Mary Ruth Hicks 84 of Essex, Missouri, passed from this life on Monday November 28, 2022, at her home.
The daughter of the late Cyrel Herbert George and Thelma Louise Williams was born on October 8, 1938, in Stoddard County Missouri.
She was a member of the Beech Grove General Baptist Church in Bloomfield, Missouri. She loved to quilt, cross stitch and do embroidery work, cook meals for her family, and planned and coordinated all the family holidays and reunions. She also enjoyed reading and especially solving crossword puzzles.
On February 16, 1957, she was married to Ollie Clifford Hicks in Circle City, Missouri, remaining married until her passing.
She is survived by her husband of the home; two sons and four daughters, Garry (Evelyn) Hicks of Woodward, Oklahoma, Peggy Hicks of Dexter, Missouri, Terry Hicks of Piedmont, Missouri, Teresa (Mike) Lambert of Bloomfield, Missouri, Kathy (Dane) Robinson of Lawrence, Kansas and Donna Hicks of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Fifteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren as well as a host of family and friends.
She was preceded in death her parents; several brothers and one sister; one son, Stevan Dale Hicks and a loving Aunt Goldie Pry who had raised her from an early teen to adulthood.
Visitation services will be held Thursday, December 1, 2022, from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Funeral service will be held at 12:00 P.M. on Friday, December 2, 2022, at the Watkins And Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter, Missouri, with Brother Rick Roberts officiating.
Interment will follow at the Chalk Bluff Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri, with Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in her memory.
Walter G. Matthews, son of the late Walter Matthews Sr. and Fannie Warthen Matthews, was born on September 19, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri, and departed this life on November 27, 2022, in Marion, Illinois at the age of 82 years.
Mr. Matthews was a veteran of the United States Army. He was a truck drivers most of his adult life. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and seeing his great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his granddaughter, Lisa Skeate and husband Scott of Carterville, Illinois; and by four great-grandchildren, Christian, Jaxson, Jay, and Gracie.
No services are planned. Walter will be interred in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Vivian Ruth Strickland, 72, of Bloomfield, Missouri went to be with the lord on November 30, 2022, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
Ruth was born on November 16,1950 in Bloomfield, Missouri. She lived with her grandparents in Puxico, Missouri and helped out on their peach orchard.
Ruth graduated from Puxico High School in 1968.
She then went on to marry the love of her life Ralph Strickland who was serving the United States Navy. During their time in the military, they welcomed Kristi Strickland Venable and later Carl Strickland. During this time, she was also an active Leader of the Navy Wives Club.
After retiring from the military, she and her family came back to Bloomfield and settled down. She then worked various jobs, but her main focus was her family and community.
Ruth enjoyed spending time with her family, through shopping or having a big family get together. Fourth of Julys were bright, loud, and fun, and Christmas at Granny and Papa’s were merry. Food was her love language, as she would always cook the best food. She knew it made others happy, and a great way to bring people together.
She was very involved with trying to improve her community. By doing this she was the volunteer Head Cook at Bloomfield Area Nutrition Center since it opened and a member of the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce where she served on the board for several years.
She will truly be missed by so many people. If you ever had any interaction with her, she had a hilarious sense of humor and was wonderful. She was a kind friend, loving wife, tending mother, sweet grandma, and amazing great grandma.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents Samuel Jasper and Esta Ruth Harmon; her mother Faye Baca; and her three sisters.
Ruth is survived by her beloved husband Ralph Strickland of 49 years of marriage; her son Carl Strickland of Bloomfield, Missouri; her daughter Kristi (John) Venable of Bloomfield, Missouri; her brother, Larry Harmon of Dexter, Missouri; her four grandchildren Mollie (Kalab) Thomley of Bloomfield, Missouri, Ryan Strickland of Dudley, Missouri, Abigail Venable of Bloomfield, Missouri, Sean (Katie) Rodgers of Sikeston, Missouri; and two great grandchildren Henry Thomley of Bloomfield, Missouri and Liam Venable of Bloomfield, Missouri.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Monday, December 5, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Monday, December 5, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Mathis Funeral home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Justin Glen Hare of Dexter, Missouri, was born on April 19, 1987, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and went to be with the Lord on November 25, 2022, in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 35 years.
Justin lived all of his life in Southeast, Missouri. Justin attended the Dimension Church in Dexter, Missouri. He spent much of his life spending time with family, fishing, and loved playing computer games. Justin had been employed by Unilever in Sikeston, Missouri.
Justin was preceded in death by his father Robert Glen Jordon.
Justin is survived by his mother, Wanda Sue Hare of Dexter, Missouri; four brothers, Gary Wayne (Kathy) Dollar of Chaffee, Missouri, Edgar Leon Hare of Bloomfield, Missouri, Scott Alan Marvel of Bloomfield, Missouri, Bo (Michelle) Marvel of Dexter, Missouri; two sisters, Kimberly Anne Marvel of Dexter, Missouri, Amy (Jordan) Ash. A close personal friend Shuan Mitchell. As well as a host of family and friends.
Visitation will be from 11:00 A.M to 12:00 P.M on Thursday December 1, 2022, with funeral service following at the Watkins And Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter, Missouri.
Internment will follow at the Bloomfield Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri, with Pastor James Malloy of Essex, Missouri, officiating and Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Dexter in charge of all arrangements.
Herschel John “Hoppy” Hopkins, only son of the late Ralph Hopkins and Lorene McCullough Hopkins, was born in Advance, Missouri, on May 26, 1932, and departed this life at his residence in Dexter, Missouri on November 24, 2022, at the age of 90.
Herschel was a well-known “sign artist” for many years. He loved bluegrass music and building unique projects in his shop.
Herschel is survived by his wife of 67 years, Gladys (DeArman) Hopkins of the home; by his son, Mark Hopkins of Dexter, Missouri; by his daughter, Gayle Brown of Dexter, Missouri; by five grandchildren, Ryan Wheeling, Kara Guiling, Laura Poe, Mindy Ruppel and Greg Wheeling; and by eleven great grandchildren, as well as many relatives and friends.
Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Monday, November 28, 2022, from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Monday, November 28, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Jamie Jones officiating.
Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
