Opal Ward of Puxico, Missouri, daughter of the late William Thomas and Lillie Rebecca Jines Ward, was born on November 21, 1919, in Wappapello and passed away on Thursday August 23, 2012 at her home in Puxico, Missouri.

She had lived in Cape Girardeau, Missouri for 15 years but had lived most or her life in Puxico.  She attended the First Christian Church in Puxico.

Surviving are one daughter, Cecelia Ward of Puxico, Missouri. Other relatives and friends also survive.

She was preceded in death by six brothers, Frank, Tom, Leffie, Raymond, Floyd and Roscoe; and five sisters, Copal Rebecca Fronabarger, Octa Snow, Stella West, Carrie Sutter, and infant sister Mattie Farrie.

Visitation will be held on Monday August 27, 2012, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico, Missouri.

Graveside services will be held Monday, August 27, 2012, at 10:00 am at the Puxico Cemetery in Puxico.
Interment will follow in the Puxico Cemetery with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements.

Roberto Espada-Morales, son of the late Juan Espada-Rios and Isabell Espada-Morales, was born in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico on February 25, 1927, and passed away at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter, Missouri on August 18, 2012, at the age of 85 years, 5 months and 24 days.

He had lived in Puerto Rico and New York before moving to the Dexter area in 1967, He had worked for 25 years at the Mingo Job Corps as a supervisor. He was a member of the Risen Church in Dexter and was a veteran of the U. S. Army.

Surviving are two daughters & spouses, Rebecca & Richard Warren of Dexter, Missouri, Robin Ann & Louis Spaccamonte of Kennewick, Washington, six sons & spouses, Mike & Judy Deal, Roger Brinkley and Joshua Brinkley all of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Bob & Christine Espada of Las Vegas, Nevada, Eddie & Carla Espada and John Espada all of Kennewick, Washington; ten grandchildren, Mariah & Dalton Warren, Savannah Deal, Brandy & Shaun Alson, Michael & Anthony Armstrong, Hope Ivey, Thomas & Krista Espada; five great grandchildren; four sisters, Engracia Espada-Morales Rivera and Carmen Espada-Morales Santiago both of Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, Maria Espada Morales of Bayamon, Puerto Rico and Antiona Espada-Morales Miranza of Boston, Massachusetts. Other family and friends also survive.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Pedro Espada-Morales, Jorge Espada-Morales and one sister, Candida Espada-Morales Berrios.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 23, 2012, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 24, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at the Risen Church in Dexter, Missouri with the Rev. Josh Carpenter of Dexter, Missouri officiating.

Interment will follow at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with full military honors. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at Watkins & Sons Funeral Service
info@watkinsfuneralhome.com or phone 573 624 3548

Catherine M. Barber, daughter of the late Earl Clark and Flavie Cornman Clark was born on June 11, 1920 at Puxico and departed this life in the Missouri Delta Medical Center at Sikeston on August 19, 2012 at the age of 92.

 

Mrs. Barber was a member of the Sweet Prospect General Baptist Church in Dexter, a former employee of International Hat Company in Dexter, a farmer, home-maker and a resident of Dexter.

 

She was united in marriage to Deon Barber on June 1, 1946 at Piggott, Arkansas.  Mr. Barber preceded her in death on September 7, 1988.

 

Survivors include two daughters, Joyce Minton Wade of Dexter and Kay Eaves and husband Tommy of Clarksville, Tennessee: by one brother, Larry Clark of Ziegler, Illinois: by one sister, Lola Mae Hilliman of Flint, Michigan: by five grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

 

Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by six brothers, Vernon Clark, Kenneth Clark, Ralph Clark, Jack Clark, Ray Clark and Leroy Clark.

 

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 11:00 A.M.until 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 21, 2012. 

 

Funeral services will then be conducted at 2:00 P.M. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Ray Rowland officiating.  Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.

 

Rosa Darlene Davis, daughter of James Roy and Rachel Brady Davis, was born in Puxico, Missouri on October 23, 1951, and passed away at the Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico, Missouri on August 15, 2012, at the age of 60 years, 9 months and 23 days.

Darlene had lived in Puxico, Missouri her entire life. She was a teacher and had worked in the Poplar Bluff R1 School District where she taught Business Education.  She was a FBLA Sponsor and the Department Chairperson of Business Education for the Poplar Bluff R1 School District.  She was also a member of the SEMO Business Educators Association and the Missouri Teachers Association. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary Post 7822 and was a past President, serving 12 years. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Puxico where she was the director of WMU and taught the preschool Sunday School class.

Surviving are her parents, James Roy and Rachel Davis of Puxico, Missouri; one sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Ronnal Clinton of Puxico, Missouri; one brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Nikki Davis of Wappapello, Missouri; three nieces and spouses, Rachelle and Travis McGill of Puxico, Missouri, Tonna and Eric O'Dell of Puxico, Missouri, and Melissa Lam of Wappapello, Missouri; and two great nieces, Lydia O'Dell and Phoebe O'Dell both of Puxico, Missouri. Many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends also survive.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 16, 2012, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Puxico in Puxico, Missouri. VFW Auxilary Post 7822 will have a memorial service Thursday evening at the First Baptist Church in Puxico, Missouri.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 17, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Puxico in Puxico, Missouri with Rev. Justin Miller of Puxico, Missouri and Rev. Phil Bray of Macon, Missouri officiating.

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

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Puxico, PO Box 338, Puxico, Missouri, 63960

Thomas C. "Tom" Sanders, son of the late John Thomas and Velma Leona Bohannon Sanders, was born in Gideon, Missouri on November 19, 1958, and passed away at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on August 14, 2012, at the age of 53 years, 8 months and 26 days.

He had lived most of his life in the Morehouse area. He had worked as a heavy equipment operator at Brown Sand and Gravel. He was a member of the Dexter Eagles Aerie #4062, and the Sikeston & Poplar Bluff Eagles Aeries, V.F.W. Post #2659 in Dexter, the Sikeston American Legion and was Past-President of the Jaycees Iron Mountain Lodge in Morehouse.  He served in the United States Navy.

On February 22, 1987, he was married to Brenda Joyce Stroud in Morehouse, Missouri.

Surviving are his wife, Brenda Joyce Sanders of Morehouse, Missouri; a niece he raised, Tomma King of Delta, Missouri and grandson, Ty Cody King of Delta, Missouri; five brothers, Terry Sanders of East Prairie, Missouri, David Sanders of Bloomfield, Missouri, Jeffery Sanders of Matthews, Missouri, Randy Sanders of Collman, Alabama, and Jay Sanders of New Madrid, Missouri. Many nieces, nephews, other family and friends also survive. He was preceded in death by one grandson, Cody Dayton King and one sister in infancy, Pamela Sanders.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 16, 2012, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 17, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter, Missouri with the Rev. Jimmy Vent of Charter Oak officiating.

Interment will follow at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with an escort provided by the Wappapello and Poplar Bluff Eagle Riders. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the the Eagles Diabetic Research Center, 1623 Gateway Circle South, Grove City, Ohio  43123-9309.