, September 1, 2016 from 2:30 P.M. until 3:30 P.M.
A memorial service will then be conducted on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 3:30 P.M. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Catherine Bryant officiating.
A private burial will be conducted at a later date.
The family wishes to thank the staff of the West Clinic, the Hospice Team at VNA of Southeast Missouri who provided exceptional care during her last days, and the friends and family her supported Hal, Amy, Alyssa and Brady. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: WINGS Cancer Foundation in Memphis, TN or Lake Wappapello United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Wappapello, MO.
William "Bill" Martin Day, of Harrisonville, Missouri was born December 22, 1920 in Dexter, Missouri the son of Cecil Leroy and Katherine Pauline (Kleffer) Day. He departed this life on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the Crown Care Center, Harrisonville surrounded by love and family at the age of 95 years, 8 months and 5 days.
Bill grew up in rural Stoddard County near Dexter and came to love agriculture. Following graduation from Dexter High School in 1939, he attended the University of Missouri. He also taught rural school in 1941-42 at Garner School near Dexter. He graduated from MU with a bachelor's degree in Agriculture in 1943 and a master's degree in Education in 1953.
He met Verda Bernice Peterson his final year at the university. They had a whirlwind courtship and married on September 2, 1943. There was a wedding shower on the 4th, and Bill reported to his first job as a vocational agriculture teacher at Advance, Missouri on the 5th. That was followed by two years teaching at Washington, Missouri and then on to teaching vocational agriculture in Harrisonville beginning in 1948. He also farmed near East Lynne, Missouri before moving to Harrisonville in 1950. Following his retirement from teaching in 1967, Bill had a very successful second career selling insurance for Farm Bureau Insurance Company and as Agency Manager in Harrisonville for over 20 years.
Bill was a member of the Harrisonville United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School for many years. He was also a member of the Harrisonville Lions Club since 1955 and Past President, Cass County Republican Committee and Club, member and Past President of the Missouri Vocational Agricultures Teachers Association. Bill enjoyed many hobbies over the years. They included hunting, fishing, and camping with his family; playing softball, which he did until his 80's, gardening; and taking part in Volkswalks with Verda, which they did in all 50 states.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Lori Day; a brother, C. LeRoy Day and a sister, Clarabelle Coulter.
Bill is survived by his wife of nearly 73 years, Verda Day; 4 sons, Russell (Ann) of Cumming, Georgia, David (Karen) of Boonville, Missouri, Steven (Vicki) of Shawnee, Kansas and Alvin (Dixie) of Ames, Iowa; 8 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a sister Katherine Day, Wilmington, North Carolina; other relatives and many close friends.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 1, 2016 at the United Methodist Church, Harrisonville, Missouri with burial in the Orient Cemetery, Harrisonville.
Family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at the Dickey Funeral Home, Harrisonville, Missouri.
Family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Harrisonville United Methodist Church or to the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation.
Robert Troyer, son of David A. and Esther Kauffman Troyer of the home near Advance, Missouri was born April 26, 2000 in Paducah, Kentucky and departed this life on August 29, 2016 at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 16.
Besides his parents he is survived by four brothers and four sisters all of the home at rural Advance; David Ryan Troyer, Mark D. Troyer, Virgil D. Troyer, Jordan D. Troyer, Lorraine Troyer, Angela Troyer, Crystal Troyer and MaryBeth Troyer.
Friends may call at the Crowley Ridge Mennonite Church in Advance, Missouri on August 31, 2016 from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.
Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. in the Crowley Ridge Mennonite Church.
Interment will follow in the Crowley Ridge Mennonite Cemetery.
Rainey Mathis Funeral Homes in Dexter, Missouri in charge of the arrangements.
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.
