Joe W. Gibbons, son of the late Charles Franklin Gibbons and Oma Usrey Gibbons was born on October 24, 1927 at Greenville and departed this life in the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center on August 31, 2011 at the age of 83.

Mr. Gibbons was a member of the Dexter Church Of Christ, a veteran of the United States Army, an educator for 41 years.

He came to the Dexter School District in 1964 where he served as principal at Southwest Elementary School until 1978. He then became Director of Elementary Education in the Dexter School System. While serving the District, he was an active member of the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA), Dexter CTA and the Dexter PTA.

He was a conscientious and enthusiastic educator that was well respected by faculty members, students, parents and the Dexter Community.

He was united in marriage to Norma Cannon on September 15, 1949 at Essex. Mrs. Gibbons survives of the home in Dexter.

Besides his wife, he is survived by one son, Terry Gibbons of Mascoutah, Illinois; by one daughter-in-law, Patricia Gibbons of Desloge; by three grandchildren, Daine Zimmer and husband Aaron, Jenna Gibbons and Ashley Gibbons.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Jean Garner.

Friends may call at the Dexter Church Of Christ, Thursday, September 1, 2011 from 5 until 8 p.m., Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Friday, September 2, 2011 in the Dexter Church Of Christ with Clyde Jacques officiating. Interment will follow in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield.

Memorials may be made to the Stoddard County Children’s Home, P.O. Box 164, Dexter, Missouri 63841.

Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter in charge of arrangements.

Leon McGarrity, son of the late Charles and Susan Camilla Caldwell McGarrity, was born in Bentley, Mississippi, on October 26, 1920, and passed away at the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter, Missouri on August 29, 2011, at the age of 90 years, 10 months and 3 days.

Leon and his wife moved to Dexter in 1949 and opened Leon's Dexter Queen where they worked until their retirement in 1980.

Leon was a 50 year member of the Dexter Masonic Lodge and a proud member and past president of the Dexter Kiwanis Club, serving 40 years with the civic organization. Leon also served in the Arkansas National Guard. He was of the Baptist faith.

On November 7, 1943 Leon was married to Gwendolyn Boone in Blytheville, Arkansas.

Leon was a mentor to many people and most have turned out to be his life long friends.

He is survived by his wife Gwen of Dexter; one sister, Maxerline Richardson of Rolla, Missouri; one granddaughter: Theresa (Curtis) Wilson; two great-grandchildren, Tyler and Makenna Wilson; other relatives and many friends also survive.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, Delores Anne McGarrity-Gibson; two brothers, Clayton and Ford McGarrity; two sisters, Era Lucius and Thelma Evans.

Visitation will be Wednesday, August 31, 2011, after 4 p.m., at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 1, 2011, at 11 a.m., at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter, Missouri with the Rev. Mike Watkins of Dexter, Missouri officiating.

Interment will be in the Dexter Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Missouri in charge of arrangements.

Larry Eugene Moore Sr., son of Geraldine Hood Krigbaum of St. Louis and the late Raymond Robert “BOB” Moore was born on December 19, 1953 at St. Louis and departed this life in the St. Louis University Hospital on August 28, 2011 at the age of 57.

Mr. Moore was a self-employed auto mechanic and a resident of Dexter.

He was united in marriage to Debra Miller on October 10, 1975 at Dexter. She survives of the home near Dexter.

Besides his wife, he is survived by four sons, Larry E. Moore Jr. of Crystal City, Anthony Moore, Colin Moore and Jacob Moore all of Dexter: by four daughters, Lorna Moore of Eureka, Christina Matthews of St. Louis, Geraldine Moore of Festus, Amber Moore of Dexter: by one foster daughter, Amber Crandall of Fort Leonard Wood: by his mother, Geraldine Krigbaum of St. Louis: by three brothers, William Fred Moore and Donald Eugene Moore both of St. Louis and Gerald Krigbaum of O’Fallon: by one step-brother, Eric Vince Krigbaum of South Carolina: by three sisters, Patricia Ann Adams and Ruth Claudine Robertson both of Dexter and Deborah Lee Miller of Arnold: by one step-sister, Venessa Dean Krigbaum of the State of Washington: by ten grandchildren, Sheena, Marcus, Logan, Kele, Andrea, Shane, Zuzu, Angela, Cannon and Acely: by three great-grandchildren.

Besides his father, he was preceded in death by one brother, Raymond R. Moore Jr.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 5 until 8 p.m., Wednesday, August 31, 2011. Funeral services will be conducted at 11a.m., Thursday, September 1, 2011 in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Phil Warren officiating. Interment will follow in the Armstead Dowdy Cemetery near Dexter.

Linda Faye Lawrence, daughter of the late Hugh W. Parks and Mildred Gowan Parks, was born on November 14, 1934 in Hornersville, Missouri and departed this life at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Missouri on August 25, 2011 at the age of 76.

Mrs. Lawrence was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Dexter and was an educator for thirty-nine years, with thirty-one of those years in the Richland School District. Mrs. Lawrence was a resident of Dexter.

She was united in marriage to Jimmie G. Lawrence on March 27, 1955 in Grayridge, Missouri. Mr. Lawrence survives of the home in Dexter.

Besides her husband, she is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Jeffery H. and Dianne Lawrence of Cape Girardeau, Missouri and by two granddaughters, Kelsey Dianne Lawrence and Sarah Elliott Lawrence.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, August 27, 2011 from 5 until 8 p.m.

Funeral services will be conducted on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 2 p.m. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Michael Woods officiating. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.

Charles Driskill, son of the late Elmer Driskill and Minnie Tucker Driskill, was born on January 14, 1935 in Bragg City, Missouri and departed this life at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on August 25, 2011 at the age of 76.

Mr. Driskill was a farmer for many years and a resident on Poplar Bluff, Missouri, formally of Dexter.

On May 16, 1956 he was united in marriage to Myrtle “Cedie” Wyatt in Sikeston, Missouri. Mrs. Driskill preceded him in death on October 13, 2005.

Survivors include two sons, Mike Driskill of Advance, Missouri and Charles Driskill of Sikeston, Missouri; by two daughters, Delores Hopkins and Mary Sawyer both of Oregon, Illinois; by a special friend, Marie Sides; by one brother and one sister; also by ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 12 noon until 2: p.m., Monday August 29, 2011. Funeral services will then be conducted on Monday at 2 p.m.,in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.