Carl Steven “Steve” Lewis, met his Heavenly Father at the age of 65 on Friday, February 12, 2021 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Steve was born January 6, 1956 in Sikeston, Missouri, to Carlton and Jane (Rowland) Lewis. He met the love of his life, Debbie Lowrey, while attending Parma High School. They were married August 19, 1977. Debbie preceded him in death, passing in May of 2018. Steve grieved for her deeply until his passing.
In his younger years, Steve worked along-side his father and grandfather building homes. He was also an EMT. He worked for 19 years at Murray Guard, the security company for Noranda Aluminum, working his way up to the rank of Captain. Together with Debbie, Steve owned a successful Arts and Crafts business. Steve ended his working career owning his own water and wastewater contract company. He contracted with many water districts throughout the bootheel: Hayti Heights, Parma, Risco, Wardell, Steele, Hornersville, Cardwell, Lilbourn, and Rural Dexter. Steve joined the Missouri Waste Water Conference in 2009. In 2012, he was named the Southeast Section Water Operator of the year. He served as MWWC’s Southeast Section Representative to the state board from 2012-2016. He also served as an executive board member from 2017-present. Steve was currently MWWC’s chairman elect.
Steve attended the Parma General Baptist Church through his childhood and teenage years. After his marriage, he attended Parma First Baptist Church until his move to Dexter. At the time of his death, he attended and was a member of Dexter First Baptist Church.
In his spare time, Steve loved to watch his grandkids in their extracurricular activities, watch St Louis Cardinals Baseball, reading, work Crossword puzzles, and was interested in History, especially his family history. He enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends wherever he went. He enjoyed his morning coffee conversations with friends whether sitting on Bob Coffey’s front porch or at Rhodes.
Surviving family include his mother, Jane Campbell; one daughter, Heather Lewis; one son, Matthew (Jennifer) Lewis; two sisters, Sherry (Ronnie) Bess and Marla (Terry) Blankenship; four grandchildren, Nate Lewis, Carli Lewis, Drew Ryan, and Delaney Ryan; one uncle, Danny Rowland; two aunts, Shirley Corn and Jeanette Ludwig; mother-in-law, Betty Lowrey; sister-in-law, Lisa Dockins; brother-in-law, David (Kerri) Lowrey; one step-sister Robin (Alan) Ford; one step-brother, Allen (Tena) Campbell; four nieces, Melissa (Ricky) Smith, Tori (Blake) Keasler, Hunter Dockins and Hannah Dockins; two nephews, Brandon (Staci) Blankenship and Bobby Lee (Kelsey) Lowrey; many great nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.
Other than his wife, Debbie, he was preceded in death by his father, Carlton Lewis; Grandson, Breyn Lewis; father-in-law, Bob Lowrey; step-father, AB Campbell; grandparents, one aunt and uncles.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, February 20, 2021 from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Mark Smith officiating.
Interment will follow in the Bernie Cemetery.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
Truman Dale Christian, son of the late Chlora Lemons Christian and Truman Christian was born on September 25, 1945 in Dexter, Missouri and departed this life on February 10, 2021 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter at the age of 75.
Dale was a former hospital administrator and had also worked in crisis counselling and social work. He was a licensed minister and was of the Methodist faith.
He is survived by one son, Matthew Christian of Kennett, Missouri; by two brothers, Jerry Christian and wife Ann of Columbia, Missouri and Gary Don Christian and wife Patty of Dexter, Missouri; by one granddaughter, Chloe Christian of Bentonville, Arkansas and by extended family and friends.
Besides his parents he was preceded in death by two sons, Mark and Brad Christian and by one brother in infancy, James Christian.
Visitation will be conducted on Saturday, February 20, 2021 from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. at the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter.
Funeral services will then be conducted on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter, Missouri.
Interment will follow at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Paragould, Arkansas.
Lucille Smothers Quinn was born July 1, 1918, in a sawmill community named Broadwater east of Malden, Missouri, the daughter of Marion “Jack” Smothers and Gretta Parker Smothers. Lucille passed away at the home of her daughter on February 4, 2021 at the age of 102.
Lucille grew up in the Bernie area of Southeast Missouri and attended Dickerson School. She married Goldie Teddy Quinn in Piggott, Arkansas, on February 12, 1938. He preceded her in death on April 27, 1980. She was a homemaker and enjoyed sewing, reading, and walking for her health.
Other than her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Charles “Chuck” Quinn; four brothers, Elvin Smothers, Leon Smothers, Edward “Bus” Smothers and Bill Smothers; four sisters, Madge Smothers, Adell Crabtree, Mary Ruth Christ and Helen “Tudy” Smothers and son-in-law, Jarrett Venable.
Surviving her is her son, Jerry (Linda) Quinn of Dexter, Missouri, and her daughter, Ranea Venable of Aurora, Missouri; four grandchildren, Theresa Childers of Branson, Missouri, Colby (Kelly) Quinn and Camie (Steve) Jelinik all of Dexter, Missouri, and Stacey (Tim) Curran of The Woodlands, Texas; 11 great- grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren; four step grandchildren, Lance (Lahni) Venable, of Richland Hills, Texas, John (Heidi) Venable, of Las Vegas, Nevada, Leann Sandoval (Joe Radon) of Aurora, Missouri and Bill Fullerton of Highlandville, Missouri and seven step great-grandchildren.
A private graveside service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, Missouri, will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, February 8, 2021, at the Bernie Cemetery in Bernie, Missouri.
Memorial donations may be made payable to the Stoddard County Children’s Home, PO Box 164 Dexter, Missouri, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be shared at this website.
Arthur William “Bill” Gillespie, the son of Arthur Blair Gillespie and Lela Fay Burge Gillespie was born June 27, 1942 in Puxico, Missouri, passed away February 6, 2021 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
Bill and Linda Joice Daniels were married August 26, 1967 at the Assembly of God Church, in Bell City, Missouri. They were blessed with two children, Rhonda Kay Moore (Jimmie) of Dexter and Jason Blair Gillespie of Bloomfield.
Bill was a Veteran of the United States Air Force, a Christian, and attended the Assembly of God Church in Dexter. He had a servant’s heart, he was a helper to his family and friends, and always willing to figure out how to fix things or make things work. He was blessed to be a blessing to others.
In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by two brothers, Dale Gillespie (Dorothy) and Bob Gillespie (Barbara); by two sisters, Patsy Robinson (Carroll) and Doris Moore (MC); by three grandchildren, Brandon Moore (Bethany), Justin Moore, and Joel Gillespie; and by two great-grandchildren, Evelyn Mae Moore (who shared a birthday with her Great-Grandpa) and Josephine Lily Moore.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister-in-law, Wava Gillespie; and by his brother-in-law, MC Moore.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Gary Petty officiating.
Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield with full military honors.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
Averleigh Grace Umfleet, daughter of Dalton Umfleet and Nikki Long, was born on September 17, 2020 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and departed this life on February 5, 2021 at her residence in Sikeston, Missouri, at the age of 4 months.
She is survived by her father, Dalton Umfleet; by her mother, Nikki Long; and by two brothers, Asher Labno and August Umfleet, all of Sikeston, Missouri; by her paternal grandmother, Dawn Carlson of Dexter, Missouri; and by her maternal grandparents, James and Terrica Fairbanks of Athens, Tennessee.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Bryson Umfleet.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. Interment will follow in Walker Cemetery in rural Bloomfield.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.
