Frances Sheehy Phillips, the eldest child of Charles Allen and Pearl Borden Sheehy, was born November 16, 1932. Her very full and successful life was completed on January 25, 2023.
Frances was married to the William A. “Bill” Phillips of Dexter, Missouri (preceded in death) and the mother of Connie Phillips Engelbrecht, Charlotte, North Carolina, Gary Dale Phillips (preceded in death) and James A. “Jim” Phillips, Orlando, Florida.
Mrs. Phillips, “The Teachers Teacher”, for 27 years was a 5th grade teacher at Central School in Dexter, Missouri. She continued her dedication to the education field while she worked for the Missouri State Teachers Association as an advocate for the classroom teacher. She also enjoyed her Adjunct Professorship at her alma mater Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, Missouri, as well as Manatee Community College Bradenton, Florida and Keiser University, Sarasota, Florida.
Frances was a decades long member of the First Baptist Church of Dexter, Missouri where she loved teaching her Senior Ladies Sunday School Class and singing in the choir.
Grandmother and GG were 2 of her favorite titles. She loved sharing travel and adventures with her grandsons and great grandchildren: Michael Engelbrecht and Christine Bretz and their children Peter and Clara, Indian Trail, North Carolina, Mark and Kate Engelbrecht and their children Allen and June, Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Bill Phillips and his son Liam of Sanford, North Carolina.
The Celebration of Life for Frances will be held on Wednesday June 21st at the Hickory Log in Dexter, Missouri at 10:30AM.
The family extends an invitation to all her friends from Dexter High School, First Baptist Church and the community.
Edward Lee Craigo, son of the late Arthur Earl Craigo Jr. and Margaret Lou Ellen Frazier Barnard, was born on May 24, 1969, in Elkhart, Indiana, and departed this life on June 16, 2023, at his residence in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 54 years.
Mr. Craigo was a former employee of Tyson Food in Dexter.
He is survived by his brother, Loyd Craigo in White Pigeon, Michigan; by five sisters, Angela Craigo of Elkhart, Indiana, Penny Ellis and husband Richard of Elkhart, Indiana, Beverly Chandler of Kokomo, Indiana, Tammy Marchant of Dexter, Missouri, and Rhonda Vanpelt of North Carolina; and by nine nieces and ten nephews.
No services are planned.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Shirley Jean Tillmon (Hawk) was born on April 1, 1944. She went home to be with the Lord Jesus Christ on June 16, 2023, joining her husband, Lawrence W. Tillmon a mere one year and five days after the Lord called him home. Shirley was 79 years old. She passed away peacefully at Decatur Morgan Hospital in Decatur, Alabama having lived the last four years in Hartselle, Alabama.
Shirley and Larry moved to Hartselle from Cookeville, Tennessee in 2019 to be closer to family due to declining health. Shirley was born in Greenbrier, Missouri to Oma and Konley Hawk and is one of nine children.
Shirley loved her family and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and sister. Shirley worked outside the home for over 50 years. She was a factory production worker, a beautician, gifted quilter, and, finally, a demonstrator for Sam’s Club retiring in 2016 due to her health. Shirley leaves a legacy of hard work, faith, and love to her family.
Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Oma and Konley Hawk, her husband, Lawrence Tillmon, and three siblings Thelbert Hawk. Delbert Hawk, and Anna Hawk.
Shirley is survived by six siblings Mary Jackman (Joe), Betty Peterson, Janis Robins (David), Sharon Whittley (Gerry), Jim Hawk, seven children: Michelle Jo Blaylock (John) of Hartselle, Alabama; Lee Tillmon of Jacksonville, Florida; Sherry Louise Lang (Mark) of Dexter, Missouri; Tina Marie Smith (Cean) of Stafford, Missouri; Robert Welsey Tillmon (Shirley) of Sturgis, Michigan; Joshua Lawrence Tillmon (Renee) of Burr Oak, Michigan, and Michael Walter Tillmon (Frednica) Washington, D.C.
Shirley also counts as her blessings fourteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Thursday, June 22, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. until 11: 00 a.m. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in the Essex Cemetery in Essex, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Barbara Joyce Denson, daughter of the late Jim “Buster” Mills and Gladys North Mills, was born on July 23, 1940, in Parma, Missouri, and departed this life on June 16, 2023, at Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at the age of 82 years.
Mrs. Denson was a former activity director for Malden Nursing Center in Malden, Missouri and Mark Twain Nursing Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Puxico, Missouri, and a resident of Wappapello, Missouri. She loved to go to Louisiana fishing with her husband, and she loved spending time with her family and grandchildren.
On August 18, 1956, in Tupelo, Mississippi, she was united in marriage to Jimmy Dale Denson. Mr. Denson survives of their home in Wappapello, Missouri.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Dale Wayne Denson and wife Belinda of Wappapello, Missouri, and Jimmy Joe Denson and wife Tracie of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; by her daughter, Shelley Lynn Hollis and husband Charlie of Bloomfield, Missouri; by her brother, Carl Douglas Mills of Tiptonville, Tennessee; by her sister, Nelda Lou Whitaker of Pontiac, Michigan; and by numerous grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and numerous great-great grandchildren.
Other than by her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Brian Mills Denson; by her daughter-in-law, Amelia Denson; by two brothers, Jimmy Joe Mills, and Ronald Wayne Mills.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Thursday, June 22, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. Interment will follow in the Little Brushy Cemetery in Wappapello, Missouri.
Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.
Charles Wayne LaRue, son of the late Glenn Lester Perry LaRue and Margaret Louise (Foushee) LaRue, was born on August 19, 1942, in Bernie and departed this life on June 14, 2023, in Dexter, at the age of 80 years.
Mr. LaRue was a 1961 graduate of Bernie High School and later graduated with a degree in Animal Science from the University of Missouri. He was a long-time employee of Louis Rich/Oscar Mayer in South Carolina, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri before working at Farbest Foods in Huntingburg, Indiana.
He is survived by three sons, Brian Eric LaRue and his wife Lisa M. LaRue of Prosperity, SC, Mark Andrew LaRue and his wife Masja LaRue of Troy, IL, and John David LaRue and his wife Katina Marie Nordloh of Derwood, MD; by two sisters, Margaret LaRue of Eldorado, IL, and Jan Hurd and her husband Gary Hurd of Louisville, KY; four grandchildren, Kathryn Taylor LaRue, Rachel Elizabeth LaRue and her husband Zack Flathmann, Jacob Horton LaRue, and Jason Daniel LaRue; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Carol Sue (Horton) LaRue, and one brother, Stan Alain LaRue.
A devoted husband, Mr. LaRue was also a proud father and grandfather. As an active outdoorsman he loved deer and turkey hunting, fishing, gardening, camping, canoeing, mushroom hunting and bird watching and feeding. After returning to Dexter in 2021, he regularly attended church at both First United Methodist Church in Dexter and Bernie United Methodist Church. He was a lifelong Mizzou and St. Louis Cardinals fan and enjoyed conversing with everyone he met.
Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Larry Lawman officiating. Interment will follow in the Bernie Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Stoddard County Children’s Home or the Sikeston Convalescent Center.
Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie is assisting with arrangements.
