Rev. Dwight William Bland was born on May 1, 1939 in Santa Ana, CA. At age 82, he left this world peacefully on August 19, 2021, surrounded by his family, in his home in Boonville, IN after a long illness. He was a beloved husband for 60 yrs to Brenda (Avery) Bland, proud father to his two children, Roxanna Trivitt (Gary) and Todd Bland (Candi), and loved his five (5) grandchildren - Chelsey, Hannah, Nathan, Connor, and Jarred and six (6) great grandchildren - Olivia, Savannah, Rylee, Luke, Andi and Landon. He is survived by these and other loving family members and a host of cherished friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Thurman and Mrs. Winniford (Wilkerson) Bland and two sisters, Doris Williams and Emma Lou Adams.
He grew up in Dexter, MO where he developed a love, skill, and passion for basketball. He was captain of his high school team leading them to the state tournament in 1957. In May, 1962, Dwight was drafted into the army as part of the peacetime draft during the Vietnam War and served active duty for 2 years.
At age 12, he became ill and experienced a miracle of physical healing. This experience later awakened him to his life's call to full-time Christian ministry and a career with the General Baptist Denomination. Above all else, he loved God, God's Word, God's church and community. A man with a quest for knowledge, of leadership, creativity, community involvement, compassion, prayer, spiritual discernment, laughter, encouragement and a love for writing all lead to his incredible work ethic. For 20 years, he gave his life's work to pastoring Main Street Baptist Church and to serving in various denominational leadership roles. In his retirement years, he continued his ministry of preaching, and shepherding churches as an interim leader. He had a soft heart for the underprivileged and forgotten and wanted more than anything to see everyone come to know his Jesus, whom he called the lover of his soul.
Over his lifetime he was a leader by example, a mentor, a loving, supportive husband and father, and inspiring grandfather. He was all smiles while sitting around the table eating and telling jokes. He loved sports, music, food, and enjoyed singing and cooking his specialties for family. He treasured his time spent with the Boonville community serving as chaplain, crusade leader, confidant and a member of the "round table club" that met to solve the world's problems early morning and noon at local restaurants.
He leaves behind a spiritual legacy, was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be held at Koehler Funeral Home in Boonville, Indiana on Monday, August 23,2021 from 4-6 pm. Funeral services at Main Street Baptist, Tuesday, August 24th, 2021 at 10 am with visitation beginning at 9 am prior to service. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Boonville.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy donations be made to Main Street Baptist Church, Oakland City University or Kindred Hospice of Evansville would be appreciated.
Clarence Edward Taylor of Advance, Missouri was born to the late Milborn and Alma (Lentz) Taylor on February 20, 1944 in Kennett, Missouri and passed away on August 20, 2021 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri at the age of 77 years.
Clarence was married to Julia Lewis on August 05, 1961 in Dexter, Missouri. He was a member of The Church of Christ. He enjoyed gardening, canning his own vegetables, and raising animals especially horses. He was an honest hard working family man.
Clarence was preceded in death by his parents and one brother (Dale).
Surviving Clarence is two sons Eddie "Cookie" (Mary) Taylor of Puxico, Missouri and James (Lisa) Taylor of Yellville, Arkansas; three daughters Carolyn Sue (Gary) Barber of Tecumseh, Missouri, Melissa (Bob) Parker of Mountain Home, Arkansas and Christina (Joe) Scott of Dexter, Missouri; nineteen grandchildren Jeramey (Beth) Taylor of Bloomfield, Missouri, Shasta (Jamie) Taylor of Puxico, Missouri, Richard (Ashley) Mallory of Wappapello, Missouri, Lisa Nicole Melton of Ozark, Missouri, Ashley Taylor of Yellville, Arkansas, April (Roman) Hayes of Summit, Arkansas, Cody Parker of Mountain Home, Arkansas, Mason (Emily) Parker of Logan, Utah, Jessica Parker of Mountain Home, Arkansas, Cynthia (Jacob) Turner of Puxico, Missouri Cassandra Kirkendall (Josh) of Puxico, Missouri, Candice (Mike) Yoder of Puxico, Missouri, Victoria Volner of Dexter, Missouri, Dillion (Amy) Scott of Puxico, Missouri, Nancy Scott of Bloomfield, Missouri, Jessica Scott of Mill Springs, Missouri and Thrisha Parsons of Vassalboro, Maine; twenty-four great grandchildren Tori, Allison, Lexus, Kaden, Amelia, Jima, Addy, Emily, Noah, Kyle, Brylee, Brentley, Weston, River, Jakoby, Landrie, Johannah, Camillia, Bentley, Graysen, Augustus, Nevaeh, Kadryona, Hazel and several step-grandchildren; two great great grandchildren.
He is survived by three brothers, Jim Taylor(Margaret) of Elkhart Indiana, Bob Taylor (Kathy) of Poplar Bluff Missouri, Dennis "Coony" of Bloomfield, Missouri and a cousin Archie (Judy) Taylor of Winona, Missouri. A host of family and friends also survive.
Visitation will be Thursday August 26, 2021 from 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Puxico, Missouri.
Service will be Thursday August 26, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Puxico, Missouri with Brother Kenneth Lambert officiating.
Interment will follow in the Rock Hill Cemetery in Puxico, Missouri with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Puxico, Missouri in charge of arrangements.
Billy Ray Stroup, son of the late Woodrow Elmer and Opal Belle (Fears) Stroup, was born in Ellington, Missouri on November 3, 1937, and passed away at the Southeast Heath Center of Stoddard County in Dexter, Missouri on August 18, 2021, at the age of 83.
Billy was born in Ellington, Missouri and moved to Kirkwood, Missouri living there eighteen years there and then moved to Dexter, Missouri and lived thirty years here. Billy loved playing music (bass guitar), singing, and enjoyed woodworking. He was a member of the local UAW. Billy worked on the assembly line for General Motors Company. On October 28, 1972 married Deborah Nunn in St. Louis, Missouri.
Surviving are his wife Deborah Stroup of Dexter, three daughters Melissa Whitaker of Dexter, Missouri, April Inman of Chinook, Montana and Debbie Wagoner of Park Hills, Missouri; seven grandchildren, and one sister Doris Henderson of Steelville, Missouri. Other relatives and friends also survive. Billy was preceded in death by one son; Danny Stroup, one son Kevin Stroup in infancy; two brothers John Stroup and Kenneth Stroup; two grandsons Jason Settles and Adam Settles.
Visitation will be held Tuesday August 24, 2021 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.
Funeral service will be held Tuesday August 24, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.
Interment will follow in the Ellington Memorial Cemetery in Ellington, Missouri.
Lana Sue Foster Conner of Puxico, Missouri passed away on August 17, 2021 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Lana was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri to George and Mona (Crews) Foster and had lived in Puxico all her life. She worked as an office assistant for The Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Office. Lana loved her grandchildren, country, gospel concerts, cardinals, and was a caregiver to many.
Lana married Carl Conner Jr. on December 20,1986.
Lana is survived by her husband Carl Conner Jr. of Puxico, Missouri; one daughter Brittany (Drew) Chasteen and one son Benjamin Conner both of Puxico, Missouri three grandchildren Nathan Conner, Kaylea and Emma Chasteen all of Puxico, Missouri; one brother Andy (Amanda) Foster of Puxico, Missouri; two sisters Belinda (Victor) DeLay of Bloomfield, Missouri and Michelle ( James) Layman of Bluffton, South Carolina. A host of family and friends also survive.
Visitation will be Friday August 20, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Puxico, Missouri.
Funeral Service will be Friday August 20, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. in the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Puxico, Missouri with Russ Oliver of Puxico, Missouri officiating.
Interment will follow at the Little Brushy Cemetery in Wappapello, Missouri.
With Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Puxico, Missouri in charge of arrangements.
Albert C. Shaver, son of the late Leonard Shaver and Virdie May McCanless Shaver, was born on August 14, 1934, in Holland, Missouri, and departed this life on August 17, 2021, at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 87 years, surrounded by his family and his Cypress Point family.
Mr. Shaver was a veteran of the United States Navy. He was a former truck driver for ABF. After retiring from ABF, he drove for several other local companies. Throughout his truck driving career, he was known as Big Al the trucker’s pal. Albert grew up in Puxico, Missouri, his primary residence was in Dexter, Missouri, but he had also lived in St. Louis, Missouri and Springfield, Illinois.
On November 6, 1953, in Bloomfield, Missouri, he married the love of his live Wilma Wilson and to this union, she brought Lynn and Bill, and eight years later Speedy was born, and they all became Shavers.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Wilma Shaver of Dexter; by his son, Leonard “Speedy” Shaver of New York City; by his daughter, Lynn Newton of Sikeston; by his daughter-in-law, Peggy Shaver; by five grandchildren, Kelly Dudley of Coronado, California; Darin Newton of Sikeston, Brad Shaver of Sandusky, Ohio, Ashley Shaver of Waco, Texas, and Brandon Shaver of Dexter, Missouri; by fourteen great-grandchildren, by seven great-great grandchildren, and he was the patriarch of many nieces and nephews.
Other than by his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Bill Shaver; by his son-in-law, Ron Newton; by five siblings, who died in infancy; and by his great-grandson, Matthew Basquez.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Friday, August 20, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Friday, August 20, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Travis Lambert officiating.
Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
