Shellee Jo Cowgur, daughter of Jo Ann Hitt Cowgur and the late William Cowgur, was born on December 15, 1979 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and departed this life on June 1, 2020 at Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at the age of 40 years.
Ms. Cowgur worked in sales for Drury Corporation and she was a baker and owner of Sweet Cupcake of Mine. She enjoyed spending her time working on projects that involved giving to others; preparing backpacks full of school supplies for kids, helping families in need, fixing lunch sacks for the homeless, and taking cupcakes to local law enforcement and fire departments. In school, she won a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. She loved listening to music, attending music concerts, playing bingo, the Green Bay Packers and Kentucky Basketball. Her greatest joy in life were her family and friends.
She is survived by her mother, Jo Ann Cowgur of Chaffee; by her brother, Ted Cowgur of Chaffee; and by her sister, Donna Cowgur of Bloomfield; by two nieces, Alexis and Audrey Pilson; and by her great-nephew, Bryson Barber.
She was preceded in death by her father, William Cowgur; by her grandmother, Viola Cowgur; and by many other loved ones.
Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, June 6, 2020 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Interment will follow at a later date in the North Antioch Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the funeral home, no flowers or plants, please.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of all arrangements.
Margaret E. Clay, daughter of the late Robert L. Phegley and Vena M. Ligon Phegley, was born on February 27, 1921 in Thornton, Arkansas, and departed this life on May 31, 2020 at Southeast Health of Stoddard County in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 99 years.
Mrs. Clay was the former manager of a retail store in Eureka, Missouri and a homemaker. Growing up she worked hard picking cotton. She attended Risen Church in Dexter and was a resident of Dexter.
She was united in marriage to Ansel M. Clay on February 23, 1941 in Parma, Missouri. Mr. Clay preceded her in death on August 2, 2013.
She is survived by her son, Jerry Clay and wife Junie of Dexter; by her daughter, Sara Mae Knight of Eureka; by ten grandchildren, Debbie Haley, Sheryl Wieschhaus, Greg Knight, Chelle Shelton, Rob Clay, Jera Lincoln, Matt Clay, Brad Clay, Renee Wiesler, and Chad Clay; by twenty-six great-grandchildren; and by fifteen great-great-grandchildren.
Other than by her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, James Robert “Bo” Clay and Wilson Gary Clay; by her brother, Robert Phegley; by her daughter-in-law, Carolyn Clay; by her son-in-law, Verl Knight; and by her great-grandson, Matthew Haley.
Funeral Services will be conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Friday, June 5, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. with Rev. Jeff Roth officiating. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of all arrangements.
Jerry Don Hill, son of Mary Abbott Hill and the late Harold Donald Hill was born in Powe, Missouri on June 28, 1956 and departed this life at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri on June 1, 2020 at the age of 63.
Mr. Hill was a Treatman Operator at Tyson and also at the Corp of Engineers. He was of Church of Christ faith and lived in Powe, Missouri.
He was united in marriage to Gwendolyn Carol Gordon in Elk, Missouri on December 22, 1973. Mrs. Hill survives in their home in Powe.
Other survivors include his mother, Mary Hill of Powe, Missouri; one son, Nathan Hill & wife Stephanie of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; by one daughter, Charity Weeks & husband Eric of Campbell, Missouri; by one brother Randy Hill & wife Tracey of Pollard, Arkansas; by seven grandchildren, Mallory McDaniel, Jacob Weeks, Delaney Weeks, Dawson Weeks, Tristin Hill, Sarena Hill and Cooper Hill; also by other relatives and many friends.
Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie, Missouri on Thursday evening, June 4, 2020 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM.
Funeral services will be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Friday morning, June 5, 2020 starting at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow in Brown Chapel Cemetery, Broseley, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home of Bernie, Missouri in charge of all arrangements.
James Lewis Higgs, son of Margaret Howey and the late Earnest Roy Higgs, was born on March 14, 1961 in Bridgeton, New Jersey and departed this life on May 19, 2020 at his residence in Dexter, Missouri at the age of 59 years.
Mr. Higgs was a former construction worker.
He is survived by his mother, Margaret Howey of Mullica Hill, New Jersey; by three sisters, Connie Bourque of Florida, Debbie Gaffney of Mullica Hill, New Jersey and Nancy Vanneman of Pittsgrove, New Jersey; and by three brothers, Earnest Higgs Jr. of Utah, John Higgs, and Jerry Buckson of Millville, New Jersey.
He was preceded in death by his father, Earnest Higgs; by his brother, Pete Buckson; by his paternal grandparents, John and Marjorie Higgs; and by his maternal grandparents, Edward and Elizabeth Howey.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of all arrangements.
Betty Jean Ivester, daughter of the late Arvel F. Williamson and Francis Fay Rankin Williamson was born on January 29, 1936 and departed this life on May 28, 2020 at the SoutheastHealth of Cape Girardeau at the age of 84.
Mrs. Ivester was the manager at the Dollar General Store in Scott City for a number of years. She enjoyed embroidery and loved watching hummingbirds, but her greatest joy was her family.
On December 10, 1957 she was united in marriage to Jessie Keith Ivester in Hernando, Mississippi. Mr. Ivester preceded her in death on December 5, 1997.
She is survived by two sons, Frank Ivester and his wife Marsha of Imperial, Missouri and Paul Ivester of Scott City, Missouri; by three daughters, Debra Lambert of Scott City, Missouri, Kris Ivester of Manistee, Michigan and Beth Tankersley and her husband Scott of New Hamburg, Missouri; by one sister, Janus Kling of Marion, Illinois; by seven grandchildren, Scot Smith and wife Mickie, Tommy Lambert Jr and wife Brandy, Daniel Keith Lambert, Holly Bass and husband Michael, Lisa Ivester, Landon Drue Tankersley and Lacey Danielle Tankersley and by sixteen great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by one son in law, Tom Lambert; by two brothers, Jerry Williamson and Lonell Williamson and by two sisters, Dorothy Dawes and Emma Nell Kimbrel.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter.
A memorial service will then be conducted at 2:30 p.m. in the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Jerry Williamson Jr officiating.
