Donna Mae Crow Gregg, 90, of Dexter, Missouri, was cherished by her family and treasured by her husband, Morris. She was kind, caring, and selfless. Donna was a rare and endearing combination of quiet strength, unassuming beauty, and timeless grace. She walked daily with Jesus and did her best to show his love to everyone around her.
Donna went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, July 26, 2020. She was born April 21, 1930, in Scotland, Arkansas.
Left behind to cherish her memory is her devoted husband of 73 years, Morris Gregg. Theirs is a love story that began right after WWII with a chance meeting at the First Baptist Church in Parma, Missouri. Morris saw Donna there for the first time, and the rest is history. Their union in 1947 set the foundation for years of devotion and care. After living in Kansas City, Parma, New Madrid, and Malden, Donna and Morris made their home in Dexter in 1964. Their marriage resulted in the births of four sons: Gary Gregg (Janice), Steven Gregg (Diane), Ronald Gregg (George), and Mark Gregg. Donna was a dedicated mother, and she loved her boys.
In addition to her husband and four sons, Donna is survived by the best sister ever, Carolyn Landrum, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Even though they were eight years apart in age, they were incredibly dear to one another.
Donna’s eight grandchildren knew her as “Mimi”, and they adored her. They are Christine Gill (Brad), Seth Gregg (Sally), Daniel Gregg (Laura), Samuel Gregg (Julie), Catherine Pannell (Cody), Candice Randolph (Dillon), Tyler Gregg, and Chelsea Sterling (Michael). Donna’s four great-grandchildren, Scarlet Gregg, William Pannell, Rylie Gill, and Maxwell Gill, will hear many stories about her and wish they had known her more.
She also leaves behind two sisters-in-law, Mildren Crow and Alice Crow, a nephew, David Crow, and four nieces, Judy Metheny (Ron), Susan Hatley, Melanie Crow, and Carmen Hoggard (Kevin).
Donna worked as a Physical Education assistant for several years at Dexter Central Elementary School. After transitioning through several jobs, she eventually retired from Savings of America. With four boys at home, she became a wonderful cook. Donna also enjoyed reading and volunteering at First Baptist Church, where she was a member for over fifty years.
The family would like to thank the administration and staff at Crowley Ridge Care Center and the staff at Preferred Hospice of Missouri for the care and attention they gave to Donna.
Visitation was held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri. The funeral service followed at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Mark Smith of First Baptist Church Dexter officiating. Burial will be at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield.
Family and friends may share an online condolence or memories at www.mathisfuneralhomes.com. The family requests all memorials be made to the First Baptist Church, 11 W Caster Street, Dexter, Missouri 63841.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of all arrangements.
Joseph C. Blanton, M. D. passed from this life into heaven on July 29, 2020. He practiced pediatrics in Sikeston, Missouri for nearly 60 years and was one of the nation’s most senior practicing pediatricians when he retired earlier this year.
Dr. Blanton was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on December 21, 1930 to Harry and Maureen Daley Blanton. He grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves while his father served four terms as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. While in St. Louis, he attended Holy Redeemer Grade School and the St. Louis University High School.
Blanton played center on the Midget Football Squad and ran the half-mile. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. When the family returned to Sikeston in 1946, he began attending Sikeston High School where he served as Senior Class President of the graduating class of 1948.
While returning from a Charleston-Sikeston football game, he witnessed a serious traffic accident and decided then that he wanted to be a doctor. He attended St. Louis University and, after his junior year, was admitted to the St. Louis University School of Medicine where he graduated in 1955.
While in medical school, he began dating Nancy Rose Raupp of Decatur, Illinois, a student at Fontbonne College. They married in Decatur, Illinois on June 16, 1956 and celebrated their 64th anniversary earlier this year. After graduating from medical school, Dr. Blanton worked for a year in a pathology lab and then began a residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and ultimately served as Chief Resident.
He then served as a pediatrician in the U. S. Navy at the Portsmouth, Virginia Naval Hospital, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. When he finished his tour of duty in 1961, he returned with his family to his hometown of Sikeston, Missouri, joining the newly-formed Ferguson Medical Group and becoming its fifth partner. When he returned home, he became the second board-certified pediatrician between St. Louis and Memphis.
He spent the next six decades taking care of children from all over Southeast Missouri including those with the most serious medical issues. He continued to work until his full retirement earlier this year at age 89. Thousands of patients will recall being referred to as “Darlin,” “Sweet Thing,” “Old Timer,” or “Tiger” during visits with Dr. Joe. With the limited number of pediatricians in the area, he took call every other night for thirty years. He never missed a day of work due to illness. Dr. Blanton was a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a member of the Missouri Academy of Pediatrics, and listed yearly in The Best Doctors in America.
Governor Christopher Bond appointed him to serve on the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts. He served as the medical director of the Sikeston Regional Center for Developmental Disabilities, Chair of the Physicians Task Force of the Missouri State Department of Social Services, and a director of the Scott County Health Department. He also served as a member of the Sikeston R-VI School Board. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce in 2001.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Nancy, of the home, four children, Joseph C. Blanton, Jr. (Felecia) of Sikeston, Dr. Mark Blanton of Sikeston, Madeline Blanton Kerr (Dr. Knox) of Jacksonville, Florida, and Dr. Kevin Blanton (Amy) of Sikeston. Dr. Kevin Blanton now practices as a pediatrician at Ferguson Medical Group in emulation of his father. Dr. and Mrs. Blanton have seven grandchildren including Mark Blanton, Jake Kerr, Cullen Kerr, Elizabeth Blanton, Luke Blanton, Grace Blanton, and Caroline Blanton.
Elizabeth is a second-year medical student at the University of Missouri. He was very proud of all of his grandchildren. Dr. Blanton is also survived by one sister, Anne Tlapek of Cape Girardeau, and two brothers, Judge Lewis Blanton (Barbara) of Sikeston, and Dr. Harry Blanton (Jane) of Cape Girardeau. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Maureen Daley Blanton, and his siblings Rosemary Barr Quatmann, Patricia Kavanaugh, Maureen Klein Graham, and Dr. John Blanton.
Dr. Blanton enjoyed studying genealogy and became proficient at using his computer to conduct research. He read constantly and favored history books and spy novels. He diligently followed the St. Louis Cardinals beginning his loyalty by taking street car rides to Sportsman’s Park and watching the games without a ticket as a member of the Knothole Gang. Dr. Blanton collected and read all of the Horatio Alger books which his father had read as a boy. He loved working in the yard both at his current home and in the Woods near his childhood home on North Ranney Street. He did all yard-work by hand to make the experience last as long as possible. He gave his primary focus in his later years to helping his family and attended all of his grandchildren’s school and other events without fail with wife Nancy and his son Mark.
Dr. Blanton always put the interests of others first. The family wants to thank the priests at St. Francis Xavier over the years where Dr. Blanton attended Mass whenever the doors were open, his partners, employees, and many patients at the Ferguson Medical Group, his long-time nurse Ida Cowell, Almeter Marshall, Sandra Douglas, Lamar Douglas and the other family caregivers, the neighbors on Cotton Trace and other friends, and the extended Blanton and Raupp families.
Visitation will be from 4 PM to 7 PM on Friday, July 31, at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston with a funeral mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church at 10 AM on Saturday. Dr. Blanton’s grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Ben Swiney will be an honorary pallbearer.
The family will host an Irish Wake in Dr. Blanton’s honor at the Blanton Woods on North Ranney Street in Sikeston at a later date.
The family requests that memorial gifts be made to Birthright, 2633 Hopper Rd., Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 105 Stoddard St., Sikeston, MO 63801, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, or a charity of choice.
Patricia M Smith, daughter of the late Earl Cato and Nellie Estes Cato, was born on December 31, 1944 in Dexter, Missouri, and departed this life on July 25, 2020 at her residence in Bernie at the age of 75 years.
Mrs. Smith was a member of Unity Full Gospel Church in Bernie and a homemaker.
In 1960, she was first united in marriage to Harold Gregory, who preceded her in death, and to this union one son was born, Michael Gregory. In 2006, she was then united in marriage to Charles A. Smith.
She is survived by her husband, Charles Smith of Bernie; by her son, Michael Gregory (Sherry) of Bernie; by four step-sons, Chuck Smith of Perryville, Mike Smith of Advance, David Chad Smith (Jennifer) of Dexter, and Michael W. McCollough (Mary) of Dexter; by three step-daughters, Marie Oliver (Henry) of Essex, Lisa Smith of Dexter, and Kelly Edwards of Dudley; by four brothers, Earl Cato (Carolyn) of Louisiana, Richard Cato (Joan) of Tennessee, Dale Cato (Connie) of Bernie, and Clayton Cato of Bernie; by two sisters, Nancy Clay (Gary) of Seymore, Missouri and Judy Moore (Wayne Millington) of Bernie; by two granddaughters, Samantha Porter and Shawnta Walker (Joey); by three great-grandchildren, Bailey Porter, Ryker Walker, and Cypress Walker; and by several step-grandchildren.
Other than by her first husband and parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Orville Cato and John Cato; and by her sister, Mary Duckworth.
Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Funeral Services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Royce Champion officiating.
Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie is in charge of all arrangements.
Garry Dean Dorris son of the late Noah S. Dorris and Wilma Jean Whitehead Dorris, was born in Bernie, Missouri on August 27, 1946 and departed this life at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on July 22, 2020 at the age of 73.
Mr. Dorris was a farmer, a 50 year member of Bernie Masonic Lodge, and was of Baptist Faith having attended First Baptist Church of Bernie.
He was united in marriage to Linda Kaye Eaker in Malden, Missouri on August 26, 1972. Mrs. Dorris survives of their home in Bernie.
Other survivors include one son, Jeffrey Dean Dorris of Dexter, Missouri; by two daughters Kimberly Diane Cook & husband Paul of Malden, Missouri and Melanie Kay Riley & husband Jon of St. Charles, Missouri; by three sisters, Phyllis Mace of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sharon New of Malden, Missouri and Bennetta Harrellson & husband James of Dexter, Missouri; by four Grandchildren, Shawn Cook & wife Emily, Shauna Cook, Kaitlyn Riley and Kyle Riley; by one Great-granddaughter, Eleanor Cook; also by other relatives and many friends.
He was preceded in death other than by his parents, by one brother, Jerry Dorris.
Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie, Missouri on Saturday Morning, July 25, 2020 from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M.
Masonic Services will be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Bernie at 12:30 P.M. Saturday, Funeral services will then be conducted at 1:00 P.M. in the Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Floyd Pyle & Rev. Gary Gilbert officiating.
Interment will follow in Malden Memorial Park Cemetery, Malden, Missouri. Mathis Funeral Home of Bernie in charge of all arrangements.
CHARLES ALFRED TELKER, age 89, of Charleston, died Friday, July 24, 2020, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.
He was born December 29, 1930, at St. Louis, MO, to the late John Telker and Helen Cecelia Bayus Telker. A 1948 graduate of the St. Henry High School in Charleston, he went on to study one year at Loyola University in New Orleans, LA. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and served during the Korean Conflict. Following his discharge from the U.S. Air Force, he returned to Southeast Missouri and completed his degree in biology and coaching. He then taught in Otterville, Michigan for four years before returning to Charleston where he taught 30 years in the Charleston R-1 School District. He was a member of the St. Henry Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, and the V.F.W. He had been a small engine air plane pilot, loved to hunt, fish and operate his HAM Radios.
On June 23, 1956, he married Ruth Ann Carr who survives of the home.
Also surviving are his children, Charlotte Ann Telker of Sikeston; Kenneth A. Telker of Charleston and Bruce E. Telker of Chaffee, and several cousins.
Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until funeral hour at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. Rev. David Dohogne, pastor of St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston, will officiate.
Interment will follow in the Calvary Cemetery near Charleston with full military honors.
Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com
