A memorial service for Colten Levi Smith, 18, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the West Plains High School Gymnasium, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Colten left us at 9:13 p.m., Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at Cox Medical Center South, Springfield, Missouri.
He was born September 25, 2001, at West Plains, Missouri, to Jody Cook Nix and Terry Smith. Colten was a Junior at West Plains High School.
He is survived by his mother, Jody Nix and husband, T.J., West Plains; his father, Terry Smith and wife, Ila, Rover, Missouri; his brothers and sisters, Skye Smith, Emily Nix, Audrey Nix, Shari Smith, Emery Smith, Tina Aranda and Felicia Buncker; his grandparents, Roger Cook, Alton, Missouri, Sally Sisco, Alton, Missouri, Freddie and Sharon Smith, Rover, Missouri and Joe and Barb Nix, West Plains, Missouri; his girlfriend, Madison “Baby Girl” Harper; many aunts, uncles and cousins; and a host of friends.
He was preceded in death by one uncle, Terry Durbin and family pet, Grander.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Ronald McDonald House and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Linda Marie Lindsey, 71, West Plains, Missouri, died 8:30 p.m., Monday, October 21, 2019 at the Ozarks Medical Center, West Plains. Arrangements under direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Graveside services for Michael Healy, 76, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 21, 2019 at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Healy passed away at 6:19 p.m., Monday, October 14, 2019 at his home.
He was born May 8, 1943, at Chicago, Illinois, to Melvin Healy and Janess Bennett Healy. On September 21, 1963, he was married at Palos Heights, Illinois, to Madonna Mickey Healy, who preceded him in death on April 9, 2019. He was a salesman and was the former owner and operator of Mike’s Italian Villa; he enjoyed fishing and traveling. Family was his life. Mr. Healy was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church.
He is survived by two children, Kim Pond and husband, Terry and Karrie Henderson; five grandchildren, Tiffany Busbey and husband, Justin, Brandi Mills and husband, George, Tyler Pond and wife, Monique, Lacee Reno and husband, Rickey and Levi Henderson and fiancé Tiffani; ten great-grandchildren, Madi, Gunnar, Olivia, Camden, Ella, Emily, Kayden, Jeremie, Ryin, Sophia and two on the way; two sisters, Tina Kingery and Patti Swanson and husband, Mark; his mother-in-law, Faith Mickey; and many nieces and nephews.
His parents, wife, and one brother, Steve Healy, preceded him in death.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Graveside services for Thelma Lou Johnson, 80, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 18, 2019 at Evergreen Cemetery.
Mrs. Johnson passed away at 3:45 a.m., Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at NHC Healthcare.
She was born January 30, 1939, at Elijah, Missouri, to John William Evans and Emeline Dodson Evans. In July of 1987 she was married at West Plains, Missouri, to Larry V. Johnson. Thelma always loved her family and put them first in her life; she was a wonderful cook and enjoyed cooking for family gatherings. She also enjoyed fishing and going to auctions with her sisters. Mrs. Johnson was of the Baptist faith.
She is survived by her husband, Larry V. Johnson; three children, Jerry Beach and wife, Vicky, Pottersville, Missouri, Terry Grace, Joplin, Missouri and Gary Beach, Pomona, Missouri; five grandchildren, Brandon Beach and wife, Theresa, Renae Phenix and husband, Nathan, Jennifer Grace, Lindsey Grace and Noah Beach; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Dale Evans and wife, Jacque, West Plains; two sisters, Pat Carrico and husband, Bill and Lillie Moss, all of West Plains; and several nieces and nephews.
Her parents, five brothers, Junior, Dallas, Delbert, Ben and Clifton and two sisters, Imogene and Artice, preceded her in death.
Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Steven Jay Danielson, 72, West Plains, Missouri, passed away at 5:47 p.m., Sunday, October 13, 2019 at Fulton County Hospital, Salem, Arkansas.
He was born March 19, 1947, at Hackensack, New Jersey, to Robert Jay Danielson and Althea Firehock Danielson. Steve was raised in Ridgewood, New Jersey and graduated from High School in Iowa with the Ridgewood High School Class of 1965; he received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Central College in Iowa. On December 31, 2002, he was married at Salem, Arkansas, to Cindy Howell. Mr. Danielson was an insurance agent and enjoyed trout fishing and woodworking.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Danielson, West Plains, Missouri; one sister, Susan Brunelle and James P. Richards, Milford, Connecticut; his nephew, Ryan Brunelle and wife, Julie, and their two daughters, Taylor and Alexis, Monroe, Connecticut and his niece, Kelly Reed and husband, David, and their daughter, Hensley, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
His parents and one nephew, Kevin Brunelle, preceded him in death.
Arrangements under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Clinton Lawrence “Clint” Allen, 91, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 19, 2019 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Clint Allen, Wright Brothers Master Pilot, certified flight instructor, A&P Mechanic, aerobatic showman, and accomplished entomologist called “wheels up” for the last time Saturday, October 12, 2019 in West Plains, Missouri, as he peacefully joined his guardian angel and wife of nearly 63 years, Marge.
Clint would have been 92 years old in just a few weeks. He is survived by daughter Janis Bartlett and husband, David, of Corpus Christi, Texas, son Larry Allen of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee; two grandchildren, Anne Marie Cleveland and husband, Jeff, of Milner, Georgia and Matthew Allen Jarvis; four great-grandsons; one great-great-granddaughter; and two sisters, Lou Anne Kirby and Margee Shaffer and husband, Richard.
He was born November 14, 1927 in Tucson, Arizona and grew up on a family-homesteaded cattle ranch in Paige Canyon in the Rincon Mountains southeast of Tucson. Led by the creative and tenacious spirit of his mother, Elizabeth Taylor Allen, and the practical, Texas-style wisdom of his father, Daniel Allen, Clint grew to be a strong, handsome leader. He graduated from Benson Union High School in 1945. Although Clint did play on the 6-man football team (there were only 14 total in his graduating class), he would always freely admit that he wasn’t much of an athlete. He went on to graduate from the University of Arizona (BS Agriculture) in 1950, and earned his MS (in Entomology) from that same university in 1960. On March 23, 1951, he married the love of his live, Marjorie (Marge) Sonnenschein. He and Marge shared 63 years together, until her passing in February 2014. During that time they raised their two children, Larry and Janis, and steadfastly supported each other. In the 1960’s, Clint worked for Farmers Investment Company (FICO). Originally a company dedicated to growing cotton, Clint investigated the potential for and directed the planting of the first pecan trees in the hot Arizona desert south of Tucson. These fist efforts would eventually lead to establishment of the largest irrigated pecan orchard in the world. Of all that could be said about Clint, three things stand out most strongly. He loved his wife, Marge. He loved the Ozarks. And, he loved flying. Marge and Clint spent their early years in Arizona. First in the mining towns of Douglas and Bisbee, where Clint worked doing agricultural research for the mining company, Phelps Dodge, and then in Tucson, as Clint became a leader in the agricultural diversification of southern Arizona. Later, they would live in Mineral Wells, Texas; Lafayette, Louisiana; Ft. Worth, Texas; and finally West Plains, Missouri. Clint grew up in the rugged Rincon Mountains, where scrub oak and cactus were the primary vegetation. But, he dreamed of the gently rolling hills, oaks, and walnut trees of the Ozarks. In the mid-60’s, Clint and Marge found their piece of Clint’s dream in West Plains. Together, they put blood, sweat, and tears into creating a homestead. During one summer, they lived in a tiny travel trailer (with an outdoor shower) while they cleared land and built the barns and buildings that would shelter their cattle. Later, in the early ‘90s, when they finally retired to West Plains, Clint bought cattle (Marge named them all). Clint built fences and cleared pastures. Marge raised the goats and made a warm, cozy home for her and Clint. But, every time Clint looked out, to the beautiful pasture that sloped down from the back of their home, he saw a landing strip. Flying was on many people’s minds in 1927 when Clint was born. Charles Lindbergh had made the first solo transatlantic flight, and it almost seems as if Clint Allen was born with that same spirit of adventure. Money was tight but, as a young college student, Clint convinced the flight school administrator to trade work washing the training planes for hours of instruction. Soon Clint was in the air! There may be those who learn to fly, but never really LOVE it. But a PILOT… a pilot is BORN to fly. Clint Allen was a true PILOT! Despite his successes, he enjoyed agriculture because it kept him in contact with people who flew, the crop dusters. The lands owned by FICO stretched from the Mexican border north to Phoenix. An Aeronca Champ was the sensible pilot’s solution! Take off at sunup; work all day; land at dusk…a great life! In the mid ‘60s, with the Vietnam War in full swing, he got word that the military was hiring civilians at its Primary Helicopter School in Mineral Wells, Texas. Clint’s wheels were up and, with his family, he headed to Mineral Wells. Four years later, with the war over, the call came from Petroleum Helicopters, in Lafayette, Louisiana, where Clint would spend the next several years flying men and equipment to the offshore oil rigs. Back, with his feet firmly on dry land, he worked at Aerospatiale (now Airbus Helicopters SAS) in Grand Prairie, Texas as their only flight-rated Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic. Having earned and maintained single engine and multi-engine fixed wing ratings, he also earned and maintained instrument, instructor, and A&P ratings for both fixed wing and rotary wing (helicopter) aircraft. During his entire flying career, more than 65 years, Clint was never involved in a single recordable flying incident. However, these many accomplishments pale compared to the love he, aided by his many friends from the EAA Chapter 1218 and the Missouri Pilots Association, put into building the 3/4 scale Curtiss Jenny biplane that was delivered to and displayed at the Springfield-Branson Airport in May of 2016. The only sadness was that his copilot of 63 years, Marge, was not able to see it happen. Clint has new wings now. He and Marge are together, and those wings will have no tethers!
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Howell Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research, 110 E. 42nd St. 16th Floor, New York, New York 10017 and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Visitation services for Kenneth M. Renner, 89, Mt. Vernon, Missouri, will be held from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 19, 2019 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, West Plains, Missouri, followed by a Graveside Service at McElmurry Cemetery, Moody, Missouri. There will be a Memorial Service held Sunday, October 20, 2019 from 12:00 Noon until 4:00 p.m., in the west meeting room at Springfield Botanical Gardens, Springfield, Missouri.
Mr. Renner passed away September 30, 2019 at Missouri Veterans Home.
He was born June 5, 1930, in Howell County, Missouri, to Clifford William Renner and Elsie Lillian Newberry Renner. Kenneth graduated from West Plains High School in 1948 and went on to attend Southwest Missouri State University for two years before joining the Marine Corp. He served four years with the United States Marines before returning to complete his undergraduate degree in education in 1955. In 1961, he completed a Master’s degree in education at Colorado State College in Greeley, Colorado. In 1953, Kenneth married Darlene Bryson of Howell County, Missouri. He taught Industrial Arts and Math in Cabool for two years starting in 1955 and taught for another two years at School of the Ozarks. In 1959 Mr. Renner began teaching in the Springfield Public School district, remaining there until his retirement in 1987. Kenneth had interests in nature, traveling, fishing, electronics and gardening, but his passion was woodworking, making furniture, toys and other items for his family and friends.
He is survived by his former wife, Darlene Bryson Renner; his children, Ann Renner and husband, John Luther, Ellen Renner and husband, William Richardson, Susan Purvin and husband, Gary; and his grandchildren, Kit Richardson, Katherine Purvin and Eric Purvin.
His parents and two brothers, William Tolbert Renner and Richard Vernon Renner, preceded him in death.
Memorial contributions may be made to Dickerson Park Zoo, 3043 N. Fort, Springfield, MO 65803, McElmurry Cemetery Fund, (May be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home) Missouri Institute of Natural Science, 2327 W. Farm Road 190, Springfield, MO 65810, Springfield Nature Center c/oMissouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, PO Box 366, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0366, Ozarks Public Television, 901 S. National Ave., Springfield, MO 65897 or Veterans of Foreign Wars 406 W. 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111; any memorial contributions may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Patricia Sue Hight, 72, West Plains, passed from this earth at 3:30 p.m. on September 11, 2019 from complications related to metastatic breast cancer. She died at home surrounded by loving family and friends who sang her on her way.
A celebration of Pat’s life will be on Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 120 Langston Avenue, West Plains, Missouri. Refreshments and visiting will follow the service.
Pat was born July 1, 1947, in Springfield, Missouri to Mae Lavonne Jones Hight and Earl Edward Hight, and was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Richard “Bub” Hight and her father in law Clarence Bruenjes. Her revered elder was her Grandma Virgie.
She is survived by her wife Lois Reborne, her brother Dan Hight and his partner Sheryl Reed, longtime friend Marideth Sisco, her chosen children Jim Markley, Lisa Markley and Amy Markley Watson, grandchildren Adrianna, Alayanna, Evan and Lilah, and great-grandchildren Jaxon and Ava; and beloved family including uncle Dale Jones, cousins Bill Jones, Shelly Jones and Sue Burrell and niece Melissa Hight. She also leaves behind countless dear friends including a bevy of cherished fellow artists.
Those who knew her knew she liked hats, which was good, because she wore so many of them: Potter, Teaching Artist, Printmaker, Drummer, Feminist Humanist, Unitarian Universalist, Naturalist, Storyteller, and unabashed Progressive.
She was also a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship, earning a scholarship to Washington University where she studied the History of Ideas for three years, but left when her scholarship would not support her desire to also study art. She finished her BFA degree at Missouri State University in 1985. Some of her more far-reaching contributions include the role of founding member of both the Missouri Friends of the Folk Arts and the Midwest Wimmin’s Festival, and as a consultant to the founders of the Michigan Womyn’s Festival. Pat was a teaching artist for more than fifteen years, working as an artist in residence in local schools. She loved to conduct raku firings for school art classes, community art fairs and for local folks either on her farm or at the Hammond Mill picnic grounds overlooking the North Fork River. She also taught as a Master Naturalist and artist, encouraging hundreds of youngsters to use a kick net in a local river to catch and identify macroinvertebrates, to make sketches of plants and bugs they found in their schoolyards, then make those into linoleum block prints, and to draw with charcoal sticks in the style of L. L. Broadfoot at the Harlin Museum.
The family extends its endless gratitude to the oncology team at OMC. Your expertise, care, and compassion made all the difference to us. Pat’s persistence and energy combined with the excellent treatment she was prescribed gave her nearly six years of life which she otherwise might never have had, where she continued to create art, grow vegetables and flowers, kayak the local rivers, travel, and enjoy the birds and trees and people she loved. You are ever in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, donations to defray final expenses are much appreciated and may be left at Robertson Drago Funeral Home or brought to the service.
We will always love you, dear Pat. We will never forget you.
Funeral services for Larry C. Wright, Sr., 80, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 12, 2019 at First Baptist Church, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Wright passed away at 2:00 a.m., Monday, October 7, 2019 at his home.
He was born July 15, 1939, at Hocomo, Missouri, to Winsted Langston Wright and Stella Alice Jane Smith Wright. On June 26, 1960, he was married at Spring Creek Church to Peggy Fox. Mr. Wright was the owner and operator of Hardy Outside Wood Furnaces. He was a member of the Missouri National Guard in West Plains for nine years and had served on the Fairview School Board, Hammond Mill Bible Camp Board, Harlin House Museum and Gideon Bible Society. Mr. Wright adored his grandchildren. Larry enjoyed hunting and loved a good practical joke; he never met a stranger and would take the time to talk with anyone. Mr. Wright was a member of First Baptist Church for many years where he had retired from serving as a Deacon.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-nine years, Peggy Wright, of the family home; three children, Larry “Chip” Wright and wife, Joan, Cyndi Wright and Becky Welty and husband, Robert, all of West Plains; five grandchildren, Monica, Whitney, Breanna, Gretchen and Garrett; three great-grandchildren, Ryker, Pierce and Beckham; and many friends.
His parents and one sister, Judith Wright, preceded him in death.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Blue Mound Cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Blue Mound Cemetery and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Graveside services for Eutha Belle Taylor, 93, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 14, 2019 at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mrs. Taylor passed away at 11:15 p.m., Thursday, October 10, 2019 at Brooke Haven Healthcare.
She was born March 28, 1926, at Elijah, Missouri, to Amos Samuel Williams and Ola Jane Casey Williams. Eutha was raised in Ozark County and had lived in Arizona for forty-six years before moving back to Missouri in 1990. On May 24, 1957, she was married at Lordsburg, New Mexico, to Cecil Wayne Taylor, who preceded her in death on June 7, 2015. Mrs. Taylor worked at several jobs in her life consisting of factories, cashier and with a telephone company as an operator for a number of years. She loved growing flowers, sewing and caring for her family. Mrs. Taylor attended Central Church of Christ for several years.
She is survived by one son, Steven Ray Taylor and wife, Laura; two step-sons, Cecil Wayne Taylor, Jr., and wife, Glenda and Kenneth G. Taylor and wife, Jeannie; four grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Betty Langston; one brother, Dwight “Whitey” Williams and wife, Sue; and many nieces and nephews.
Her parents, husband, two sisters, Geneva Scherff and Blanche Barton, one brother, Edward Williams, one step-daughter, Darlene Taylor and one step-granddaughter, Barbara Smith, preceded her in death.
Mrs. Taylor will lie in state from 5:00 until 9:00 p.m., Sunday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to any charity of choice and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Rachel Rebecca Hensley, 91, Paris, Missouri, formerly of West Plains, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 15, 2019 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mrs. Hensley passed away Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at Monroe Manor, Paris, Missouri.
She was born December 9, 1927, at Elijah, Missouri, to John Harris and Ola Roberts Harris. Rachel attended Fairview School and Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, Missouri. On August 20, 1946, she was married at Salem, Arkansas, to Lowell Clyde “Pete” Hensley, who preceded her in death on January 1, 2017. Rachel traveled the world with her husband, a member of the United States Air Force, living in Japan, Norway, France and Spain before Pete’s retirement to West Plains in 1967. During those years in the military Rachel was a stay at home mother. She later worked part time at Sterling Department store on the square and for the West Plains School District before retiring to their small beloved farm on Highway K. Rachel loved to travel; after retirement she and Pete motored across the United States in their motorhome for several years. She enjoyed camping at the lake and fishing, but best of all she loved time spent with family at home. Mrs. Hensley was a faithful member of the Curry Street Church of Christ for over fifty years. Alzheimer’s robbed the family of the final years with Rachel, but they will always remember the good years when she always had a smile on her face and welcoming arms for family and friends.
She is survived by two children, Jerry Hensley and wife, Eva and Betty Hunter and husband, Robert; four grandchildren, Amy Patillo and husband, Richard, Tia Bruce and husband, Jordan, Sara Hill and husband, Benjie and Matthew Hensley and fiancé, Courtney Roland; seven great-grandchildren, Jackson and Grayson Bruce, Boston and Adeline Patillo and Anna, Addi and Allie Hill; one brother, Mearl Harris; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her parents, husband, two brothers, Earl and Everett Harris and one sister, Hazel Henry, preceded her in death.
Visitation will be held from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Ozarks Honor Flight and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Linda Mae Wiley, 77, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 11, 2019 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mrs. Wiley passed away at 6:24 a.m., Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at NHC Healthcare.
She was born February 8, 1942, at Manilla, Arkansas, to Dewey Odell Jackson and Anna Mae Rice Jackson. On May 29, 1959, she was married at Manilla, Arkansas, to Clifford Lewis Wiley, who preceded her in death on June 2, 2002. Mrs. Wiley had worked at Eaton and owned Wiley Residential Care Facility for a number of years. She loved family gatherings, cooking and camping with friends.
She is survived by four children, Cynthia Horton and husband, Rick, Gassville, Arkansas, Steve Wiley and wife, Kathy, Elk Creek, Missouri, Paul Wiley and wife, Diana, West Plains and Todd Wiley and wife, Traci, West Plains; eleven grandchildren, Lisa Watts, Jonathon Horton, Kevin Horton, Jeanne Sue Walker, Erica Puckett, John Wiley, Jayden Wiley, Stephanie Dann, Robin Barnett, Austin DeShazo and Michael James; seventeen great-grandchildren, Caden, Cynch, Bailee, Blake, A.J., Gwen, Hudson, Laiken, Justin, Hanna, Gabe, McKenzie, Quintin, BreeAnn, Stephen, Phillip and C.J.; one great-great-granddaughter, Lilly; two brothers, Michael Jackson and wife, Wanda, West Plains and Robert Jackson and wife, Brenda, West Plains; two sisters, Phyllis Smith, Manilla, Arkansas and Judy McFadden and husband, Ronnie, Bartlett, Tennessee; and many nieces and nephews.
Her parents, husband and one brother-in-law, George Smith, preceded her in death.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Gideon Bible Society and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Dorman Ray May, 74, Caulfield, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 11, 2019 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. May passed away at 5:08 a.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019 at his daughter’s home in Springfield, Missouri.
He was born February 11, 1945, at Elijah, Missouri, to Claudie Elva May and Martha “Lorene” Moss May. Dorman graduated from Bakersfield High School with the Class of 1962. On August 25, 1975, he was married at West Plains, to Betty Joyce Hall, who preceded him in death March 13, 2011. Mr. May was a veteran, having served with the United States Army. He was a rancher and loved his horses and working with cattle. Dorman loved his family and enjoyed visiting. Mr. May was a member of the Church of Christ.
He is survived by three children, Debbie Conklin and husband, T.K., Springfield, Missouri, Mary Elizabeth Kiefer and husband, Michael, Belvidere, Illinois and Marc May and wife, Pamela, White Oak, Georgia; five grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; two brothers, Orbie May, West Plains and Palmer May, Halfway, Missouri; one sister, Eva Garner and husband, Ed, Newport News, Virginia; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and a host of friends.
His parents, wife, one son, Robby Laxton, one grandson, Ryan Sheetz, one great-grandson, Kaiden; one sister, Elva Dean Kreger and one brother, Elwood May, preceded him in death.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Cureall Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be
Funeral services for George Allen Scaggs, 59, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at Curry Street Church of Christ, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Scaggs passed away at 3:10 p.m., Sunday, October 6, 2019 at his home.
He was born January 12, 1960, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Johnie Scaggs and Jane Montgomery Scaggs. George graduated from West Plains High School with the Class of 1977. On July 1, 2000, he was married at West Plains, Missouri, to Leslie Bullock. Mr. Scaggs was the owner and operator of Scaggs Repair since 1993 and also drove a school bus for Fairview since 2011. He enjoyed deer hunting, farming, and antique tractors. He loved his family. Mr. Scaggs was a member of Curry Street Church of Christ.
He is survived by his wife, Leslie Scaggs, of the family home; five children, Dylan Scaggs, Leah Tidwell and husband, Dustin, Kayla Ell and husband, Nathan, all of West Plains, Craig Scaggs, Salem, Arkansas and Ashley Scaggs, Viola, Arkansas; five grandchildren, Aubrey, Payton and Cash Tidwell and Natalie and Jaxon Ell; his mother, Jane Scaggs, Peace Valley, Missouri; three brothers, Guy Henry Scaggs and wife, Betsy, Odessa, Texas, Johnie Scaggs and wife, Nancy, Dublin, Georgia and Lee Scaggs, Peace Valley, Missouri; one sister, Vera Alsup and husband, Billy, West Plains;one sister-in-law, Pam Scaggs; and several nieces and nephews.
His father and one brother, Paul Scaggs, preceded him in death.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Barnett Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Barnett Cemetery and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
A memorial service for Barbara Lee Poor, 80, Pomona, Missouri, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Lost Camp Baptist Church.
Mrs. Poor passed away at 6:30 a.m., Monday, September 30, 2019 at Brooke Haven Health Care.
She was born August 24, 1939, at Doniphan, Missouri, to Roscoe Robb and Gladys Hilliard Robb. On March 12, 1964, she was married at Doniphan, Missouri, to Lloyd Frank Poor. Before her retirement, Barbara was a Registered Nurse with the Missouri Department of health. She enjoyed the outdoors and the family’s farm. Mrs. Poor was a member of Lost Camp Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday School teacher for over twenty years.
She is survived by her husband, Lloyd Poor; one son, Jason Poor and wife, Jennifer; two grandchildren, Madalyn Poor and Cooper Poor; one brother, John Robb and wife, Barbara; and one sister, Phyllis Robb.
Her parents, and one brother, Bill Robb, preceded her in death.
Burial will be in the Lost Camp Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Judith Isabel Thompson, 74, West Plains, Missouri, passed away at 8:15 a.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019, at her home.
She was born February 14, 1945, at Paducah, Kentucky, to Marvin Albert Hart and Mary Catherine Hodge Hart. On August 13, 1966, she was married at Paducah, Kentucky, to Leon Earl Thompson. Leon and Judy were the owners and operators of Schwegman Office Supply.
She is survived by her husband, Leon Thompson; three children, Kevin Thompson and wife, Britta, Kent Thompson and wife, Wilma and Kara McGinnis and husband, Gary; five grandchildren, Kaylee, Dakota, Kayden, Kenzie and Ashton; two sisters, Mary Krone and Elizabeth VanMeter; and several nieces and nephews.
Her parents preceded her in death.
Burial will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
A celebration of life service for William David Foster, 69, of West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019, at Galloway Park.
He was born October 15, 1949, at Mount Vernon, Illinois to John Henry Foster and Beatrice Jean Bunner Foster. On December 4, 1971, he was married at Las Vegas, Nevada, to Carol Jean Tuell. Mr. Foster was a veteran, having served with the United States Navy. He enjoyed watching old westerns and in his younger years, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, motorcycles and fast cars. Mr. Foster was of the Lutheran faith.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Foster, three children, Judy Iden and husband, Sam, William Daniel Foster and Robert Foster and wife, Cassey; six grandchildren, Mistine Thompson, Cole Hilleman, Kendra Brown, Mya Simpson, Lula Abagil Foster and Jayden Foster; five brothers, Jimmy Foster, Terry Foster, Robert Foster, Kenneth Foster and Clifford Foster; and many nieces and nephews.
His parents, one sister, Dianna Canning, three brothers, John Foster, Joseph Foster and Wilbur Foster and one daughter-in-law, Stephanie Foster, preceded him in death.
Graveside services for Gary Leon Welch, 72, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 3, 2019 at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Welch passed away Monday, September 30, 2019 at his home.
He was born July 16, 1947, at Dora, Missouri, to Henderson J. Welch and Fannie Ann Croney Welch. On March 21, 1970, he was married at West Plains, Missouri, to Lila Florence Warren, who preceded him in death on June 20, 2006. Mr. Welch had been employed with Crown Tractor and Stewart Farms. He enjoyed working with metal and making things.
He is survived by his special friend, Nelma Piper; two children, Gary Bakken and Kevin Collins and wife, Margaret; many grandchildren; and two nephews, Waymon Welch and Jamie Welch.
His parents, wife, five brothers and seven sisters, preceded him in death.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to The Gideon Bible Society and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Joe M. “Buddy” Bales, 72, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 4, 2019 at Elijah Church of Christ, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Bales passed away at 7:52 p.m., Monday, September 30, 2019 at Cox Medical Center, Springfield, Missouri.
He was born March 13, 1947, to Joe Bill Bales and Hazel Marie Mullins Bales at the home of his maternal grandparents, Oscar and Dora Mullins, near Bakersfield, Missouri. On April 25, 1969, he was married at West Plains, Missouri, to Rose Ann Cozort. Mr. Bales proudly served his country as a combat engineer with the United States Army during the Vietnam Conflict. He was a member of West Plains VFW, DAV and the Bakersfield American Legion. Buddy was a dairy farmer for several years and worked alongside his family in businesses that his father established: Bales Sawmill, MOARK Cedar and B & C Quick Stop at Bakersfield, Missouri. Buddy enjoyed going to public auctions and trading antiques. Mr. Bales was a member of the Church of Christ and was attending Curry Street Church of Christ.
He is survived by his wife, Rose Ann Bales, of the family home; one son, Bruce Bales and wife, Laura, Bakersfield, Missouri; three grandchildren, Andalyn Warren, Ryan Bales and Brevin Bales; two great-grandchildren, Mylan Rauso and Emberlyn Bales; two brothers, Butch Bales and wife, Carol and Rick Bales and wife, Beverly, all of Bakersfield; one sister, Patsy Cotter and husband, Pee Wee, Bakersfield; two aunts, Della Foster and Carol Schaufler and husband, Jimmie, all of Bakersfield; a very special aunt, Phyllis Arnold and husband, Joe, Bakersfield; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
His parents, maternal grandparents, Oscar and Dora Mullins, paternal grandparents, Charlie Bales and Pearl Ward and two brothers-in-law, Wandell Cozort and Conrad Cozort, preceded him in death.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Baptist Hill Cemetery with Military Honors. Memorial contributions may be made to Mercy Kids or Kansas City Children’s Hospital and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Graveside services for Barbara Ann Beard, 77, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at the Park Lawn Cemetery, south of St. Louis, Missouri, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mrs. Beard passed away at 11:45 p.m., Thursday, September 26, 2019 at Ozarks Medical Center.
She was born September 4, 1942 at Gideon, Missouri to Hubert Pinnon and Vivian Pruett Pinnon. On September 11, 1960, she was married at St. Louis, Missouri to Dannie Beard. Barbara was the owner and operator of a janitorial business. Mrs. Beard enjoyed her flowers, gardening and was always caring for others before herself. She had a strong spiritual faith in God.
She is survived by her husband, Dannie Beard, of the family home; two children, Randy Beard and Carrie Schuler and husband, Ron; three grandchildren, Kelly Beard, Jordan Schuler and wife, Baylee and Tyler Schuler and wife, Megan; two great-grandchildren, Amberlynn Schuler and Harlee Schuler; four brothers, Edward Pinnon and wife, Elsie, Louis Pinnon and wife, Denise, David Pinnon and Steve Pinnon and wife, Pam; three sisters, Luella Dillin and husband, Junior, Shirley Bennett and husband, Jim and Debbie Cobb and husband, Craig; and several nieces and nephews.
Her parents preceded her in death.
Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019 at the West Plains Kingdom Hall. Memorial contributions may be made directly to JW.org or may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
