Obituaries

Funeral services for Marcos Christopher, 63, Moody, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 22, 2022, in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.   

Mr. Christopher passed away at 5:45 a.m., Friday, December 16, 2022, at his home. 

He was born August 30, 1959, in Monterrey, Mexico, to Harold and Victoria (Romo) Christopher.  He attended North Winneshiek High School, in rural Decorah, IA.  On August 5, 1987, he married Heather Webster-Craft in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  To this union, seven children were born.  Marcos and Heather were divorced in 2015.  On June 29, 2020, he married Carolyn J. Dunton in Gainesville, Missouri.  Mr. Christopher had a gift for training dogs and horses which took him to many places around the country.  He enjoyed leather working and crafted several saddles and tack, and was intrigued by metalworking, creating useful pieces to use on the farm.  He was passionate about playing and listening to music. Mr. Christopher was of the Christian faith. 

He is survived by his seven children; Andrew Christopher and one granddaughter, Autumn Mae Christopher, Olive Branch, Mississippi; Ethan Christopher, Moody, Missouri; Ania, Caleb, Joseph, Ellie, and Emily Christopher, all of Pottersville, Missouri; the children’s mother, Heather Christopher Uchtman, Pottersville, Missouri; and his wife Carolyn J. Christopher of Caulfield, Missouri; two brothers, Timon Christopher (Laurie), Decorah, Iowa; and Noe Christopher, Stevensville, Montana; three sisters, Eunice Christopher (Steve Hamilton), Decorah, Iowa, Elizabeth Feuerhelm (Brian), Lansing, Iowa, and Esther Christopher Kuhn, Decorah, Iowa; along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be at South Fork Cemetery.  A meal for family and friends will follow at the Moody Community Center in Moody, MO.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Christopher family and left or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

A Celebration of Life for Betty Louise Hartle, 89, Richland, Missouri, will be held in the Spring of 2023, and will be under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mrs. Hartle passed away at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, December 15, 2022, at Richland Care Center in Richland, Missouri.

She was born April 15, 1933, at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, to Troy and Mattie Mae (Hayes) Whiteside.  She graduated from West Plains High School with the Class of 1951.  On April 24, 1954, she was married at West Plains, Missouri, to Ransom Bettis Hartle, who preceded her in death July 23, 2009.  Mrs. Hartle enjoyed needlework, refinishing furniture, reading, knitting, and crocheting.  She was of the Baptist faith. 

She is survived by one daughter, Geniece Warren and husband, Bruce, Richland, Missouri; two grandchildren, Barton Warren and wife, Meagan, Richland, Missouri, and Lillie DeHart and husband, Jake, Wichita, Kansas; five great-grandchildren, Violet Warren, Elaine Warren, Ransom Warren, Warren DeHart, and Maisy DeHart; three brothers, Dean Whiteside and wife, Pat, James Marland Whiteside and wife, Mary Anna, and Richard Whiteside and wife, Donna; two sisters, Fern Tackitt and husband, Bob, and Elaine Durham and husband, Tilman; and several nieces and nephews.

Her parents, husband, and one sister, Carolyn McLain, preceded her in death.

A private burial will be held at Oak Lawn Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to West Plains Animal Shelter and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

William Monroe Moncrief, 82, West Plains, Missouri, passed away at 12:01 a.m., Thursday, December 15, 2022, at his home.  

He was born May 6, 1940, at Wauchula, Florida, to P.A. Moncrief and Essie Irene Shappard Moncrief.  He was united in marriage to Brenda Busbey on June 9, 2001 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  For many years, Monroe managed a Publix in Florida before moving to Missouri in the 1980’s and was a truck driver for several years.  In the late 1980’s he bought land in White Church, Missouri and raised cattle.  For the past 20 years, Monroe drove medical transportation before retiring in 2020 from Ready Transportation.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing in his younger days and loved a good crossword puzzle.  He was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather and enjoyed his family more than anything.  Monroe will be greatly missed by the many lives he touched.

He is survived by his wife of over 21 years, Brenda Moncrief; two daughters, Reina McCullough and husband, Ronnie, Gainesville, Missouri and Retha Rickman and husband, William, West Plains,  Missouri; seven grandchildren, Dakota and Leighann McCullough, State of Tennessee, Gage and Peyton McCullough, Gainesville, Missouri and Kenyon, Kendra and Favre Kiger, West Plains; special friends, Will Berry and Sherri Crowley, both of West Plains and Carolyn McCullough, Gainesville, Missouri; and family fur baby, Dottie. 

His parents, one brother, Shorty Moncrief, one sister, Irene Atchley, mother-in-law and father-in-law, Bessie and Willie Busbey, brother-in-law, Calvin Busbey and grandmother-in-law, Cubby Reid, preceded him in death.  

Arrangements under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

A Celebration of Life for Dorothy Anne (Dottie) Summers, 71, West Plains, Missouri, will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 20, 2022, in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Ms. Summers passed away at 1:47 p.m., Saturday, December 17, 2022, at Ozarks Healthcare.

She was born July 30, 1951, to Cecil Richard and Emma Louise (Hurst) Summers.  She graduated from West Plains High School with the Class of 1969.  She attended Missouri State University, and was a member of the Gamma Mu Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi.  Ms. Summers was a schoolteacher, having taught in the Waynesville and West Plains school districts.  She was instrumental in developing the At Risk program in West Plains, and was also a teacher in that program.  Her students were always “her kids”.  Ms. Summers enjoyed flowers and reading.  She loved her family very much, and was proud to be “Gram” to her grandkids.  She and Doug were special friends for seven years; all it took was a phone call.  Ms. Summers was a member of the Church of God.

She is survived by one daughter, Hillary Tugwell and husband, Jim, West Plains, Missouri; three grandchildren, Emma, Mary Katherine (Kate), and James Andrew; special friend, Doug Parrish; and several cousins.

Her husband, Van Miller, her parents, and one brother, Richard (Dick) Summers, preceded her in death.

Burial will be at Howell Valley Cemetery at a later date.  Memorial contributions may be made to West Plains Education Foundation and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

Funeral services for Laurel Thompson, 90, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 17, 2022 at First Christian Church, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.   

Laurel Ray Thompson, beloved son, husband, father, and grandfather, passed into eternity Wednesday morning, December 14, following a brief illness. 

How can one write an obituary for someone who, by the grace of God and the love of another, made you?  I am not certain it is possible, but I will try. 

A life-long resident of West Plains, Laurel was born at his parents’ modest home on a high hill (where the county health department now sits) in West Plains on May 31, 1932. He no doubt lived the typical busy life of a small-town boy in the 1930s and ‘40s. He was fortunate to enjoy being surrounded by many aunts, uncles, and cousins on both his mother’s and father’s side of the family. He lived at several locations in the West Plains area and even in Seattle for a time when his father was in the Navy. His solo train trip to Seattle when he was 12—armed with more than one fried chicken and a plethora of doughnuts–made for a favorite story.  Laurel began his education at home with his mother, who taught him numbers, letters, and how to tell time as she went about her household tasks. He started his formal schooling in a one-room schoolhouse and then attended D.W. Reese school on Grace Avenue. He graduated with the West Plains High School class of 1950, having attended classes at Central, which is now Looney Hall on the Missouri State University campus.  It was in high school that Laurel met the love of his life, Margaret Myrtle Morrell. Margaret had moved to West Plains from Kansas with her parents when she was 16. The sweet couple married on March 17, 1951, in a small ceremony at the parsonage of the First Christian Church.  After marriage, Laurel and Margaret moved to Kansas City while Laurel attended Central Technical Institute to attain his First-Class Radio Telephone license. When he finished his training, he and Margaret returned to West Plains where they have forever after made their home.  Laurel is well-known for his long career in radio broadcasting and his civic engagement from the 1950s onward. For him and his family, his greatest accomplishments were his long marriage to Margaret and their family of five children. He said more than once that his goal was to help West Plains grow and prosper, to be a place where his children could grow up to live and work and raise their own families. It was for this that he selflessly and tirelessly labored at work and civic projects that he believed in.  Laurel’s remarkable list of achievements began in his youth. Active in Boy Scouts, he was an Eagle Scout and was awarded the Order of the Arrow. In the mid-1950s, he was instrumental among community members who wanted their own hospital. Ozarks Medical Center came into being due fundraising efforts that allowed anyone, especially those of modest means, to support the financial goals. Once the hospital was a reality, Laurel was a walking blood bank for the hospital. He further served the hospital for 8 years as a board member and vice-chair.  We cannot enumerate all of Laurel’s achievements here but will give some highlights. Laurel may be best known for his 40-year career in radio broadcasting at KWPM and in the Neathery cable television system. He enjoyed a second career in retail, and a third career as Public Information Officer for the City of West Plains.  He worked for 13 years on the Chamber Advisor Committee for SMSU-West Plains, was a Rotarian for 47 years, a member of the West Plains Industrial Development Corporation and part of the Ozarks Development Corporation, West Plains Aero Club, West Plains Tourism Development Council, the Missouri Corridor Coalition (chairman), the Highway 63 Corridor group (co-chair), and the West Plains Civic Center Board. He was active in the National Association of Broadcasters and the Missouri Broadcasters Association, where he served as president. The list of accomplishments and honors goes on and on. He was probably most gratified by his work for the creation and administration of Ozarks Medical Center, his work to bring SMSU-West Plains into being, and ODC’s Ozark Sheltered Industries in Pomona. Education and opportunity for all were close to his heart.  All his loved ones are so proud of, so awed by, all that he has accomplished and all the lives he has touched. He never sought the spotlight, though. For us today, the importation thing is that he was a loving husband, father, grand- and great-grandfather. He modeled service and humility all his life, in all aspects of his life. Taking family members, young and old alike, on their first plane ride; taking his children and grandchildren fishing—especially trout fishing on the White River—and hunting were among his greatest joys. He loved telling stories, and he had so many. He was a walking family and community historian. He will be remembered for his ready smile, his ready laugh, his ornery sense of humor, and his unwavering commitment to his family and his community.   

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Thompson, of the family home; three children, Jim Thompson and wife, Sarah, West Plains, Russell Thompson and wife, An, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee and Vickie Petkovic, West Plains; nine grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; one brother, Leon Thompson, West Plains; and several nieces and nephews. 

His parents, one daughter, Sherrill Ann Thompson, one son, Steven Kent Thompson and one grandson, Jeffrey Scott Thompson, preceded him in death. 

Mr. Thompson will lie in state from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to West Plains Rotary Club for the backpack program and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775. 

Funeral services for Kathryn Faye Provow, 83, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 19, 2022 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mrs. Provow passed away at 8:54 a.m., Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, Missouri.  

She was born March 14, 1939, in Alexander County, Illinois, to Clyde Everett Tatum, Sr. and Anna Mae Dillman Tatum.  On March 4, 1957, she was married at West Plains, to Charlie Homer Provow, who preceded her in death on October 25, 2019.  Before her retirement, Mrs. Provow was a Beautician.  She loved her family and enjoyed gardening, watching wildlife and making bird houses.  Mrs. Provow was of the Baptist faith. 

She is survived by two children, Billy Provow and wife, Linda, Pottersville, Missouri and Debra Lambert and husband, Douglas, West Plains; four grandchildren, Corey Lambert and wife, Chantell, Alichia Boshears and husband, Derek, Felicia Julian and Charlie Lampley and wife, Melanie; five great-grandchildren, Kylar Lambert, Tristyn Lambert, Kallie Julian, Charles Lampley, Jr. and Kenzi Perkins; two brothers, Bill Tatum and wife, Rose Marie and Clyde Tatum, Jr. and wife, Jan; one brother-in-law, Roy Provow and wife, Mona; one sister-in-law, Karen Sue Tatum; and several nieces and nephews. 

Her parents, husband, one infant son, David Provow, two brothers, Leonard and Leroy Tatum and three sisters, Carolyn Kee, Karen Kennedy and Evelyn Jost, preceded her in death.  

Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Sunday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in the Howell Memorial Park Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

Graveside services for Junior Clay Dillin, 85, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, December 16, 2022, at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mr. Dillin passed away at 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

He was born July 5, 1937, at Jonesboro, Arkansas, to Leo and Virginia (Cleghorn) Dillin.  On February 22, 1961, he was married at Lemay, Missouri, to Luella Pinnon.  Mr. Dillin was a veteran, having served with the United States Army.  He had been a welder at a shipyard in Saint Louis.  He loved to talk and tell long stories.  He especially loved his family.  Mr. Dillin was a member of Bethel Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Luella, of the family home; three children, Mike Dillin and wife, Jane, Cabool, Missouri, Mark Dillin and wife, Tammy, Caulfield, Missouri, and Roger Dillin and wife, Traci, Arnold, Missouri; three grandchildren, Rebecca, Austin, and Sarah; three great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Fay Stahl, Mountain Home, Arkansas, and Elsie Pinnon and husband, Edward, South Fork, Missouri.

His parents, one brother, and one sister preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to South Central Baptist Missions Fund and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

On December 10, 2022, God took an Angel home.  Joseph (Mojo) Blaine McFaul, Sr. passed away while surrounded by family in West Plains, Missouri.

He was born to Edgar and Evelyn McFaul on April 29, 1947, in El Paso, Texas.

Mojo is survived by his wife, Sandra McFaul; daughter, April Sullivan; son, Richard McFaul; three grandchildren, Elizabeth Kidd, Greg Ellis and Madisyn McFaul; and great-grandson, Jackson Kidd.

Joe brought love and protection to abused children when he rode with B.A.C.A. (Bikers Against Child Abuse).  He was a life member of Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (Vets helping Vets). 

The family will be organizing a memorial motorcycle ride tentatively planned for April 29, 2023.  Arrangements under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

Funeral services for Lynn Baumgardner, 61, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, December 15, 2022 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mr. Baumgardner passed away at 4:00 a.m., Sunday, December 11, 2022, at his home. 

He was born September 3, 1961, at West Plains, Missouri, to Shelby Lee Baumgardner and Ellen Morgan Baumgardner.  Lynn enjoyed fishing, playing golf, watching Cardinals baseball, Grizzlie sports and Zizzer football games.  He also enjoyed The Eagles and watching Hogan’s Heroes TV show.

He is survived by nine children; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; his mother; and one sister and brother-in-law. 

His father and grandparents preceded him in death.  

Visitation services will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in the Blue Mound Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Mound Cemetery and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

Funeral services for Aaron Anthony Schlegel, 32, Caulfield, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 16, 2022, in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mr. Schlegel passed away at 9:18 p.m., Friday, December 9, 2022.

He was born August 7, 1990, at San Jose, California, to Anthony and Karen (Cole) Schlegel.  On May 19, 2017, he was married at Marionville, Missouri, to Mary Pursselley.  Mr. Schlegel was a shift supervisor at Aldi.  He was an author and a history buff, especially Russian history.  Mr. Schlegel was a Christian.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; two children, his daughter, Shanina, and his unborn child; parents, Anthony and Karen Schlegel; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Scott and Cheryl Pursselley; one sister, Emma Neighbour and husband, Brian; and aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins.

Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  There will be a private burial at Loftis Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to Thomas More Society or to the family and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

Kelly Eugene Johnson, 70, Alton, Missouri, passed away at 10:52 p.m., Friday, December 9, 2022, at his home.  

He was born February 23, 1952, at Alton, Missouri, to William Eugene and Viola (Crites) Johnson.  Mr. Johnson was formerly employed by Southwest Truck Body (Leonardo DRS).  He also ran a dairy for many years.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and mushroom hunting.

He is survived by his partner of forty-four years, Brenda Charbauski; one stepdaughter, Heather Meyers (Eric); nine grandchildren, Brody Charbauski, Kaleb Meyers, Jake Meyers, Emily Dutton (Holdin), Taylor Charbauski, Abby Charbauski, Preston, Ryan, and Megan; two great-grandchildren, Cooper Charbauski and Madelyn Charbauski; and many aunts and cousins.

His parents and stepson, Jeremy Charbauski, preceded him in death.

Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.   

Funeral services for Frances Marie Hall, 98, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, December 11, 2022 at Enterprise Baptist Church, Viola, Arkansas, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mrs. Hall passed away Thursday, December 8, 2022, at her home.  

She was born May 12, 1924, near Mound City, Missouri, Jimmie James and Elsie Pauline Smith.  On March 5, 1939, Frances moved with her family from Mound City, Missouri to the family farm south of West Plains, Missouri.  The Hall family lived one mile through the woods from the Smith’s home, and it wasn’t long before a distinct path connecting the homes was made.  The Smith family and Hall family attended many church services together and soon Frank began dating Frances.  On November 2, 1942, Frances was married to Frank Hall at the home of the Reverend Joe Rouintree, northwest of West Plains in the Cull community.  When they were first married, Frances worked at The American Sales Co. and the F.W. Woodworth Stores on the Court Square in West Plains until 1945 when their son, Terry James, was born.  She returned to work in a few months and worked in various family businesses.  In the 1950’s, Frances worked in the family wallpaper and paint store, and in the Howell County Treasurer’s Office for 8 years where Frank served as Treasurer and welcomed their daughter, Patricia K. (Pat), who was born in December, 1952.  The Halls and partners also owned and operated the drive-in and movie theatres in West Plains during these years.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s the Halls owned and operated the Mo-Ark Burial Vault Co., Coin-Op Laundromat and Cleaners and assisted in the West Plains Ambulance Service.  Frances was a Christian and even though she lived a very active life, she loved serving as a pastor’s wife in small churches of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas where she taught children’s Sunday school classes.  Frances was an active member of Enterprise Baptist Church of Viola, Arkansas at the time of her passing.  She loved children and during her later years was able to babysit some of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and special little friends.

She is survived by her daughter, Pat Luther (Larry), Viola, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Michelle Miller (Randy), West Plains, Justin Luther (Rachel), Viola, Arkansas, , Mikala McGovern (Mike) and Brooke Vanover (Jason), southern California; eight great-grandchildren, Addison and Tucker Luther, Viola, Arkansas, Dee Dee Button (Ed), West Plains, D.J. Miller (Beth), Kansas City, Kansas, Caden. Cole and Sage McGovern and Jade Vanover, all of southern California; four great-great-grandchildren, Serenity, Acelyn, Nevaeh and Radley Button; several nieces and nephews;  special caregivers; and many other relatives and friends. 

Her parents, husband, one son, Terry James Hall, one brother, Lester Smith (Gladys), and one sister, Charlotte Watkins (Bob), preceded her in death.  

Visitation services will be held from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., at Enterprise Baptist Church.  Mrs. Hall will lie in state from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., Saturday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in Pickren Hall Cemetery, Viola, Arkansas.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

A memorial service for Barbara Jane Cook, 78, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, December 15, 2022 at Genesis Church.  

Mrs. Cook passed away at 4:00 p.m., Monday, December 5, 2022, at Cox South, Springfield, Missouri.  

She was born January 4, 1944, in Howell County, Missouri, to Cecil Harvey Jolliff and Mattie Belle Sharp Jolliff.  Barbara graduated from West Plains High School with the Class of 1962.  On October 9, 1965, she was married at West Plains, to James Cook, who preceded her in death on March 8, 2015.  Before her retirement in 2016, Mrs. Cook was the owner and operator of West Plains Floral & Balloonery.  She enjoyed painting, crafting, traveling, camping and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her special friend, Gale Turner, West Plains; three children, Teresa Lynn Uminn and husband, Douglas, David Russell Cook and wife, Crystal and Isobel Mae Cook, all of West Plains; five grandchildren, Lauren Brassfield and husband, Jared, Megan Uminn, Mason, Ravin and Hayden Cook; two great-grandchildren, Judd and Isla Brassfield; one brother, Jim Jolliff and wife, Pat, West Plains; and several nieces and nephews. 

Her parents, husband, one son, Michael Wayne Cook and one brother, Bob Jolliff, preceded her in death.  

Memorial contributions may be made to Ronald McDonald House or Hulston Cancer Center and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

A memorial service for Kent Craig, 63, Beebe, Arkansas, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 17, 2022 at Amy Baptist Church.  Services will be held in Granby, Colorado at a later date.

Kent passed away Monday, December 5, 2022, at his mother’s home.  

He was born April 20, 1959, at Bloomington, Illinois, to Charles E. and Vera Jeandeville Wray.  He accepted Jesus as his Saviour at the age of 10.  Kent was a 1977 graduate of Encampment High School, Encampment, Wyoming.  He enjoyed driving the big rigs, worked at a coal mine in Wyoming and Morrow Bros. in Granby, Colorado.  His favorite vehicle was his 40 year old Ford pickup named, Ethyl, because it ran “faster” on higher octane gas. 

He is survived by four daughters, Kerri Bailey, Salem, Arkansas, Kayla Franks and Brandon, Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, Samantha Brasel and Charlee Craig, both of Harrison, Arkansas; six grandchildren; his mother, Vera Jeandeville Craig Thomas; one brother, Keith Craig and Michelle, West Plains, Missouri; and several nieces,  nephews and cousins. 

His fathers, Charles E. Wray and Thomas H. Craig, infant son, James Rhubein Craig, grandson, Tyler, one son-in-law, Randy Bailey, one brother, Michael J. Craig and one sister, Carol Craig, preceded him in death.  

Memorial contributions may be made to Ozark Christian Academy and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

Funeral services for James Melvin Willard, 94, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, December 9, 2022 in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mr. Willard passed away December 5, 2022, at NHC HealthCare.

He was born on May 24, 1928, to Frank and Pearl (Ford) Willard in Cull, Missouri.  On June 11, 1949 he was united in marriage at Salem, Arkansas to Ethel Voorhis, who preceded him in death on January 11, 2011.  To this union two daughters were born; Beverly Louise and Susan Diane.  Jim was a Veteran, having served with the United States Marines Corp at Cherry Point, North Carolina.  Known as Bird Dog, he retired from a long career as a lineman at Howell-Oregon Electric.  Mr. Willard was a founding member of the Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Association (HOBA) and enjoyed spending his vacations on Norfork Lake with family and friends.   He will be remembered for his kindness, sense of humor, welcoming home, and love of his family. 

He is survived by his daughters, Beverly Wright (Bob) Alton, Missouri and Susan Lindsey (Roger) Winona, Missouri; four grandchildren, Amy Wright (Jason), West Plains, Missouri, Holly Reese (Blake), Alton, Missouri, Josh Browning (Amber), Squires, Missouri and Sara Wheeler (John) Alton, Missouri; eight great-grandchildren, Jace and Jaylee Reese, Hayden, McKenna, Jeremiah, Anna and Liam Browning and Kayden Wheeler; and several nieces, nephews, and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers, Herschel and George Willard, three sisters, Marie Wheat, Pauline Collins, and Naomi Dye, and a special nephew, Steven Willard. 

Visitation services will be held from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

Cindra Jane Loree, 68, Caulfield, Missouri, passed away at 7:59 p.m., Monday, December 5, 2022, at Ozarks Medical Center.  

She was born December 4, 1954, at Williamsport, Indiana, to Floyd Britton and Clara Woods Britton.  On October 17, 1986, she was married at Bell, Missouri, to David Loree.  Mrs. Loree was a veteran, having served with the United States Army.  She was a loving wife and was a dedicated nurse. 

She is survived by her husband, David Loree, Caulfield, Missouri; two children, Patricia Heskett and husband, Eddie, Millington, Tennessee and Cassie Loree, Portland, Oregon; two grandchildren, Danial Barnes, Atlanta, Georgia and  Jason Shriver, Millington, Tennessee; four brothers, Richard Warren and wife, Carol,  Hideaway, Texas, Floyd Britton, Jr. and wife, Judy, Cardwell, Missouri, William C. Britton and wife, Jill, Fredricktown, Missouri and Charles Edwin and wife, Rehna, Bell, Missouri; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Her parents, and one brother, James Henry preceded her in death.  

Arrangements under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

A celebration of life for Hannah Lee Grisham, 22, West Plains, Missouri, will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday, December 9, 2022, at Trinity Worship Center in West Plains, Missouri  

Ms. Grisham passed away at 12:46 p.m., Friday, December 2, 2022, at CoxHealth in Springfield, Missouri.

She was born October 28, 2000, at West Plains, Missouri, to Gary and Kim (Pate) Grisham.  Hannah was a unique person who marched to the beat of her own drum.  She was a great mother, and she was always trying to find ways to be an even better mother.  Hannah loved her children very much.

She is survived by three children, five-year-old Emberly Grisham, three-year-old Renesmae Grisham, and seven-month-old Zepplelin Grisham, all of West Plains, Missouri; one brother, Sargon Morningstar and spouse, Finn, West Plains, Missouri; three sisters, Tifiny Swedensky and spouse, Charles, state of Virginia, Angelica Adelsberger and spouse, Brock, West Plains, Missouri, and Jamee Grisham, Springfield, Missouri; and nine nieces and nephews, including Myles and Maddox of West Plains, Missouri.

Memorial contributions may be made to Isabel’s House Crisis Nursery and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.

A memorial service for Catherine Elizabeth Blackshire Fowler, known as Bettye to all, 95, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 10, 2022 at First Christian Church, West Plains, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mrs. Fowler passed away peacefully at the West Vue Sleepy Oaks home in West Plains, Missouri, on December 3, 2022.

Bettye was the younger of two daughters born to Cecil Earl Blackshire and Otilla Embry Blackshire on March 12, 1927.  While most of her childhood was spent in Morrilton, she moved to Harrison for her junior year of high school, living with her older half-sister, Beryl Newman Murray.  During her year in Harrison, Bettye began walking to school with a classmate who lived next door.  And though they never dated in high school, her neighbor and walking partner, Marvin Fowler, would later become the man Bettye would walk through life with for 73 years of marriage.?Bettye returned to Morrilton for her senior year of high school, then obtained a degree in vocal music from Arkansas State Teacher’s College (now University of Central Arkansas) in Conway.  While attending college she won the title of Miss Morrilton and competed in the Miss Arkansas pageant, where she captured first place in the talent portion of the competition singing Oscar Hammerstein’s then-popular “Indian Love Call.”   Bettye loved to sing and to teach others to sing.  After college, she taught vocal music in public school systems, first in Crossett, then in Van Buren.  While teaching in Van Buren she and Marvin rekindled their relationship and married on June 20, 1949, just before Marvin’s final year of medical school at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock.   After their 1954 move to West Plains, where Marvin started his medical practice, Bettye organized choral groups, taught young people to sing, and volunteered weekly at the West Vue Nursing Home, carrying in boxes of songbooks from her church, leading devotionals and singing hymns with West Vue’s elderly residents.  She was a longtime member of the Curry Street Church of Christ, before joining the First Christian Church in West Plains where she sang in the choir until age 89.  Bettye and Marvin raised three children, Richard, Robin, and Rex in a home they built on West 3rd Street in West Plains.  Bettye was a passionate and competitive bridge player.  She loved to organize bridge games at her home, and seemed to have a different brightly patterned jacket and matching pair of shoes to wear for every foursome.  She enjoyed hosting dinner parties inside her home and in her backyard for friends and neighbors, Sunday School class members, her extended family, and for others she’d just met.  Bettye cherished her friendships wherever she lived.  These friends were deeply committed to her, even as her health deteriorated in her later years. Marvin, Richard, Robin, and Rex will forever be grateful to them. The family is also appreciative of the compassionate care Bettye received in the final years of her life from the caregivers at West Vue. 

Bettye is survived by her husband and the love of her life, Marvin; their son and daughter-in-law, Richard Tilden Fowler and Barbara Roll Fowler of Fayette, Missouri; their daughter and son-in-law, Robin Elizabeth Fowler Lee and Rod Lee of Camano Island, Washington; their son, Rex Fowler of Hartford, Connecticut; son-in-law, James ‘Jim’ Mauer of St. Louis; five grandchildren, Ryan Fowler and his spouse, Emily, Tommy Mauer, Dane Fowler, David Mauer and his spouse, Kristin, Melanie Mauer, and two great-grandchildren, Cora  Fowler and Bayleigh Fowler.  Survivors also include two nephews and one niece, John Jeffrey Scroggin, William Earl Scroggin, and Phyllis Scroggin McKuin, along with their spouses, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

Bettye loved the children and family members of her sister, Billie Jeanne as if they were her own.

Visitation services will be held from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in Howell Memorial Park Cemetery.  The family requests that those who wish to make a memorial gift in Bettye’s name please consider the Martha Vance Samaritan Outreach Center, 715 Missouri Avenue, West Plains, MO 65775 (www.samaritanoutreachcenter.com) and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775. Online condolences may be expressed at www.robertsondrago.com.   

“And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend – Even so, it is well with my soul!”

Funeral services for David Driskell, 74, Pomona, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 10, 2022 in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mr. Driskell passed away at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 3, 2022, at his home.  

He was born October 28, 1948, in Howell County, Missouri, to Virl and Lola May Driskell.  On May 27, 1967, he was married at Independence, Iowa, to Linda Lou Straw, who preceded him in death on April 14, 2017.  Mr. Driskell was a veteran, having served with the United States Army where he received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service and Campaign Medals, and a Bronze Star.  Before his retirement, David was a mechanic for International Harvester, Independence, Iowa, White Ford, Willow Springs, Missouri and Morlan-Shell Ford, West Plains, Missouri and was a cattle hauler for Hoover Farms of West Plains.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, truck and tractor pulling and spending time with family. 

He is survived by two daughters, Schantel Smith and Melanie Reid, both of Pomona, Missouri; three grandchildren, Hailey and David Reid and Nora Elizabeth Reed; one brother, Larry Driskell and wife, Dixie, Tecumseh, Nebraska; five sisters, Arlean Szynskie, Tabor, Iowa, Irene Garrett, West Plains, Missouri, Eulah Marie Driskell, Illinois, Lucy Bjorgaard and husband, Dale, Pomona, Missouri and Linda Bloomquist, Maryville, Missouri; sisters-in-law, Nancy Driskell, Carol Miller and Donna Simmons; and many nieces and nephews.

His parents, wife, two infant brothers, two brothers, Junior and Dale Driskell, two sisters, Joyce Ahrens and Thelma Lanam, mother-in-law and father-in-law,  Agnes and Ruben Straw, four brothers-in-law,  Jerry Miller, Jeff Simmons, Jackie Garrett and Dan Ahrens, one sister-in-law, Ellen Driskell, preceded him in death.  

Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Friday, in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in the Howell Memorial Park Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to the family and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.