Stephen Ford Schaefer, died Friday, November 20, 2020, at age 73, following health issues, worsened by COVID. Heaven and our good Lord welcomed him as he joined his deceased loved ones, daughter Lisa, mother Susan, father Paul, and sister Sue.
Loved by many, Steve leaves his son Michael and daughter-in-law Amber; their seven children O’Shen, Skila, Montana, Zach, Lakelynn, Brelynn, and Declan; great-granddaughter Winsley; brothers Paul, John, Stan, and Don; son-in-law Bobby; and granddaughter Sydney; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Born and raised in Sykesville, Maryland, during his lifetime Steve also resided in Florida and California.
Steve worked in aerospace fastener manufacturing most of his career, retiring early for health reasons.
As a favorite family member with a great sense of humor and quirkiness, and lots of love for everyone, Steve shared his joy for life on many memorable occasions with son Michael and his family, who lived nearby; and for many years, he visited California every year to see his brothers, nieces and nephews. Steve was a traveler and the world revolved around his grandchildren.
Steve Schaefer will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Rest in peace, dear father, brother, grandfather and Uncle Steve.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
Mary Alice Swinger, daughter of the late James Reaves and Laura Alberson Reaves, was born on December 11, 1932 in New Madrid County, Missouri, and departed this life on November 20, 2020 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, at the age of 87 years.
Mrs. Swinger was a former nurse’s aide and a homemaker. She was a member of the Essex Church of Christ and a resident of Dexter.
In 1955, she was first united in marriage to Elvis Leon Johnson. They were married for sixteen years and to this union eight children were born. She was then united in marriage to Otis Swinger on December 1, 1979, in Marble Hill, Missouri. Mr. Swinger preceded her in death on February 13, 2013.
She is survived by two sons, David Johnson of Bloomfield and Ron Johnson of Poplar Bluff; by her step-son, Jack Johnson and wife Helen of Byron, Illinois; by four daughters, Betty Black and husband Johnny of Bloomfield, Debra Ward and husband Richard of Dexter, Dana Kneiss and husband James of Poplar Bluff, and Melissa Moore and husband Tim of Holcomb, by her step-daughter, Mary Ellen Williams of Kennett; by her sister, Bernice Reaves-Goss of Belleville, Illinois; by eighteen grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren.
Other than by her husbands and parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, Danny Johnson and Darwin Johnson; by two step-sons, Darrell Swinger and Paul Swinger; by her step-daughter, Phyllis Ward; by two brothers, James Albert Reaves and James Gilbert Reaves; and by two sisters, Freda Reaves-Floyd and Amanda Faye Reaves-Dempsey.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Monday, November 30, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Monday, November 30, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. with Herman Morse officiating.
Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Memorials may be made to the Paragould Children’s Home Inc., 5515 Walcott Road, Paragould, Arkansas 72450-3319 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38101.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
William Thomas “Bill” Bradshaw, Jr., the son of the late William Thomas and Lema Ora Dixon Bradshaw, was born March 29, 1934, in Marmaduke, AR.
On June 27, 1955, in Risco, MO, he was united in marriage to Alma Smelser. She preceded him in death on August 9, 2020.
He was an educator for numerous years, serving as both a principal and a superintendent. He also served in the Unites States Army.
Mr. Bradshaw died Sunday, November 15, 2020, in Cape Girardeau, MO, at the age 86 years, 7 month and 17 days.
He is survived by 2 sons, Joe Bradshaw and wife, Cindy of Cape Girardeau, MO and Jeff Bradshaw and wife, Ronda of St. Louis, MO; 6 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; 1 brother, Ben Bradshaw of Malden, MO; 1 sister, Bonnie Gunter-Allen of Little Rock, AR and a host of other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Alma Bradshaw and 1 great grandchild.
A visitation will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 10:30 A.M. at the Lynwood Baptist Church.
Funeral services will follow at 11:30 A.M., at the church, with Pastor Kevin Coffee officiating. Burial will be on Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 11:00 A.M., in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, MO, with military rites.
Karrol Lynn Howard, daughter of Lois Busby Kratzer and the late Warren Caldwell, was born on May 26, 1965 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and departed this life on November 14, 2020 are River Oaks Care Center in Steele, Missouri at the age of 55 years.
Mrs. Howard was a homemaker and a resident of Steele, Missouri.
She is survived by her mother, Lois Kratzer of Camdenton, Missouri; by her son Austin Bush of Advance, Missouri; by her daughter, Kandace Bush of Warrensburg, Missouri; by six grandchildren; by her companion, Tony Bell; and by several brothers and sisters.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
As Christians, we know we should obey the Lord, because the Bible is filled with commands to do so. But not all obedience is equal, as every parent can testify. Out of love, some children willingly do what they are told, whereas others comply while filled with anger and resentment.
Jesus pointed out the correct motivation when He said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23). It’s our love for Christ that should fuel our obedience. In fact, the only reason we can love Him is because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). And here’s how much the Father cared about us, even before we had any interest in pleasing Him: He sent His Son to bear our sins and die in our place so that we could be forgiven. And when we receive Christ by faith, God pours His love into our heart through His Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5).
God’s love for us and our resulting love for Christ compel us to obey Him in all things. Instead of trying harder to comply, perhaps we should ask God to give us more love for Christ—because the more we love Him, the better we can follow His voice.
