Roberta Hutchason passed away quietly on September 15, 2021, at the age of 98. Roberta was born on January 10, 1923, in Dexter, Missouri, and lived most of her life there. She had three children, Ron, Morris, and Cindy; five grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; and thirteen great-great-grandchildren. She married Joseph Hutchason in 1946, and they were married almost 70 years before his passing.
Roberta and Joe worked several years at the International Shoe Company in Dexter and later moved to St. Louis where Joe worked for the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Upon his retirement, the moved back to Dexter and enjoyed retirement life with family and friends. One of their favorite pastimes was playing card games and enjoying popcorn and sodas with friends. They traveled a lot and particularly enjoyed being entertained at Branson and Pigeon Forge. They once had a mobile home in Okachoobe, Florida, and spent winter there with Dexter friends who also had mobile homes.
Throughout her years she stayed in touch with most of her high school classmates. But, at her age, she outlived them as well as the friends she grew up with. But she gained new friends and during the last several years she particularly enjoyed meeting with some of them at Burger King. They met each day, same time, same table, and exchanged stories about their day. She knew most of the employees by name and they looked forward to seeing her smiling face and her little wave.
Roberta loved to be outside doing things. You wouldn’t find her watching TV very often but look outside in her yard, and there she was with her trimmers going at it with the grass and shrubs in her yard. She would spend hours trimming, sweeping, pulling weeds, picking up branches, and raking, until everything looked perfect to her. She went through many straw brooms sweeping her driveway, walks, and even the alleyway behind her house.
She adopted a stray black and white neighborhood cat who made Roberta’s house its home also. It became her dear friend, and she would spend lots of time taking care of it as if it were a family member.
Each Sunday you would find Roberta in church. She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church since March 1932. For many years, her friends would join her and Joe in the back pew and enjoy the service. Later, she became the last person to sit there, all her friends had left this world.
Roberta was loved dearly by each and every member of her family, as well as all of her many friends throughout her life. She will be deeply missed, but our Lord has a beautiful companion in his heaven.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, September 18, 2021, from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Funeral Services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, September 18, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. with Mark Snider officiating.
Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Patricia Lou “Pat” Evans, daughter of the late Pete Davidson and Edna Thornton Davidson, was born in Bernie, Missouri on August 27, 1931 and departed this life at Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter, Missouri on September 13, 2021 at the age of 90.
Mrs. Pat had been a bank teller at Citizens Bank in Dexter, Missouri until her retirement. She was of Methodist faith, and a resident of Dexter.
She was united in marriage to William Gene Evans in Santa Ana, California on July 2, 1949. Mr. Evans preceded his wife in death on January 28, 1998.
Survivors include, one daughter, Joy Lynn Evans of Sikeston, Missouri; by one sister-in-law, Barbara Davidson of Sacramento, California; by three grandsons, Nathaniel Gray, Jeffrey Gray and Derrick Gray; by one great-grandchild, Hayden; by one great-great-grandchild, Kinsley; also by other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death other than by her parents and her husband, by one daughter, Pam Gray; by one brother, Larry Davidson; by one sister Charlene Davidson Burroughs.
Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie, Missouri on Saturday morning, September 18, 2021 from 10:00 A.M. until 10:45 A.M.
Graveside services will be conducted at Chalk Bluff Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri, Saturday morning, September 18, 2021 at 11:00 A.M.
Interment will follow. Mathis Funeral Home of Bernie in charge of arrangements.
Connie Maxine Blackwell, daughter of the late Robert Downing and Virginia Wade Downing, was born on October 13, 1949, in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, and departed this life on September 14, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at the age of 71 years.
Mrs. Blackwell was a former branch office manager for Edward Jones and a former employee of Wayne Millington trucking. She was a member of the Dexter Church of Christ in Dexter, Missouri, and a resident of Dexter. She enjoyed gardening.
On August 6, 1967, in Portia, Arkansas, she was united in marriage to Jim Blackwell. Mr. Blackwell survives of their home in Dexter.
In addition to her husband Jim, she is survived by two daughters, Susie Blackwell (Gary) Summers of Dexter, Missouri, and Sarah Blackwell (Lee Dalton) of Socorro, New Mexico; by her sister, Regina Downing (Keith) Robertson of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas; by her granddaughter, Tayler (Louis) Schwent; and by her great-granddaughter, Avery Lesley.
Other than by her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Larry Downing.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Monday, September 20, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
A memorial service will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Monday, September 20, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the Children’s Home Inc., 5515 Walcott Road, Paragould, Arkansas 72450-3319.
Earnest “Earnie” Stroud of Wappapello, Missouri born to the late Oscar and Ruth (Jordan) Stroud on January 01, 1935 and passed away in his home on September 13, 2021 at the age of 86 years.
He had lived in the Moorehouse, Missouri area until moving to Wappapello, Missouri in 1991. He was a truck driver and co-owner of DE&C Market in Moorehouse, Missouri
Earnie married Dorthy Fields Massey on May 25, 1956 in Blodgett, Missouri until her passing on April 15, 2010. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and gardening.
Earnest is survived by three sons Chester (Vickie) Stroud of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Thomas Stroud of Wappapello and Mitchell (Lily) Dering of Puxico, Missouri; three daughters Earnestdean Hornback of Wappapello, Missouri, Daniel Nickey (Brent) Williams of Poplar Bluff, Missouri and Jasmine Dering of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; five grandchildren Leslie, T Tom, Josh (April) Andrew and Steven Sanders; six great grandchildren Candace, Roger, Jacque, Zoey, Savanna and Lily; six great great grandchildren Madi, Kody, Grayson, Charlie, Layden, Ava and Baby Willow. He was preceded in death by his parents Oscar and Ruth Stroud, his wife Dorthy and one grandson Chris Sanders. A host of family and friends also survive.
Visitation will be held on Thursday September 16, 2021 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday September 16, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. with Brother Arvin Hayes officiating. Watkins and Sons Funeral Service in charge of arrangements.
Interment will follow in the Triplett Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri.
Shelby Jean Grable Norman, daughter of the late William Dewey Grable and Bessie LeeEtta Grable Crews, was born on September 25, 1937 in Keiser, Arkansas and departed this life on September 7, 2021 at Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville, Arkansas at the age of 83 years.
Mrs. Shelby loved her family dearly. She enjoyed reading, gardening, sewing, crocheting and crafting. She had an affinity for all of God’s creation. She could cure any ailment, grow any plant, and loved all animals. She was a giver. She loved unconditionally and there wasn’t a baby she could not rock and sing to sleep. She will be deeply missed by her loved ones.
On August 23, 1952 she was united in marriage to Junior Drew Norman Jr. in Piggott, Arkansas. Mr. Norman preceded her in death on June 15, 1991.
Survivors include one sister, Norma Lee DeSpain of Manila, Arkansas; by one daughter, Rhonda Marie Johnson & husband James of Bentonville, Arkansas; by five grandchildren, Drew Allen Noman of Bernie, Missouri, Leslie Drew Norman of Washington, Missouri, Misty Starr Johnson of Dexter, Missouri, Sarah Marie McKay & husband Nathan of Bentonville, and Shane Drew Norman & wife Sydney of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; by nine great-grandchildren, Ashlie Drew Owens & husband Jake of Opelika, Alabama, Kayla Michelle Norman of Bernie, Missouri, Hanna Colleen Norman of Memphis, Tennessee, Aiden John Drew and Grady James Norman of Washington, Missouri, William Silas, Ellasyn Marie and Samuel James McKay of Bentonville, Arkansas, Sadie Rae Norman of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; by two great-great-grandchildren, Brayden Paul and Camille Grace Owens of Opelika, Alabama; also by man extended family and friends.
Other than by her parents and her husband, Mrs. Shelby was preceded in death by two sons, Danny Lee Norman and Robert “Bobby” Drew Norman; by her siblings, Velma Alberta Drews, Geneva Elwanda McMullan, Thelma Louise William, William “Man” Sterling Grable, Betty Charlene McMullin Johnson and Donald Dean Grable.
Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at Mathis Funeral Home starting at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Dwight Hensley officiating.
Interment will follow at Chalk Bluff Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home of Bernie in charge of arrangements.
