Thelma Marie Smith, daughter of the late James Smedley and Cora Hanners Smedley was born on March 8, 1934 in Wardell, Missouri and passed away on April 15, 2013 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at the age of 79.
Mrs. Smith was a resident of Puxico and had worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant at the Dexter Memorial Hospital.
On February 10, 1951 she was united in marriage to Tee Jay Smith in Piggott, Arkansas. Mr. Smith preceded her in death on November 22, 2000.
She is survived by two sons and daughter in laws, Bobby and wife Cheryl Smith of Wappapello, MO and Vincent and wife Donna Smith of Houma, Louisiana; by three daughters, Debi and husband Leonard Parrish of Bloomfield, Kathy and husband Dennis Frazier of Essex and Karen Smith of Houston, Texas; by one brother, Alfred Lee Smedley of Arizona; by one sister, Tabitha Louise Smart of Clarkton, Missouri; by her companion, Tom Knight of Puxico; by thirteen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband and parents she was preceded in death by one son, Gary Ray Smith; by two daughters, Sherrie Lynn Vaughn and Marilyn Smith; by two brothers, Bobby Ray Smedley and Jerry Gale Smedley; by one sister, Josephine Castaldi and by three grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Friday, April 19, 2013 from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel. Interment will follow in the Hagy cemetery.
Barbara Jean Jines, daughter of the late Paul Taylor and Alene Griffin Dennison, was born on July 19, 1938, in Kansas City, Missouri, and departed this life on April 15, 2013, at her residence in Dexter at the age of 74 years.
Mrs. Jines was a member of the Friendship Baptist Church in Dexter. She was a longtime resident of Dexter and a homemaker.
On February 22, 1958, she was united in marriage to James A. Jines in Benton, Missouri. Mr. Jines survives of the home.
She is survived by one son, Sammy Michael Jines, of Granbury, Texas; by two daughters, Tonya Jenkins, and her husband, Scott, and Tammy Fleeman, and her husband, Tim, all of Dexter; by six grandchildren, Dana Smith and her husband, Rick, Kristian Fleeman, Bianca Jines, Ricky Jines, Michael Jines and Brett Saylors; and by three great-grandchildren, Eva Smith, Addison Smith and Josea Saylors.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Ricky Jines.
Graveside services will be conducted on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, at 10:30 A.M. in Chalk Bluff Cemetery in Dexter with Rev. Lonny Mittag officiating.
Bonnie Lou Parsons, daughter of the late Reben Frances Craft and Zana Marie Gaines Craft, was born on June 11, 1937, in Malden, Missouri, and departed this life on April 14, 2013, in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 75.
Mrs. Parsons was a resident of Dexter and she had been employed at the Elks Lodge, the Hickory House Restaurant and Elder Manufacturing in Bloomfield, Missouri.
She is survived by two daughters, Teresa Dudley of Dexter, Missouri and Regina Ann Holland of Bloomfield, Missouri; by five grandchildren, Brad Holland and Rebecca Holland of Bloomfield, Jamie Dudley and Lauren Dudley of Dexter and Melissa Pace of Camas, Washington; and by five great-grandchildren Emily Holland of Bloomfield, Jacob Ferguson, Jillian Johnson, Gabriel Johnson and Anneliese Johnson, all of Camas, Washington.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, James Craft and Dewane Craft; and by one sister, Vera Baker.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral home in Dexter on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Funeral services will be conducted in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, at 2:00 P.M. with Rev. Tim Russell officiating. Interment will follow in the Sadler Chapel Cemetery.
He was a life long resident of Puxico and was a member of the Life Chapel Assembly of God Church in Puxico. He had worked as shop foreman at Bluff City Ford and in sales at Blackwell-Baldwin before he retired. He was a member of the Travelers Protective Association for 50 years, and was on Stoddard County Democratic Committee. He was a volunteer with the Mingo Swamp Friends and enjoyed old cars.
On February 8, 1946, he was married to Opal Lee Hodge in Puxico, Missouri.
Surviving are his wife, Opal Lee Cookson of Puxico, Missouri; one son & wife, Lynn & Gail Cookson of Puxico, Missouri; one grandson and wife, Thomas & Dayna Cookson of Puxico, Missouri. Other family and friends also survive. He was preceded in death by five brothers, Homer, Avery, Alvie, James and Lawrence Cookson; two sisters, Delena Cousins and Bernice Burge.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday April 16, 2013 after 6:00 p.m. at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico, Missouri.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday April 17, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Puxico, Missouri with the Rev. Tony Cookson of Advance, Missouri officiating.
Interment will follow in the Puxico Cemetery in Puxico, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Life Chapel Assembly of God Church, 502 W Richardson, Puxico, MO 63960.
Ada Ann McGowan, formerly of Dexter, Mo., passed away April 10, in her home in Pagosa Springs, Colo. She was born Ada Ann Stephens on March 31, 1935 in Knox City, Texas to Helen and Jim Stephens.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, John Larry McGowan, who died in 2002. Prior to moving to Colo., she spent 25 years in Dexter, where she ran two businesses; The Calico Cottage in the 1970s and Homecoming, an antique store, in the 1990s. She was a long-term substitute at Dexter Middle School in the ‘80s.
McGowan wrote a lifestyle column, The Calico Clipboard, which ran in the Daily Statesman-Messenger during the late ‘80s and ‘90s.
She volunteered with First Baptist Church of Dexter’s youth ministry, teaching Sunday School, leading mission trips and directing Camp Dexter, the youth summer camp. She also stage-managed numerous Christmas pageants.
McGowan served on the board of the Stoddard County Children’s Home, the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board Global Advance Council and was a member of P.E.O.
At various times and locations, she taught special education and English and coached tennis. She was a church youth director, journalist and served as executive director of the Y.W.C.A. at the University of Missouri - Columbia. She was an avid antique collector, decorator, gardener and artist.
She was a graduate of Amarillo High School and Texas Tech University.
She is survived by her children: John McGowan of Marco Island, Fla., and his wife Marie McGowan; Shannon Powers of Camp Hill, Pa., and her husband, Peter Powers; and James McGowan of Rockwall, Texas, and his wife, Melissa McGowan. She is also survived by her sister, Jamie Stephens of Carrizozo, NM, and eight grandchildren; Casey and Shelley McGowan of St. Louis, Mo.; Devon and Colin Powers; and Stephen, Matt, Mindy and Katie McGowan.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, April 16 at 2 P.M. at First Baptist Church, Dexter.
Memorial gifts may be made to First Baptist Church Youth Ministry, 11 W. Castor St., Dexter, MO 63841; or CenterPoint Church Youth Ministry, 2750 Cornerstone Dr., Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147.
