Marilyn Darlene Southerland of Moscow Mills, Missouri, the daughter of the late Andrew Bud and Eunez Goldie (Lasley) Pullum was born in Stoddard County, Missouri, on June 2, 1949, and passed from this life on October 4, 2023, at the age of 74 years.
Marilyn lived in the Southeast Missouri area the majority of her life. She also resided in Wentzville and Moscow Mills area. She loved spending time with family especially spoiling her grandchildren.
Marilyn married Larry Gene Southerland in Essex, Missouri, on July 14, 1968, and remained married until the time of his passing on July 18, 2019.
She is survived by two sons, Duke Southerland and Tony (Stacy) Pearman of Moscow Mills, Missouri; one brother, Hermann Pullum of Dexter, Missouri; one sister, Judy Riffley of Wright City, Missouri; two close personal friends, Jerry and Glenda; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchild; as well as a host of family and friends.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Christina Jarrell; two brothers, Jeffery and Leonard Pullum; two sisters, Francis and Eunez.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, from 10:00 a.m until 12:00 p.m. at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel In Dexter, Missouri, with the funeral service to follow with Sister Julie Jackson officiating.
Interment will follow at the Caroline Dowdy Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri, with Watkins And Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Debbie Lynn McAfee of Dexter, Missouri, the daughter of the late Ray Thomas Jones, Sr. and Mary Louise (Turner) Bonee was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on July 12, 1980 and departed from this life on October 1, 2023, at the age of 43.
Debbie lived in the Southeast Missouri area her whole life and was of the Pentecostal Faith. She enjoyed watching murder mystery movies, television, and spending time with family and friends.
She is survived by fiancé, Jamie West of Dexter, Missouri; one son, Seth West of Dexter, Missouri; one daughter, Palyn West of Dexter, Missouri; two grandchildren; three brothers, Robert Johnson of Bernie, Missouri; Ray Thomas Jones, Jr. of Dexter, Missouri; Randy Lee Jones of Dexter, Missouri; three sisters, Brenda Faye Jones of Dexter, Missouri; Ann Marie Craver of Catron, Missouri; and Christy Gail Norman of Dexter, Missouri; two close personal nieces, Danielle Jones and Ashlee Williams; as well as a host of family and friends.
Debbie was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Anthony and Alex McAfee; and one daughter, Torri Lee Green.
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 6, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m. at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel In Dexter, Missouri, with funeral service to follow with Pastor Charlie Lutes officiating with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Avery Henry Cookson of Puxico, Missouri, the son of the late James Lucas Howard and Francis Ilene (Greer) Cookson was born in Puxico, Missouri, on March 5, 1944, and passed from this life peacefully on September 27, 2023, at the age of 79 years.
Avery lived in the Southeast Missouri area a most of his life. Avery was of the Baptist Faith. He enjoyed riding motorcycle, attending car shows, and mechanic work but his true passion was restoring Vintage Automobiles.
Avery married Stephanie Michelle (Patrick) in Puxico, Missouri.
He is survived by his wife; one son, Jeremy Anthony Cookson of Puxico, Missouri; four daughters, Angela (Stanley) Schrader of Puxico Missouri; Kimberly (Mike) Zorich of St. Louis, Missouri; Mandy Spain of Puxico, Missouri; and April (David) Mayberry of Advance, Missouri; four sisters, Betty (Kenny) Wilfong of Whitewater, Missouri; Joanne Belcher of Dexter, Missouri; Christine (Bill) Pennington of Dexter, Missouri; and Julia (Ron) Null of Wappapello, Missouri; eleven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; with one on the way as well as a host of family and friends.
Avery was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Avery Wayne Cookson; one brother, Donald Cookson and one sister, Francis Laverne Wilfong.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel In Puxico, Missouri, with funeral service to follow with Reverend Ray Placher and Pastor Steve Jones officiating.
Interment will follow at the Brown Cemetery in Puxico, Missouri, with Watkins And Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Earl C. Williams, son of the late Rev. Earl Williams and Rubye Acord Williams was born on March 25, 1933 at Dexter and departed this life in the Crowley Ridge Care Center at Dexter on September 29, 2023 at the age of 90.
He was united in marriage to Doris Bland on April 12, 1952 at Piggott, Arkansas and to this union, three sons were born. Mrs. Williams preceded him in death on December 20, 2009.
Earl C. was the owner of Williams and Son Appliance Service and a member of the Risen Church in Dexter. He was an avid outdoorsman. According to his grandson, Travis, Earl C. was a character in his own right! He was clean cut, well dressed and polite to the point where everyone thought he was a city boy. However, he could outdoors the outdoorsiest folks. He and his best mate, Cleo, pretty much worked just to fund their adventures.
He had a map of Lake Wappapello that listed the date, weather, fish caught, etc. Anytime Travis wanted to go fishing, he would call Grandpa and asked where he needed to go. Earl C. would look at the weather and tell him if it was going to be a waste of time or tell him which cove to pull into and which “Old Stump” to cast by!
His eyes would light up when Travis would ask him about his “Old” trapping days and then they would tear up thinking all those poor Mink he had to rubber band to a log while rubbing the memories of scratched hands! Earl C. would giggle about all the money he made calling in ducks for all the “Big Wig” St. Louis City doctors!
Mr. Williams is survived by three sons, Dale Williams and wife Cissy of Oran, Wayne Williams and David Williams both of Dexter: by his sister, Judy Williams of North Carolina: by three grandchildren, Austin Williams, Travis Williams and Melissa Keller: by three great grandchildren, Ruby Keller, Jackson Williams and Rhyder Williams.
Friends may call at the Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 from 10:00 A.M. until Noon. Funeral services will then be conducted at Noon with Rev. Travis Lambert officiating. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.
Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Frances Joanne Pulliam was born on August 21, 1926 on the family farm near Grandview, IA, the fifth of eleven children born to Irma (Schafer) and Glenn Buster. She passed away at her home near Bernie, Mo, on September 26, 2023.
Frances attended Green Valley rural school and was a 1944 graduate of Muscatine High School. She achieved her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse in 1948 when she graduated from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Rochester, MN. She continued her education by attending Drake University and the University of Missouri and proudly served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during and after WWII.
Frances was married to George Edwin Pulliam for 62 years until his death in 2016. They were the proud parents of a son, Joseph Edwin, daughter-in-law Adaina, and a daughter, Sarah Beth, all of Bernie, MO. She adored her grandchildren, Joe Ryan (Marti) and Adam (Kaleigh) and her great-grandchildren, Katie (Kenny), Allie, Hayden, Hali, and Tucker
Frances’ husband often said that she was not happy unless she was helping others and that commitment to service was the center of her personal and professional life. Frances was an active member of the Bernie United Methodist Church, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, and participating in the United Methodist Women. In 2017, she was named United Methodist Woman of the Year for the southeast region of Missouri. Frances also served as a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader and was instrumental in establishing and coordinating the Meals on Wheels Program in Bernie for many years. She participated in numerous other volunteer activities in the community and was twice named Citizen of the Year in Bernie for her service to the community.
Caring for others as a Registered Nurse always held a special place in Frances’ heart. After completing nurse’s training and her service in the Cadet Nurse Corps, she worked at hospitals in CO, MN, and IA before moving to Missouri, where she initially worked at the Sikeston Hospital and the VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff. After taking time out to raise her family, she returned to work at the Missouri Delta Community Hospital in Sikeston, retiring as the House Manager many years later. She was an active member of the Missouri Nurses Association and received the Outstanding Member Award for the 8th District in 1989. She was also honored in 2017 with a Missouri House of Representatives Resolution recognizing her lifelong contributions to the profession of nursing.
Frances firmly believed everyone should have the opportunity to access quality health care in their communities and was instrumental in helping to establish the Stoddard County Public Health Center, serving for several years on its Board of Directors. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Dexter Hospital, the Center for Family Resources, and the Stoddard County Mental Health Board. Helping establish a medical and dental clinic in her hometown of Bernie as a member of the SEMO Health Network Board of Directors was one of her proudest achievements and the building is dedicated in her honor.
In addition to her family, faith, nursing, and community work, Frances loved her home on the family farm, always tending to a large vegetable garden and raising beautiful flowers. She could doctor a farm animal as easily as a person and chop cotton, haul hay, and drive a tractor with the best of them. She was well-known for cooking, canning, and preserving every food known to man with her pickles, catsup, juices, and jellies happily devoured by family and friends.
Whether it was delivering a meal, answering a late-night call for nursing assistance in the community, or advocating on Capitol Hill for the health care needs of Southeast Missouri, Frances’ genuine compassion for all mankind and her willingness to work for what was right touched many lives. We will be forever grateful for the legacy of love she left to our family and take great comfort in knowing our mothers never really leave us
Besides her children and grandchildren, Frances is survived by two sisters, Kay Schillig and Iva Marie Buster of Iowa City, IA, and one brother, George Buster, of Winfield, IA. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by sisters Allene Forbes, Gla Rolig, Ruth and Glenna Buster, and brothers Donald, Gene, and Larry Buster.
Friends may call at the Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie on Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be held in the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Bernie on Monday morning, October 2, 2023 starting at 10:00 AM, with Rev. Susan Marner-Sides and Rev. Ron Dunavin officiating. Interment will follow at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri. Mathis Funeral Home of Bernie is assisting with all arrangements.
Frances would ask that you donate your time to a worthy cause or consider making a memorial gift to:
Stoddard County Meals on Wheels
23 West Stoddard Street
Dexter, MO 63841
Or
Stoddard County Children’s Home
P.O. Box 164
Dexter, MO 63841
