David Lee Qualls, 64 of Bloomfield, MO, was called home to be with his Heavenly Father on February 25, 2018, at Southeast Missouri Hospital, after a brave battle for life. 

Born in Illinois, on November 23rd, 1953, he was the son of Bud and June (Mallory) Qualls. 

He is survived by his four daughters and two sons: Shelly Helman and husband David of Baxter Springs KS, Lora Watson of Sarcoxie MO, Tonya Garvin and husband Kevin of Anderson MO, John-David Qualls and wife Siera of Dexter MO, Michael Qualls of Neosho, MO, and Rebecca Hayes and husband Andrew of Neosho, MO, his mother: June Teets of Bloomfield MO, twenty-three grandchildren, three brothers and a sister: Keith Bowman, Dean Qualls, Carl Qualls, and Marilyn Dejournette.

David was preceded in death by his father: Bud Qualls, step-father: Benton Bowman and nephew: Adam Qualls.  

A celebration of life will be held March 3rd, 2018 at Rainey Funeral Home in Dexter, MO. Visitation will begin at 1pm, funeral at 2pm with graveside at Malden Memorial Gardens.

Edward L. “Bus” Smothers was born on March 9, 1924, in Townley, Missouri (Malden) to Marion “Jack” Smothers and Gretia Parker Smothers.  He passed away at the Obion County Nursing Home in Union City, Tennessee, on Thursday, February 22, 2018, just shy of his 94th birthday.

Bus grew up in Bernie and attended Dickerson School.  Afterwards he joined the army, serving in Japan, where he developed lifelong friendships with several of his fellow veterans.  Catching up with these “army buddies” was an important part of his life.

Bus married Virginia Lee Rhodes on June 1, 1948.  They raised their four children in Florissant, Missouri.  Bus  worked for General Motors until 1979.  They returned to southeast Missouri after retirement, where Bus enjoyed gardening and driving a school bus for the Dexter school district.  They also enjoyed traveling, with their favorite destinations being western United States and Alaska.  Virginia passed away in 2007, and Bus joined his daughter Jody in Dyersburg, Tennessee.

Bus was a member of the church of Christ, with church families in Florissant and Dexter, Missouri, and the Phillips Street congregation in Dyersburg, TN.

Other than his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by 3 brothers: Eldon Smothers, Leon Smothers, and Bill Smothers, and 4 sisters: Madge Smothers, Adele Crabtree, Mary Ruth Christ, and Helen “Tudy” Smothers, and a son-in-law, Donald Garner.

He is survived by 1 sister, Lucille Quinn of Aurora, MO; his children: Lonnie Edward Smothers of St. Louis, MO; Regina Johnson-Cook of Boulder, CO; Louida (George) Anton of Cahokia, IL; and Jody Garner of Dyersburg, TN; 6 grandchildren and their families: Andy (Brooke McKinley) Johnson, Anna & Sam of Boulder, CO; Steven (Dolores Foster) Anton, Maddie, Zoe, Cooper, Sophia & Ella (coming in April) of Dupo, IL; Katie (Josh) Watford, Tate, Brynlee & Reed of Dyersburg, TN; Jenny (Aaron) Dodson, Molly, Maisy & Cora of Martin, TN; John (Erin) Garner, Lyla Bell & Rice of Dexter, MO; and Megan Cook of Brooklyn, NY.

Visitation will be Sunday, February 25, 2018 beginning at noon at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri, with a funeral service at 2.  Interment will take place at Caroline Dowdy Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bootheel Youth Camp (201 Adams Drive, Dexter, MO 63841)  or Children’s Homes, Inc (5515 Walcott Rd., Paragould, AR 72450).

Robert Bert Rogers, son of Ellare Hollingsworth Rogers of Lowndes, Missouri and the late Lewis Rogers was born on October 2, 1946 in Midland, Michigan and departed this life on February 21, 2018 at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the age of 71.

He was a veteran in the United States Navy.  He worked as janitor and maintenance at Central Elementary School in Dexter, Missouri and was a resident of Wappapello, Missouri and a member of the Community Church of Christ in Lowndes, Missouri.

Survivors include: two sons, Caleb Rogers and Joshua Rogers both of Wappapello, Missouri; two brothers James Rogers of Lowndes, Missouri and Jonah Rogers of Dexter, Missouri; by two grandchildren, Hannah Rogers and Jarrod Rogers.

Besides his father, he was preceded in death by one sister, Jeanie Martin.

Friends may call at the Community Church of Christ in Lowndes, Missouri on Sunday, February 25, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 (Noon).  Services will be conducted on Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 12:00 (Noon) at the Community Church of Christ with Bro. Jack Rogers, Bro. Dale Rogers and Bro. Jeremy Rogers officiating.  Interment will follow at the Community Church of Christ Cemetery.

Vernon Abernathy, son of the late Edward and Myrtle Boyd Abernathy, was born in Advance, Missouri on May 10, 1929, and passed away at his home near Puxico, Missouri on February 21, 2018, at the age of 88 years, 9 months and 11 days.

He had lived in St. Louis and moved to Puxico in 1966. He was a member of the Christ Gospel Church in Millersville and was attending the Duck Creek Baptist Church near Puxico. He had worked for Hubert Browning Trucking, and farmed most of his life. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and working in his shop.

1On May 23, 1952, he was married to Dortha Dunning in Marble Hill, Missouri.

Surviving are his wife Dortha Abernathy of Puxico; two daughters & husbands, Bernadean (Miles) Anselm of Poplar Bluff, Debbie (George) Strombach of Puxico; one grandson & wife, Ben (Sally) Hancock of Puxico; one granddaughter & spouse, Danielle (Esther) Steinman of Seattle, Washington; three great grandchildren, Ezra Steinman, Avery and Addison Hancock; two sisters, Rosemary (Eldon) Stroup of Puxico, Betty Lou Poe of Brownwood. Other relatives and many friends also survive. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Vernas Abernathy and Hubert Browning and one sister, Lucille Walker.

Visitation will be Monday, February 26, 2018, after 10:00 am at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico until time for services at 1:00 pm at the funeral home chapel with Bro. Buck Cruse of Puxico officiating.

Interment will be in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with full military honors. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico, Missouri in charge of arrangements.

Juell Wray, daughter of the late Otis Yocham and Bessie Wallace Yocham was born on October 8, 1925 in Peel, Arkansas and departed this life on February 20, 2018 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter, Missouri at the age of 92 years.

She was a homemaker and was a member of the New Bethel General Baptist Church in rural Dexter, Missouri.

On April 12, 1942, she was united in marriage to Rev. Clifford Wray in Ozark County, Missouri.  He preceded her in death on May 2, 2016.

Survivors include: two sons, Bobby Wray of Wichita, Kansas and David Wray of Dexter, Missouri; by one daughter-in-law, Teresa Overall of Dexter, Missouri; by five grandchildren, Brian Wray, Christina Riehl, Jason Wray, Garrett Wray, and Heather Ryan; by three great-grandchildren, James Wray, Scarlett Ryan and Bonnie Ryan.

Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Phillip Wray; by one granddaughter, Melissa Wray; by one brother Nuell Yoacham and one sister, Gene Jones.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Friday, February 23, 2018 from 1:00 to 2:30 PM. 

Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 2:30 PM in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Gerald Hart officiating. 

Interment will follow at the Chalk Bluff Cemetery.