Floyd Wilmer Clifton, son of the late Howard Clifton and Irene Winters Clifton, was born on December 16, 1941, in Menfro, Missouri and passed away at his residence near Essex on Friday, December 15, 2017 at the age of 75.

Mr. Clifton was a former owner/operator truck driver and was formerly employed at Brown Farms near Essex.  He had served his country in the United States Marine Corp, the United States Air Force and the Army National Guard. During the Vietnam War, he was captured and served seventeen months as a Prisoner of War. 

He was a former Little League Baseball coach, a very appreciative man who wrote many thank you notes to those who had helped him.  The term “Simple Man” would serve him well, as he loved to tinker, laugh and be with his grandchildren. 

On April 20, 1963, he was united in marriage to Sandra Jean Oxford at Camp Pendleton, California and to this union four children were born.  Mrs. Clifton passed away eight hours after his death. 

Survivors include, two sons and their wives, Charles and Janet Clifton of Grassy and Daniel and Sherry Clifton of Dexter: by one daughter and her husband, Sharon and Thomas Shaffer of Chaffee: by four grandchildren, Kaylena Tucker, Howard Clifton, Shyann Clifton and Sarah Haney: by one great-grandchild, Noah Lubbers: by four brothers, Ronald Clifton of Cape Girardeau, Alan Clifton of Fort Benning, Georgia, Harold Clifton and Roger Clifton both of Perryville.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Howard Clifton. 

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 11:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M., Thursday, December 21, 2017. 

Funeral services will then be conducted at 2:00 P.M. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. 

Interment will follow in the Bloomfield Cemetery.  

Sandra Jean Clifton, daughter of the late William Oxford and Marion Kirkwood Oxford, was born on April 12, 1945 in Santa Ana, California and departed this life on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at her residence near Essex, Missouri at the age of 72.

Mrs. Clifton had worked for many years in the Essex area as a babysitter, was formerly a sales clerk at Cedar Valley Discount in Essex and a cook at Hickory Log Restaurant in Dexter.

On April 20, 1963, she was united in marriage to Floyd Wilmer Clifton at Camp Pendleton, California and to this union four children were born.  Mr. Clifton preceded her in death (eight hours prior to her passing) on December 15, 2017.

Survivors include, two sons and their wives, Charles and Janet Clifton of Grassy and Daniel and Sherry Clifton of Dexter; by one daughter and her husband, Sharon and Thomas Shaffer of Chaffee; by four grandchildren, Kaylena Tucker, Howard Clifton, Shyann Clifton and Sarah Haney; by one great-grandchild, Noah Lubbers; by two brothers, Bill Oxford of San Diego, California and Dan Oxford of Trinidad, Colorado; and by one sister, Maryann Burlingame of Fargo, North Dakota.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Howard Clifton.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 11:00 A. M. until 2:00 P. M., Thursday, December 21, 2017. 

Funeral services will then be conducted at 2:00 P. M. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. 

Interment will follow in the Bloomfield Cemetery.

Bobby Gene Hayden of Dexter, son of the late Pershing Lee and Ruby Pearl Wilson Hayden, was born in Kenton, Kentucky on September 10, 1943, and passed away at the Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico, Missouri on December 15, 2017, at the age of 74 years, 3 months and 5 days.

He had lived in Southeast Missouri most of his life and in Dexter the past forty years. He had attended the Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Dexter and was retired from Monarch Feeds. He enjoyed fishing, camping and going to yard sales.

In 1970 he was married to Phyllis Joan Ritchie in Morehouse, Missouri.

Surviving are three sisters, Imogene Gady of Sikeston, Missouri, Faye Higgins of Soap Lake, Washington and Janice Sue Wood of Summerset, Ohio. Other relatives and many friends also survive. In addition to his parents and wife he was preceded in death by a step-son, Carl Jeffery Ritchie, two brothers and one sister.

Visitation will be Tuesday, December 19, 2017, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri. Funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel with Rev. Dale Holman of Dexter officiating.

Interment will be in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Missouri in charge of arrangements.