John R. Jones of Puxico, son of the late Ira and Verna Susan Neighbors Jones, was born May 10, 1935, in Puxico, Missouri and passed away at his home near Puxico on October 2, 2017, at the age of 82 years, 4 months and 22 days.

He had lived in the Puxico area all of his life. He had owned and operated a sawmill and enjoyed working his sawmill for 52 years. He was a member of the Apostolic Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Puxico.

On July 24, 1954, he married Carolyn Mitchell, in Sardis, Mississippi, she passed away on November 8, 1996. On June 26, 1997, he married Ruby M. Brito in Corning, Arkansas.

Surviving are his wife, Ruby Jones of Puxico; one daughter & husband, Pam & Tim Griffin of Dexter; two sons & wife, Carl & Linda Jones and James Jones & partner, Rene Hopper all of Puxico; one stepdaughter, Laura Milton of LaPorte, Indiana; one stepson, Jason Milton of Elkhart, Indiana; 4 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; 2 step great grandchildren; two sisters & husbands, Bea & Porter Norton of Troy, Missouri, Pat & Galen Martin of Puxico; one brother, Ernest Lee Jones of Puxico. Other relatives and friends also survive. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Brenda Kay Jones, in 1963, by 8 brothers & sisters, Arzie, Paul, Kennard, Charlie, Ira Dale Jones, Mary Tucker, Margie Conner and Lucille Langford; and a special great nephew who he raised Kassey Jones.

Friends may call on Thursday, October 5, 2017, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico.

Funeral services will be on Friday, October 6, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at the Apostolic Church of The Lord Jesus Christ in Puxico with Bro. Brad Helm of Puxico and Bro. Dale Holman of Advance officiating.

Interment will follow at the Puxico Cemetery in Puxico, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements.

Merle Lou Hutchison Gray, 95, of San Angelo, Texas, formerly of Malden when to be with rest in the arms of our Heavenly Father on Saturday, September 30th at noon in Baptist Memorial Elise Gayler Long-term Care.

She is survived by her grandchildren, Ellena Gray of San Antonio, Texas, Don Gray of Austin, Texas, and Landon Gray and daughter-in-law Pat Gray, both of San Angelo, Texas as well as nieces and nephews.

Merle was a retired sales clerk and clothing buyer for the former Stovall’s Department Store in Malden.  She was a 50 member (plus) of the Order of Eastern Star, Carnation Chapter. She was a member of the FBC of San Angelo, Texas, former longtime member of First Southern Baptist Church in Malden.

She was born August 26th 1922 in Newark, Arkansas to Charles Hutchison, Sr and Pearly Estes Hutchison. She married the love of her life Arnton (Boots) Gray on May 28, 1942.  He preceded her in death May 9, 1990.  

They were blessed with a son, Weldon Gray, Jr. the joy of their life.  He preceded her in death November 26, 2005, as well as one grandson Andrew Lee Gray, September 26, 1984.  

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers and sisters:  Bly, Jeff, and Mack, and Malin Hutchison, Verle Bennett, and Beryle Duncan, step-brothers Charlie, Perry, Allie, and Alvin Hutchison.

Graveside service will be Friday at 11:00 A.M. at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden.

Services will be conducted by Alden Lablanc. Landess Funeral Home of Malden was in charge of arrangements.

 

Peggy Louise Polsgrove, 88 of Dexter, Missouri formerly of Campbell, passed away on Sunday, October 1, 2017 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri surrounded by her husband and three children.

Peggy, daughter of Fred and Sola Rosenbaum Froman and was born Wednesday, January 30, 1929 in Flint, Michigan.

Mrs. Polsgrove was a homemaker, painter, and community volunteer. She was a 50 years member of the Cotton Boll Girl Scout Council, a member of the Council’s Board of Directors and a recipient of the Thanks Badge. She was a member of the Chalk Bluff Chapter of the DAR, and founding member of the Missouri Peach Fair and the Bootheel Youth Museum in Malden. She continues to be a member of the Presbyterian Trinity Church in Columbia, Missouri. She attended the United Methodist Church in Campbell from 1968 to 2010 and also attended the First United Methodist Church in Dexter. She was insurance broker and later on was owner of Peach Tree Flower Shop.

On October 1, 1949, in Campbell, Missouri she was united in marriage to Floyd Polsgrove, who she lived with and loved for 68 years. He survives of the home in Dexter.

She is the mother of three children; one son, Kent Polsgrove (Ann), and two daughters, Karen Lane, and Kay Stevenson, all of Dexter, Missouri. Additional survivors include seven grandchildren: Marianna Lane, Sarah Jarrell (Brad), Nicole Rudisill (Josh), Martha Kolker (Justin), Michelle Lane, Kendra Stevenson (Jordan Noyes), and Tyler Stevenson along with five great-grandchildren; Brandon, Emily, Walker, Weston, and Brock.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, George Albert Patrick and one sister Thelma Inez Wilson.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell with funeral services beginning at 12 noon, with Ron Beaton from the First United Methodist Church in Dexter, officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Campbell.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Bootheel Youth Museum or the charity of your choice.

Karen Sue Clodfelter Hampton, daughter of Lois Day Clodfelter and the late John Clodfelter, was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on October 30, 1946 and departed this life at Dexter, Missouri on September 30, 2017 at the age of 70.

Ms. Hampton was a Homemaker & member of 1st United Methodist Church of Dexter, Missouri and a resident of Dexter.

Survivors include her Mother, Lois Clodfelter of Dexter, Missouri; by one daughter Nancy Probst & husband Ross of St. Louis, Missouri;  by one son, James Hampton & partner Brian Crawford of Dexter, Missouri; by four grandchildren, Alexandar Jade Hampton Diebold & husband Levi, Tres Hampton and Gracen Camille Hampton all of Dexter, Missouri, John Bradley Probst of St. Louis, Missouri; also by other relatives and friends.

Friends may call at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in BERNIE, Missouri on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M.  

Funeral services will then be conducted in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Bernie at 1:00 P.M.  with Rev. Ron Beaton and Rev. Susan Marner-Sides officiating.  

Interment will follow in Bernie Cemetery.  

Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home of Bernie in charge of all arrangements.

In Lieu of Flowers, memorials may be made to, First Methodist Church, 501 South Walnut Street, Dexter, Missouri 63841, For the Youth Department or Church Choir.