Sandra Kaye Thresher, daughter of the late Albert “Doc” Morgan and Thelma White Morgan, was born in East Prairie, Missouri, on March 14, 1945, and departed this life at her home in East Prairie, Missouri on November 9, 2021, at the age of 74 years.
Mrs. Thresher owned Etc. Shoppe consignment store in East Prairie for many years and was a member of the First Baptist Church in East Prairie.
She is survived by one son, Duke (Donna) Thresher of East Prairie; one daughter, Shelia Thresher of East Prairie; four grandchildren, Travis and Shane Irby, Chassey Harper and Devin Thresher; ten great-grandchildren; four sisters, Frances Watson of Delaware, Ohio, Mary Hurt Rowe of Wichita, Kansas, Danielle Cummins of Slymar, California and Pamela (Leo) Goolsby of Advance.
Sandra was preceded in death by two brothers, William Randolph and Charles Albert “Buck” Morgan and one sister, Alberta Bishop.
Visitation will be held Saturday, November 13, 2021, at the First Baptist Church in East Prairie from 10:00 a.m. until time of service at 1:00 p.m. with Bro. George White and Pastor Dawn Walters officiating. Interment will follow in the Dogwood Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Duke Thresher, Travis Irby, Shane Irby, Devin Thresher, Wyatt Irby and T.J. Abernathy.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Chester Abbott Jr., son of the late Chester Leroy Abbott Sr. and Betty Lorene Myers Abbott, was born on December 6, 1941, and departed this life on November 11, 2021, at his residence in Davisville, Missouri, at the age of 79 years.
Mr. Abbott was a Veteran of the United States Army and a farmer. He was a member of the Center Ridge Pentecostal Church in Davisville, Missouri.
He was united in marriage to Esther McIntyer on May 22, 1988. Mrs. Abbott survives of their home in Davisville.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by five children, Sheila Edwards of Dexter, Missouri, Sherry Grimm of Walkersville, Maryland, Michael Abbott and wife Shelly of Davisville, Missouri, Ronda Young and husband Kenny of Dexter, Missouri, and Paula McCoy and husband Danny of Stanley, North Dakota; by his sister, Elizabeth Southard and husband Charles of Bernie, Missouri; by sixteen grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren; and by his dear friends, John and Nancy Hagey and Walter and Shirley Westrup.
Other than by his parents, he was preceded in death by three siblings, Alfred Abbott, Claudia Abbott Abernathy, and Mary Abbott.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, November 13, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Michael Abbott, Rev. Dudley Hamilton, and Rev. Harrison Brown officiating.
Interment will follow in the Oak Ridge Cemetery, in rural Bloomfield.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Virginia Settles Lemar was born on September 7, 1937 in Coleman, Georgia, and departed this life on November 8, 2021, at the Bloomfield Living Center, at the age of 84.
The oldest of three daughters, Virginia was born to Alfred Loraine Settles and Christine Elizabeth Gilmer (Bennett). Virginia was predeceased by her two sisters, Eleanor Adams and Anna “Ruth” Johnson.
Southern born and bred, Virginia’s formative years were spent in Georgia where she met her first husband, Ivan O’Daniell, Jr., then the editor of the Cuthbert Times. On June 21, 1956 in Cuthbert, Georgia, Virginia and Ivan “JR” were united in marriage. Five children were born of this union, June Lawrence (Bud) of Dexter, Missouri, Sherry O’Daniell-Moore (Rob) of Wilmington, North Carolina, Kelly Flowers of Dexter, Missouri, Butch O’Daniell (Linda) of Bloomfield, Missouri, and Kristina Twaddell (Clint) also of Bloomfield, Missouri. Virginia was blessed with a number of grandchildren: Bridgett Kielhofner (Brandon), Kelso, Missouri, Aleshia Eftink (Nathan) of Kelso, Missouri, Delaney Flowers, Dexter, Missouri, Elizabeth Twaddell, Steele, Missouri, Erin Allenczy (Brandon), Hagerstown, Maryland, Kasity Twaddell (Dillon and Family) Dexter, Missouri, and Hunter Lawrence, Fort Riley, Kansas. Virginia is also survived by her step-grandchildren: Joe Burch, Dexter, Missouri, Clint Burch (Kathy), Dexter, Missouri, Elisha Thomason, Paragould, Arkansas, and Michael Schaefer (Amber) of Wappapello, Missouri.
Virginia is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren including but not limited to: Bryson Kielhofner, Braydon Kielhofner, and Nyah Kielhofner of Kelso, Missouri, and John Robert Eftink and Henry Eftink, also of Kelso, Missouri.
Virginia’s second marriage was to Jerry Don Lemar on September 23, 1978 in Bloomfield, Missouri. Sharing a strong and loving bond, Virginia and Jerry were inseparable for forty-one years until Jerry’s death. Through this marriage, Virginia gained two step-children, Rick Lemar (Donna), St. Louis, Missouri and Deb Gant (Patrick) of Festus, Missouri as well as numerous step-grandchildren.
Virginia Lemar was an extremely talented and hard-working woman. During her first marriage, Virginia was a co-owner of various newspapers, both weekly and daily from 1957 to 1977, including the Cuthbert Times, Cuthbert, Georgia, the Cabool Enterprise in Cabool, Missouri, the Fairbury Times, Fairbury, Nebraska, and lastly the Bloomfield Vindicator in Bloomfield, Missouri.
A licensed Emergency Medical Technician, Virginia also worked with the Stoddard County Ambulance District upon its inception as well as at the Bloomfield Convalescent Home. Her career in the medical field later evolved to that as a unit secretary and registration and admission clerk at various Humana Hospitals in Illinois, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
Virginia Lemar, also known as Jenny and Granny, was a talented seamstress and cook. She was an avid reader and loved collecting Snow Babies, Willow Trees, and especially Lighthouses. She was also civic minded and volunteered as a PTA leader, FHA Chapter Mother, a Girl Scout Leader, and as a Hospital Auxiliary Member at the Dexter Memorial Hospital.
In honor of Virginia Settles Lemar, a visitation will be hosted at the Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 11, 2021, followed by a brief service at 2:00 p.m. An interment will be held in December 2021 at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery for both Virginia and her late husband, Jerry Don Lemar.
In recognition of her love of reading, donations may be pledged to the Dexter Public Library, 402 West Grant, Dexter, MO 63841.
Linda J. Lovins, daughter of the late William Thomas Cooper and Mary Corazalla Lambert Cooper, was born in Purvis, Mississippi, on February 25, 1950, and departed this life at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on November 6, 2021, at the age of 71 years.
Mrs. Lovins was a Social Worker for DAEOC. She was a member of the Bernie General Baptist Church and a resident of Rural Bernie, Missouri.
She was united in marriage to James C. Lovins in Malden, Missouri, on June 29, 1968. Mr. Lovins survives in their home in Bernie.
Other survivors include three daughters, Mindy Allen and husband Lyle of O’Fallon, Missouri, Melissa Lovins-Bewley and husband Don of Bernie, Missouri, and Myra McGowan and husband Jeremy of Bernie, Missouri; by three brothers, Wilmer Cooper of Purvis, Mississippi, Billy Cooper of Chesapeake, Virginia, and Kenneth Cooper of Purvis, Mississippi; by three sisters, Connie Petit of Alma, Arkansas, Diane Pittman of Van Buren, Arkansas, and June Strahan of Long Beach, Mississippi; by five grandchildren, Sarah Allen, Cole Allen, Owen Lovins-Bewley, Mallory Rodgers, and Jaden McGowan; also by other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death other than by her parents, by one son, James Charles Lovins Jr.; by two brothers, Jimmy Cooper, and Joe Cooper; by four sisters, Carolyn Anderson, Alice Davis, Paulette Bounds, and Barbara Bauer.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie on Friday, November 12, 2021, from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Steve Fitzpatrick officiating. Interment will follow in the Chalk Bluff Cemetery in Rural Dexter, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie is assisting with arrangements.
Delores “June” Hurst, daughter of the late William “Frank” and Mildred Parsley Blankenship, was born on October 29, 1940, in Morton, Illinois, and departed this life on November 5, 2021, in Jackson, Tennessee, at the age of 81 years old.
Delores was united in marriage to Henry E. Hurst on January 31, 1959. Delores and Henry had seven children; Kathleen Lindsey (Tracey), Douglas Hurst Sr., Joyce Herring (Jerry), Patricia Williams (Jeff), Lisa Pennington, Charity Hurst, and Christopher Hurst (Christina).
Delores is survived by six of their children, one brother, Jerry Blankenship (Marilyn), thirteen grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death are her parents, Henry, Douglas Sr., four brothers, and three sisters.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Tim Russell officiating. Interment will follow in the Sadler Chapel Cemetery.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
