Polk County
Genealogical Society, Inc.
Headquartered
in Bolivar, Missouri, United States of America
PCGS Membership Memorial Tributes
Macelia "Macy" Nell
Breithaupt True (1943-2013)
Macy founded the
"Lost Higgenbothams newsletter and always had encouraging
things to say about PCGS. She was always sending
nice emails and dropping by to say "Hi" to those at the
facility.
OBITUARY: Macelia Nell “Macy” True, age 69, passed away
on Monday, February 18, 2013 at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis,
Missouri.
Macy was born Nov 4, 1943 to Stanley Breithaupt and Juanita
(Higgenbotham) Breithaupt in Springfield, Missouri.
On September 18, 1987 Macy was united in marriage to Daryl True
in Webster Grove, Missouri.
Macy retired from Automatic Data Processing, she was a
home-maker, was a former President and Newsletter Editor of
"The Lost Higgenbothams", and started a cancer support
group this past year in her church.
She is preceded in death by her parents; Stanley and Juanita, and
three brothers; Romie Cole Harris, Stanley Con Breithaupt, and
Donald Gene Breithaupt.
She is survived by her husband; Daryl True of the home, a
brother; Holace Frank Breithaupt and his wife Patty of
Springfield, Missouri, step-son; David True and his wife Tina of
Austin, Texas, step-daughter; Sarah Mulligan and her husband
Frank of Gilbert, Arizona, a granddaughter; Claire Rose Mulligan
of Gilbert, Arizona, an aunt; Freda Bruer of Daleville, Alabama,
along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, February
23, 2013 at Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri with Pastor
Debbie Peebles and Pastor Gloria Jones officiating under the care
and direction of Butler Funeral Home.
No visitation will be held.
Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery East of Bolivar.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the
Cancer Support Group, Fenton United Methodist Church, 800 Gravois
Road, Fenton, Missouri 63026
Friends and family may sign the guestbook or leave private
condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com
Sylvia Lee Simmons Thomas (1936
-2013)
Sylvia was
a hard-working member of the society, spending many hours
collecting newspaper clippings and compiling scrapbooks for use
by the society's members and customers.
OBITUARY:
Sylvia "Sally" Thomas, 76, of Bolivar, formerly
of Colorado and Nebraska, passed away at Citizens Memorial
Healthcare on Monday, January 28, 2013. She was born as a twin
daughter of Bennie and Genevieve Lyle Simmons in Bolivar.
She married Jerry Breshears in 1954 and they were the parents of a son, Bruce. In 1967 Sylvia married Robert Hall Cruse and in 1977 she married Calvin Thomas in California.
Sylvia attended Bolivar Schools graduating from Bolivar High School Class of 1954. She worked as a meatwrapper for the Lucky's Store chain in California and while living there she enjoyed going to concerts at Knotts Berry Farm. Sylvia has written a family history, a history of the town of Peetz, Colorado with the information stored at the Sidney, Nebraska Library, and she has compiled information concerning Polk County School graduates with the information stored at the Polk County Genealogical Society.
She was a member of the American Legion Post 138, a member of the First Assembly of God in Bolivar, the Over 50 Club, the Senior Center $5 Club, and worked as a volunteer for the Genealogical Society and Historical Society as long as her health permitted.
She was preceded in death by her parents, twin sister Sue and her husband Max Kinsey, sister Doris Pyle, brothers Lewis Simmons and Glen Simmons, husbands Robert Hall Cruse and Calvin Thomas; and nephew Jeffrey Thomas.
Sylvia is survived by her son Bruce Earl Breshears of Broomfield, Colorado; sister Mary Box of Buffalo; nephew John Box, Roger Box and family; niece Roberta Brasher of Halfway; sister-in-law Helen Burec Simmons and her children Susan Parks and Nancy Hammond and their families; cousins Wayne Simmons of Florida, Zelma Phelps of Kewanee, Illinois, Mary Jackson of Moline, Illinois; and other family members.
Gravesite services for Sylvia Thomas will be held 11 AM Friday, February 1st at the Shady Grove Cemetery in Humansville where she will be buried next to her grandparents. The service will be officiated by Rev. Gary Ankrom, friends James Whitman and Bill Bob Kallenbach, under the care and direction of Murray Funeral Home of Bolivar. The cremains of her husband will be buried with her as well.
Memorial contributions may be given in Sylvia's memory to either the Genealogical Society of Bolivar or the Shady Grove Cemetery % David Ross, 408 W Fisher, Humansville, MO 65674.
Sylvia wishes a special thank you for help during her sickness to dear friends James Whitman, Steve and Renee Sagaser.
Online condolences may be submitted to www.murrayfuneralhomes.com
Lula Mae Mustain Kent (1935-2013)
Lula knew everyone in town because she
was either related to them or helped them at Roweton's Home
Center. She was always glad to see you and always had a smile on
her face. She will be missed.
OBITUARY:
Mrs. Lula Mae Kent of Bolivar, Missouri passed away Monday,
January 7, 2013 at Select Specialty Hospital in Springfield,
Missouri at the age of 77 years, 10 months, and 27 days. Lula was
born on February 11, 1935 to Dora Blanche (Mitchem) Mustain and
Richard “Harrison” Mustain in Fair Play, Missouri. Lula
was raised in the Bolivar area and made her home in Bolivar for
most of her adult life.
She married Eugene Albert “Pinky” Kent at the First
Christian Church on July 6, 1962. They were blessed with a total
of three children: Jayne, Kevin and Michael. They made their home
in Bolivar where Lula took a part time job over the holidays at
the local Western Auto. That part time job was to become a career
that spanned over 51 years. Known today as Roweton’s Home
Center, Lula felt fortunate to be able to work there right up
till the day the pneumonia she developed required her
hospitalization. Lazy was a foreign concept to Lula and she took
great pride in being able to work. She was a veritable fountain
of knowledge in all things relating to hardware.
Lula was a member of the Genealogical Society, Historical
Society, Rebecca Lodge and had been honored by the Rotary Club in
2007 as the first recipient of the Second Mile Award. She was a
believer in giving back to her community, but did not seek
recognition for doing so. Instead, she was an anonymous
contributor to various charities in which she found merit. To
honor that memory, the family would like to challenge everyone
that hasn’t, to please find a similar way in which to
support your own community. Whether it be time or money, it was
important for Lula to give back. Also, Lula was not only an SBU
Booster but probably the best cheerleader that any of the local
teams could possibly have. Her favorite sport was basketball and
over the years she became a lexicon of knowledge as related to
not only local teams but college as well. She always enjoyed
March Madness and was usually pretty accurate in predicting its
outcome. Lula loved her family and enjoyed spending time with
them as well as her many friends. She was never too busy to say
“Howdy” or stop for a minute to chew the fat. In fact,
Lula loved to eat out so that she could have more time to visit.
Why waste all that time in the kitchen when she could spend more
time with family and friends by going out?
Lula is survived by her daughter Jayne Dobbs and husband Darren
of Mtn. Grove, MO., two sons; Kevin Kent of Fair Play, MO., and
Michael Kent and wife Aline of Pelham, NC., four grandsons;
Michael Kent, Jr., Jonathan Kent, David Kent, and Allen Dobbs;
five great grandchildren, Shawn Kent, Merci Kent, Chris Carter,
Lauren Carter, and Brad Carter; two sisters, Shirley Trammell and
husband Bud of Bolivar, MO., Cookie Witt of Ash Grove, MO., two
brothers, Ted Mustain and wife Ginger of Hemet, CA., Robert
Mustain and wife Judy of Brighton, MO., sister-in-law Evelyn
Toelle of Oklahoma City, OK., , many nieces, nephews, and other
relatives, plus a host of friends.
Lula was preceded in death by her husband Eugene
“Pinky” Kent, a brother Tom Mustain, two
sisters-in-law, Connie Mustain and Helen Rice; and two
brothers-in-law, Jerry Witt and Charles Toelle.
Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00pm Thursday evening at the
Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 11 at 11:00 AM
in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow and be at
the Dunnegan Cemetery under the direction of the Butler Funeral
Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Tremain Hospitality
House in Bolivar, Missouri.
Friends and family may sign the guest book or send private
condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com
Martha Jane Fullerton
(1929-2012)
Jane and her sister Mary joined PCGS a
few years back after attending our "Genealogy Basics"
class but they weren't really "new" since many of us
had known them for years.
OBITUARY:
Martha Jane Fullerton, the third of five children of Donald Raif
“Jerry” and Grace Jane Hargis Fullerton, was born
October 19, 1929, in Polk County, Missouri. She passed away
September 7 at the age of 82.
Jane lived her entire life in or near Bolivar. She attended
one-room rural schools and graduated from Bolivar High School,
where she was a member of the Bolivar High School Hall of Fame.
She attended Southwest Baptist University and earned a
bachelor’s degree in education from Southwest Missouri State
University. She also earned two master’s degrees — one
in administration and one in guidance and counseling — from
Drury University, where she was awarded a Drury Alumni University
Award for service to education. She taught in a one-room rural
school for three years and at Morrisville for three years. She
then taught for 40 years in the Bolivar school system, retiring
in 1993.
For more than 60 years, she was a member of the Missouri State
Teachers Association, where she was chosen 1988 MSTA Leader of
the Year. For more than 50 years, she was a member of Kappa Kappa
Iota, a teacher service sorority. In her later years, she was a
member of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association, where she
served as state president of both the MRTA Association and MRTA
Foundation.
At an early age, she accepted Jesus Christ as her savior. At the
time of her death, she was one of the oldest members of the Mount
Gilead United Methodist Church.
Jane was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers,
Robert Eugene Fullerton and his wife, Marjorie Ball Fullerton,
and Donald Dean Fullerton. She is survived by two sisters, Mary
Ellen Fullerton, with whom she resided, and Lucinda Lee Fullerton
Stewart and her husband, Glenn, of Bolivar. She also is survived
by nine nieces and nephews:
• Bob’s daughters, Marilyn, and her husband, Roy Albin,
and their children Marcie, Kelsey and Andy of Bolivar; and
Carolyn and her husband, Clint McAllister, and their son Kyle of
Springfield.
• Cindy’s sons, Jerry Dale Stewart, and his wife,
Trudy, step-daughter Jennifer, husband John Lamosi and son,
Jacob; and step-daughter Heather, all of Springfield; and Terry
Glenn Stewart and his wife, Ronda, and daughters Addie and Emma,
of Bolivar.
• Don’s children, Jane Ellen, and her husband, Terry
Lemons, and their children Benjamin and Sarah, of Bristow, Va.;
Leslie and her husband, Jim Hutter, and their children Tate,
Hayes, Gibbs and Tess, of Republic; Betsy and her husband,
Stewart Eckols, and their sons Blace and Trey, of England, and
their daughter, Alexandra, of Lubbock, Tex.; Jeffrey and his
wife, Tommi Fullerton, and their children Logan, Raif, Reed and
Rhett, of Bolivar; and Jennifer and her husband, Jim Ernst, and
their daughter Carly, of Bedford, Ia.
Services will be held Monday, September 10, at 11 a.m. at Butler
Funeral Home in Bolivar with the Rev. Clint Lambeth officiating.
Burial will follow at Mt. Gilead United Methodist Church
cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the
Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation Endowment or the Mount
Gilead United Methodist Church.
Friends and family may sign the guest book or send private
condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com
Marilyn Quitt Rogers (1933-2012)
Marilyn
was one of the first members of the society when it was formed in
1994. Although her health hadn't permitted her to attend meetings
recently, she was still a strong supporter of PCGS.
OBITUARY: Marilyn Ann Rogers, 79, of Halfway,
MIssouri passed away Monday, September 3, 2012, at Citizens
Memorial Hospital, Bolivar. Marilyn was born in Kenmare, North
Dakota the daughter of Arthur Benjamin and Violet Viola Fennell
Quitt who lived long lives in Minnesota.
Marilyn married James Edward Rogers on June 20, 1951 and he preceded her in death in 1982. She was baptized into the Lutheran Church in Glenwood, Minnesota and retired from the U.S. Postal Service in Independence, Missouri.
Marilyn moved with her family to the area in 1980 and she became enthralled with the community of Halfway. She researched and wrote a book about the history of Halfway and the book is in the Polk County Library. She was a member of the Halfway Volunteer Fire Department, she was a volunteer cafeteria worker the the Halfway School, and a member of the TOPS Club in Buffalo. She loved to travel and was a voracious reader. She loved to paint, quilt, crochet, sew and work in her garden, but her special passion was genealogical research. She was very meticulous in whatever she attempted to do.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.
She is survived by sons Michael A. Rogers of Halfway and Sonny Jimmy Cal Rogers and wife Lisa of Independence, Missouri; daughter Rosetta Grace Hernandez and husband Luis of Miami, Florida; eight grandchildren Benjamin Donald Rogers, James Arthur Rogers, Shannon Denese Rogers, Robin Renee McClain; Nicholas William Hernandez; Barbara Sternberg-Garmon, Suzanne Logan, and Luis F. Hernandez, Jr.; and five great-grandchildren Lauren Vaughn, Amanda Palacio, Aaron Sternberg, Willow and Summer Hernandez.
A celebration of Marilyn's life will be held at her residence, 2019 Highway 32, Halfway, Missouri on Saturday, September 8th, 2012 from 2-4 pm with the burial of her cremains at 3 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Marilyn's name to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 62, 1100 Maple Street, Buffalo, MO 65622.
Online condolences may be submitted to http://www.murrayfuneralhomes.com. Published in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press Friday, September 7, 2012
Lucille Castle Peterson
(1910-2011)
Mrs.
Peterson and her foundation, The Peterson Foundation, were
instrumental in the success of the Polk County Genealogical
Society Research Facility. Thanks to her generous donations over
the years, the PCGS has been able to complete the purchase of the
building and enact many needed improvements over the years.
OBITUARY: Mrs. Lucille Castle Peterson joined her husband Harrold Richard Peterson and other family members in heaven on Wednesday August 17, 2011. She resided at the Bolivar Parkview Healthcare Facility. Lucille was the daughter of Hattie Lee Mann Castle and George Thomas Castle and was born September 22, 1910 in Pecan Gap, Texas. She would have celebrated her 101st birthday next month.
She graduated from Ozark High School near Altus, Oklahoma in 1931. She married Harrold Peterson on January 6, 1932 at the pastor’s home in Friendship, Oklahoma. They spent over 40 years in the rural telephone business. Their company became the first rural dial system in the state of Oklahoma.
Lucille is preceded in death by her mother and father, her husband, her brothers George Lafayette, William Bryan and Ray Randolph and her sisters Thelma Lee Owens, her twin Lorraine DeVilliers, her younger sister Hattie Maxine Houston and her daughter-in-law Janis Stoup Peterson.
Lucille is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Lou Thelen and Ronald Kemp of Bolivar, Missouri and her son Dwight Harrold Peterson of Roosevelt, Oklahoma, her grandchildren Ronald Nuburn Kemp, Jr. and wife Marjorie, Luther Harrold Kemp, Wesley Don Kemp and wife Marla, Debora Dawn Peterson Williams, and Don Wayne Peterson, her great grandchildren Serenity Ann Kemp Wilson and Charles Wilson, Levi Nuburn Kemp and Diana Kemp, Tyler Don Kemp, Landon Holt Kemp, Rylee Lou Kemp, Laura Alyssa Kemp, Erin McKenzie Kemp, Kyle Don Wager, Kelsey Marie Wager and Daniel Wade Peterson, her great-great grandchildren, Evan Nuburn Kemp, Ariana Marie Kemp, Mia Joann Wilson, Michael Luther Wilson, nieces and friends.
Lucille was a lady of integrity and honesty. She was very resilient, able to accept many challanges and a great problem solver. She was an adventurous person and was willing to try many new things and ideas. She will be missed and continually loved by her family as they strive to continue her legacy.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Saturday August 27, 2011 at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri with Rev. Bill Hooper and Dr. Ron Kemp officiating. Visitation will follow the services at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Donnie Peterson, Ron Kemp Jr., Luther Harrold Kemp, and Wes Kemp. Honorary Pallbearers will be Tyler Don Kemp, Landon Kemp, Levi Kemp, Charles Wilson, Kyle Wager, Daniel Peterson, and Guy Jackson.
Funeral services in Oklahoma will be held at 10:00am Monday August 29, 2011 at The First Baptist Church in Roosevelt, Oklahoma. Burial will follow at the Altus City Cemetery in Altus, Oklahoma.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Polk County Genealogical Society Library, P.O. Box 632, Bolivar, Missouri 65613
Friends and family may sign the guestbook or leave private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com Published in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press, Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Dr. William K. Hall (1918-2011)
Dr. Hall
was a friend to many genealogical societies and took a special
interest in our little society. The members loved to
receive letters from him and he enjoyed receiving them
back. His books make up the bulk of PCGS's section on
Greene County.
Article: "Historian helped families track past", posted 12 Mar 2011 by Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director of the Springfield-Greene County Library District.
The man who preserved our past in scrapbooks of newspaper clippings -- now the most-used volumes in the library system -- has, himself, become an entry in local history.
Dr. William K. Hall, who earned the gratitude of genealogists and amateur researchers alike, died March 2 in St. Louis. He was 93.
If you've never searched old family records or birth announcements, "Hall's Collection" may mean little. But news of his death is rippling through the communities of genealogists and historians because of what he gave us.
Hall spent nearly a lifetime creating an index and scrapbooks of the vital records that appeared in Springfield-Greene County newspapers dating to 1865. These kinds of records are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in family research or the history of southwest Missouri. People use them to trace relatives -- perhaps family fortunes -- through birth records, marriage or engagement announcements or obituaries.
Local History Librarian Michael Glenn praised Hall's contribution. "Dr. Hall's 145-year index to items of genealogical interest from Springfield newspapers has proven to be an invaluable tool for historians and genealogists, saving many people countless hours of searching newspapers day by day for death, marriage and divorce information," Glenn said.
Hall began indexing the newspaper items while attending Central High School. He said he did it to keep up with hometown news and to support his own research while at Yale, studying medicine at Harvard, serving 20 years in the U.S. Navy and World War II, and practicing medicine in St. Louis and St. Charles. Hall also wrote numerous genealogy books.
All the while, he continued to cut and paste articles into old magazines. He indexed the items in the back and had photocopies made and bound into books, which he then gave to the library and genealogical groups. The library's collection of 230 volumes stretches 45 linear feet.
Ongoing work to digitize his books and indexes appears on Missouri Digital Heritage, under "Hall's Index & Items of Genealogical Interest from the Springfield, Greene County, MO Newspapers."
"I was saddened to learn ... of Dr. Hall's recent death," said historian Sally Lyons McAlear. "There are many genealogical and historical discoveries I owe to his contributions." McAlear's hope is to see a notice honoring his passing in the 2011 Hall's Index. She added, "His death certainly needs to make the index, after he included countless thousands of other deaths and items of local interest."
Excerpt
from article posted Sep 2009:
Dr. Hall began indexing Springfield newspaper items of
genealogical interest while still in high school and has
continued to do so since. He would cut and paste
articles into old magazines and then index the items in the back
and have photocopies made and bound into books, which he then
gave to the library. This set of books are the most used
books in the Springfield-Greene County Library system.
Often patrons from near and far will fill several carts full of
books in a day, especially during a holiday week. People
use the books to find birth announcements, marriage or engagement
announcements and divorce notices.
The most
popular use of the indexes is to look up obituaries. While
it may sound morbid, obituaries can be a gold mine of information
for genealogists. Dr. Hall has also indexed Springfield
newspapers from the 1800’s forward into the
1940’s.
Dr. Hall is
the son of Edward B. and Mary Kearney Hall. His mother's
father was Michael Kearney, master mechanic with the Frisco
Railroad. Dr. Hall attended Boyd, Pipkin Junior High and
Central High schools here in Springfield. He graduated from
Yale in 1939 and received his medical degree from Harvard in
1942. He was an officer in the Navy during World War II.
From Ozarks Genealogical Society Newsletter, April 2011:
William K. Hall was born October 9, 1918, in Springfield, Mo., the son of Edward B. Hall and Mary (Kearney) Hall. He attended Springfield schools and then earned a BS degree from Yale University (class of 1939) and an MD degree from Harvard Medical School (class of 1942). He joined the Navy and served 20 years, retiring in 1962 as a Captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy.
William Hall's avocation was Springfield, MO history. While in the Army he began compiling scrapbooks of vital records and obituaries from Springfield, MO newspapers. Those original scrapbooks are in the OGS Library and bound copies are at TLC, the Library of Congress and the LDS Library in Salt Lake City, UT. He also published a book, "Springfield, Greene County, Missouri Inhabitants in 1880," compiled an index to biographies in Greene County histories and produced genealogies of the following families: Hall, Bennington, Bussing, Perkins, Simms, and Delaney.
Marsha Hoffman Rising
(1945-2010)
Marsha was known across the USA as
an excellent genealogist and researcher but she always had time
for and the desire to help her local genealogical societies. The
Polk County Genealogical Society Research Facility now houses
over 400 research and reference books used by Marsha to research.
Marsha generously and graciously donated the books to PCGS after
publication of her work, "Opening the Ozarks: The First
Families in Southwest Missouri."
OBITUARY: Marsha Hoffman Rising died peacefully in her bed on the
seventeenth of February 2010 after a thirteen and a half year
battle with ovarian cancer. She was born on the nineteenth of
August, 1945 in Kansas City, Mo. to Paul and Zella (Deschner)
Hoffman. She graduated from Winter Haven FL High school. She
received her BA in Psychology from the University of South
Florida and her MSW from Florida State University. She then
taught for a year at Troy State University before being hired to
become the first Director of the MSU undergraduate Social Work
program. She guided that program though accreditation. In her
early days in Springfield she was on the steering committee for
the Child Advocacy Council and was the President of the local
ACLU.
She then changed directions, left the University and became a Certified Genealogist. In that capacity she became the President of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the President of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, a Fellow and President of the American Society of Genealogists, the Vice-President of the National Genealogical Society and a Trustee of both the New England Historic Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She published several books, the most popular of which was The Family Tree Problem Solver. She also published several genealogical references the magnum opus being Opening the Ozarks: The First Families in Southwest Missouri.
In time she was given by the excellent surgery by Dr. Albert Bonebrake and experimental chemotherapy after her cancer diagnosis she chose to become a traveler. She visited 7 continents, 42 countries and all 50 states. She leaves to mourn her husband Dean; her sister , Carol; step-daughter, Amy and Amy's husband Brian Brown, all of whom want to thank St. John's Hospice for their care in the final days of Marsha's illness. Her body has been cremated and at her request there will be no service. There will be a visitation at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home Friday, February nineteenth, 7 to 9 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: FGS, 1812 Fund-Rising Tribute, P.O. Box 200940 Austin, Texas 78720-0940. Published in the Springfield News-Leader Feb. 2010
James Woodrow "Woody"
Kinsey (1922-2010)
Woody and
his wife Ernestine are newer members of PCGS but are well known
around Polk County as retired educators. Woody could always be
counted on for a good joke :-)
OBITUARY : James Woodrow (Woody) Kinsey, born
September 27th, 1922, passed away on January 20 after a long
illness. He was the first of four brothers all born to Ordie and
May Kinsey on a small farm north of Bolivar located near Huron.
After graduating from Goodson High School in 1941, he entered the Army/Air Force in December of 1942. After completing basic training, the Army/Air Force assigned him to the 583rd Signal Air Corp located in the Pacific Asian theatre. He participated in five land invasions, including New Guinea, the Philippines and the East Indies. He was preparing to be part of the invasion force of Japan when President Truman signed the surrender treaty with the Japanese. He in turn became part of the occupation force on mainland Japan.
After the discharge from military service in 1945, he found employment as an assistant at Carver Jewelry Store. While serving at the jewelry store, he met Ernestine Stewart. They were to marry five years later in August of 1950. By 1946 Woodrow had completed an Associate’s Degree from Southwest Baptist and started what became a 35 year career as an educator mostly in the Bolivar School Systems. During that 35 year span, he first taught in the high school classroom teaching classes in the social sciences; in the later part of his career he was promoted to assistant principle and principle until his retirement in 1982. During the course of those 35 years he went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from Southwest Missouri State and a Master’s Degree from Drury College.
Woodrow’s organizational ties included a membership in the First Baptist Church for 45 years, serving as a Sunday School teacher and a lifelong member of the Rotary Club where he served as President. Other civic clubs included the Junior Chamber of Commerce and American Legion. A contribution Woodrow made to many civic organizations in the Bolivar Community was preparation and cooking of several thousand broilers.
Woodrow took great pride as a charter member of the World War II Memorial on the national mall in Washington DC and had the opportunity to visit this site twice during the past decade.
He was politically active serving as on Polk County Committee of the Democrat Party and participated directly in many of the activities of the party including accompanying his wife to two separate Democrat Conventions in 1980 and 2008. One special event for both his wife and he was an attending a reception at the White House hosted by President Carter. Woodrow found popularity among his students over the years he served on the faculty as students time and again selected him as senior class sponsor, which resulted in over a dozen trips to Washington DC with the senior classes.
Woodrow most importantly will be remembered as a wonderful husband and Father by his son and wife. He is survived by his wife Ernestine of 59 years, a son Timothy Stewart Kinsey and wife Cynthia in Leesburg, VA, three children: Rachael of Honolulu, Hawaii, Jacob and Rebecca both of Leesburg, VA. A brother Tom Kinsey and wife Lee reside in Springfield, while a second brother Don and wife Nancy reside in St. Louis. Further survivors include a sister-in-law Harlene Easter of Bolivar and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the St Jude Children’s Hospital would be appreciated. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 1:00 PM in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Billy Russell officiating. Bob Martin will be giving a Eulogy. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar. Military Honors will be conducted by the AMVETS Post #114, Flemington, MO
A Visitation will be held on Saturday Evening from 6-8 PM in the Butler Chapel.
Friends may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com Published in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press Friday, January 22, 2010
Roger A. Morrison (1938-2010)
Roger was
a brand new member (2009) of PCGS and we all were looking forward
to getting to know him.
Roger A. Morrison, 71, Humansville, died Friday, April 9, 2010 at his home. The son of Boyd L. and Pearl L. (Brown) Morrison, he was born July 23, 1938 in Humansville.
Roger graduated from Humansville High School in 1956. He continued his education at Southwest Baptist College receiving an Associate of Arts degree in 1959. In 1966 he received a Bachelor of Science degree from Southwest Missouri State University and in 1979 he received a Master of Education degree from Drury University.
He and Bonnie Morrison were married for 30 years.
Roger taught school for 17 years. He then was employed by the Missouri Division of Family Services and later by the Missouri Department of Corrections. He also served as a preacher for 7 years. His hobbies included genealogy, writing and just being in the country.
Survivors include 2 children, Sheila Gibson and husband, Joel, Sparta, and Sean Morrison and wife, Amy, O’Fallon; 5 grandchildren, Krista Allen-Barnard, Lee Gibson, Hannah Morrison, Samuel Morrison and Haley Morrison; 3 sisters, Virginia Jones, Springfield, Emma Slone, Brookline and Linda King, Springfield; 1 brother, Wayne Morrison, Flemington; and 2 uncles, Robert Brown, Humansville and Arthur Brown, Phoenix, Arizona.
A memorial service will be at 11:00 AM Friday at Murray Funeral Home, Humansville with Rev. Mike Brixey officiating. Inurnment will follow in Humansville Cemetery. Published in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Frank Thomas Dickerson
(1930-2010)
Frank and
his wife Dolores were longtime members and faithful supporters of
PCGS. It was because of their generosity that the beautiful
shutters on display throughout the PCGS facility were made
possible. These shutters were handpainted with local scenes from
Polk County and placed in the windows. Frank and Dolores donated
the entire cost of the artwork. Frank and Dolores were also
faithful meeting attendees until their health kept them away.
OBITUARY: Mr. Frank Thomas Dickerson, age 79, of Bolivar, MO, passed away May 9, 2010, in the Citizens Memorial Hospital Bolivar, MO. He was born December 21, 1930, in Polk County, MO, to Ernest Earl and Ann Lee (Hughes) Dickerson. He is a US Army Korean War veteran. He is a member of the First Christian Church of Bolivar.
He was united in marriage to Dolores Jean (Ritter) Appleby June 1, 1974. His parents; his first wife Cora Sue Ragsdale; and a great granddaughter Karla Dee Robles precede him in death. He is survived by his wife of 36 years Dolores of the home; his son Russell Dickerson and wife Debbie of Polk, MO; his daughter Dee Ann Robinson and husband Dan of Bolivar, MO; step-children: Teresa Barker and husband Danny of Bolivar, MO, Robert Appleby and wife Lavonne of Bolivar, MO, Dana Peak and husband David of Marshfield, MO; four grandchildren: Dustin and Ryan Dickerson of Polk, MO, Dylan and Denae Robinson of Bolivar, MO; eight step-grandchildren: Travis, Curtis, and William Barker of Bolivar, MO, Josh and Rachel Appleby of Bolivar, Becky Robles of Colorado Springs, CO, Megan Parrott of Marshfield, MO, Nick Peak of Marshfield, MO; two great grandchild and six step-great grandchildren; as well as many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM Thursday, May 20, 2010, in Pitts Chapel with Rev. Jerry Book officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery Bolivar, MO. Pallbearers will be Travis Barker, Curtis Barker, William Barker, Dustin Dickerson, Ryan Dickerson, and Nick Peak, with Josh Appleby as an Honorary Pallbearer. Visitation will be held Thursday, May 20th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm one hour before the service in the funeral home. Friends and family may sign a guest book or send private condolences at: www.greenlawnfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Pitts Chapel Bolivar, MO. Published in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press on Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Gary W. Routh (1942-2010)
Gary was a
longtime member of PCGS. Although he never met most of the
members of PCGS, we could always count on him to drop us an
encouraging note. He was very excited about the First Families
project and volunteered many suggestions and samples to get us
started in the project. He was looking forward to submitting his
paperwork for certification but passed away before he was able
to.
OBITUARY:
Passed away the evening of Feb. 14, 2010. He was born Sept. 9,
1942 in Lamar, CO to Earl and Eva (Lamle) Routh. He married Sally
Turner in Las Animas in 1971 who passed away in 1988. He married
Janice LaBorde on March 21, 1993, in Denver. He is survived by
his wife Janice; sons Odie (Kristin) of Vermont and Jon (Lisa) of
Oregon; brothers, Roy ( Joan) of NC and Mel (Lois) of CO;
grandchildren Wylie and Cade of OR, Quinn, Elliott and Delia of
VT, and numerous nieces and nephews. Gary served in the U.S. Army
for four years.
After retirement Gary and Jan became passionate genealogist,
spending most of their time researching information about their
ancestors online and making genealogy trips to Kansas, Missouri,
Illinois, Nebraska, and the genealogy library in Salt Lake City.
Gary compiled a family history of his mother's Lamle family. He
valued knowledge and learning and dedicated his life to the
pursuit. He was a member of the Columbine (Colorado) Genealogical
and Historical Society. A memorial service will be on Sat., Feb.
20 at 10:00 a.m. at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary, 6601 S.
Colorado Blvd., Littleton, CO. To share a memory of Gary please
visit www.MEM.com. Published
in Denver Post on February 18, 2010
Martha Morrison (1931-2009)
Martha was a longtime member of PCGS. She was a faithful
attendee of our annual conferences and could always be counted on
for help with questions about the Humansville area.
OBITUARY: Martha L. (Andrews) Morrison was born August 11, 1931 to Ray and Pearl (Franklin) Andrews in Hickory County northwest of Flemington. She passed away at her home near Humansville Monday, April 6, 2009.
Martha was the youngest of nine children, seven brothers and a twin sister. Martha and Kenneth Morrison were married September 25, 1949. To this union four children were born, all of whom survive.
Martha was a retired librarian. She loved all crafts and was good at all she tried whether it be oil painting or quilting. Quilting was her last big craft that she took up after retirement. She made many beautiful quilts before the cancer got out of control. Martha was very generous. She gave her time, her love and her cooking to all. Her pie crust was the best.
Survivors include her husband, Kenneth; her children, Donna Huffman and husband, Jim, Ozark, Ken Morrison and wife, Helene, St. Louis, Debbie Murray, Fair Grove and Dennis Morrison and wife, Nancy, Clovis, CA; grandchildren, Casey Barclay, Brad Huffman, Kristen Huffman, Jay Morrison, Sarah Morrison, Andrew Morrison, Abby Murray, Martha Claire VanZante and Matthew Morrison; great-grandchildren, Chase and Brenner Barclay and their father, Jeremy Barclay; 3 brothers, John Andrews and wife, Sandy, Oceanside, CA, Joe Andrews and wife, Margaret, Bellflower, CA, and Rolland Andrews and wife, Mary Anna, Milton, IA; her twin sister, Mary Brown, Edgerton, KS; and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Some of her special friends who helped her through her most difficult days were Treadene Keightley, Sharon Truitt and Jeanette Kimes.
Funeral services will be Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 11:00 AM at the Humansville United Methodist Church with Rev. Janice Beadleston officiating. Interment will be in Humansville Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Murray Funeral Home, Humansville. In lieu of flowers donations are requested to the Humansville United Methodist Church, CMH Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be made at www.murrayfuneralhomes.com.
Frank Speer (1930-2009)
Frank was
one of our "silent" supporters. We never got to spend a
whole lot of time with him but we could always count on his and
his wife Marge's support.
OBITUARY: Mr. Frank Roy Speer, age 79 of Bolivar,
MO passed away at 7:18 AM Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the
Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar after a lingering illness.
He was born in Chicago, IL on February 13, 1930 the son of David DeMoss Speer and Marie Anna (Mueller) Speer.
Frank served in the Illinois National Guard from 1947-1950 before he went in the United States Marine Corps from 1950-1951 during the Korean Conflict.
Surviving is his wife of 54 years, Marjorie (Thatcher) Speer of the home, Three sons, Frank Alan Speer and his wife Janet of McHenry, IL; Roy David Speer and his wife Kathy of Barrington, IL; and Robert Paul Speer of West Dundee, IL; one brother Carl Speer of Scottsdale, AZ and one sister Gladys Lisson of Arkansas, 3 Grandchildren; Elizabeth Marie Speer, Daniel Alan Speer, Bradley Paul Speer, and 2 Great Grandsons; Jordan Acocks and Jessie Acocks.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 10:30 AM in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with Mr. Lynn Flick, Bolivar Police Chaplain officiating. Musical selections will be “The Old Rugged Cross” by Tennessee Ernie Ford, “Amazing Grace” by The Statler Brother and “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” by Patsy Cline. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home of Bolivar. Visitation will be held on Monday Evening from 5-7 PM in the Butler Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to the “Shop With A Cop” c/o the Bolivar Police Department, 345 S. Main, Bolivar, MO. 65613.
Friends may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com Published in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Kim Brubeck Wilson (1970-2009)
Kim was a
new member of PCGS and had spent some time in our facility
researching and getting to know some of the regulars.
OBITUARY: Kimberly Dawn
Wilson was born September 18th, 1970, to Donald Brubeck and Alice
Curtis Brubeck at Humansville, Mo and departed this life August
11, 2009 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.
Kim attended Bolivar schools and graduated in 1988. And was currently attending UMKC to finish her Bachelors of Science degree. She graduated from Dental Hygiene school in 2005.
She was united in marriage to Lynn Wilson on February 14, 1997, at Wheatland Christian church. They were blessed with 2 children, Hunter & Avery of the home.
Kim was a dental hygienist in Bolivar and a former teacher of the dental program at OTC College. She was also President of the Missouri Dental Hygienist Association, member of Bolivar PTA, former member of the Wheatland School Board, and Hickory County Republican women, she was a dedicated legislative liaison for promoting rural dental health care issues in Jefferson City.
Her hobbies included spending time with her kids and their ball games, scrapbooking, genealogy, and playing cards and coed softball. Kim loved to spend time with her nieces, making crafts and taking them to the movies. She also loved getting family and friends together for BBQ's and dinners.
She was a loving wife and mother and loved assisting Lynn at coaching their son's baseball and football games. She was always friendly and compassionate and always ready to help anyone in need.
Her faith in God has always been strong her entire life, and she accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized on July 31, 2009.
Kim is survived by her loving husband, Lynn of 12 years, a son Hunter and daughter Avery of the home, mother Alice Brubeck of Bolivar, father Don Brubeck and Helen McCoy of Bolivar, sister Kris Hargis and Jeff Fugett of Bolivar, father and mother-in-law Larry and Linda Wilson of Flemington, sister-in-law Tiffany and husband, Brett Harrison, and four nieces; Jordan and Allyson Hargis, Olivia and Jorja Harrison, and many aunts and uncles.
Those preceding her in death were her grandparents: John and Alice Brubeck and Ralph Curtis, grandparents- in-law: Vincent and Rita Strope and Homer and Evelyn Wilson.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM Saturday, August 15, 2009 in Murray Funeral Home, Bolivar with Pastor Rick Walters officiating. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jeff Fugett, Brett Harrison, Dario Segui, Jeff Stiles, Jason Brummell and Brian Overall. Visitation will be Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Donations in memory of Kim may be made to the Stem Cell Transplant Unit, Barnes Jewish Hospital, 1 Barnes Jewish Hospital Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Jennie
Springer (1936-2008)
Jennie was
a past president of PCGS and was on the fundraising committee
when the old public library was purchased by us in 2001. She and
her husband Bob spent many hours helping with the renovation of
the main floor of the facility and were there on our opening day
of July 4, 2002. Jennie's home was also the storage place of all
papers, books and obituary files belonging to the PCGS before we
were able to move in to the facility. She was also the hostess
for the early "obituary parties." (Getting together to
clip obituaries and paste them onto index cards for our files.)
Obituary: Jeanette Mae Springer, 71, of
Bolivar, died Thursday, July 10, 2008, in Cox South Medical
Center, Springfield.
She was born Nov. 4, 1936, in Springfield to Joe and Mary Renfro Steele.
She married Bobby "Bud" Springer Jan. 15, 1956, in Benton Ave. Methodist Church, Springfield, and to this union, three daughters were born.
She was a member of the Bolivar United Methodist Church; a Girl Scout leader for more than 30 years, receiving the Lucy Wise Award in 2006; and a charter member of the Matilda Polk Campbell Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her parents, father-in-law Wallace M. Springer and brother-in-law Gene Bolin preceded her in death.
She is survived by her husband Bud of 52 years of the home; three daughters, Becky and husband Tom Wilson, Debra and husband Charles Tennison and Mendy and husband Robin Manes, all of Bolivar; sister Reta Steele Dyson of Osceola; 10 grandchildren, Deadra and husband Josh Ervin, Tony Wilson and wife Amy, Mandy Wilson, Angel Wilson, Meleah Johnson and husband Shane, DeAnna Tennison, Martisha Manes and fiancé Justin and Abby Wilson; 11 great-grandchildren and one on the way; mother-in-law Vivian M. Springer of Willard; sister-in-law Barbara Bolin of Marshfield; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Funeral services were Monday, July 14, at Pitts Chapel, with the Rev. Jim Downing officiating, under the direction of Pitts Chapel of Greenlawn Funeral Homes. Burial followed in the Clear Creek Cemetery in Willard. Friends and family may send private condolences at greenlawnfuneralhomes.com.
Mildred Close (1924-2007)
Mildred
was one of our original "obituary party" ladies.
Obituary: Mildred "Millie" Jane
Brooks Close, 82, of Bolivar died Thursday, May 10, 2007.
She was born Sept. 29, 1924, in Kansas City, Kan., the daughter of Stephen "Stewart" Brooks and Mildred "Emma" Fox Brooks.
She married her high school sweetheart, Elmer "Bruce" Close on April 26, 1940, in Harrisonville. To this union two children were born, Lee Bruce and Stephanie Jane. The couple made their home in the Kansas City area, but spent their summers "down home" in the Wishart area. Upon Bruce's retirement in 1963, they moved to "the farm" at Wishart. They later moved to the Bolivar area in 1981.
She was saved and baptized at an early age and was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Bolivar. She was a long-time member of the Polk County Genealogy Society where she dedicated many hours researching and providing information to assist those who were on the same quest to know their ancestry. She was a seamstress, quilter and crafter. Many of her products were sold at area merchants and as far away as Tennessee. Her quilts were requested for various fund-raising events.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Stewart and Emma; husband of 44 years, Bruce; and son Lee.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Stephanie and Mike Holm; a granddaughter, Holly Franchett of Springfield; a daughter in-law, Annette Close; a grandson, Brian Close and his wife, Erika, of the state of California; a sister, Virginia Ambrosi of the state of California; her brother and sister in-law, Karl and Shirley Close of Kansas City; two sisters in-law Juanita "Cricket" Curl of Bolivar and Kathryn Spurl of Kansas City; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, in Pitts Chapel with burial to follow in Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today (Friday) in the funeral chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Citizens Memorial Healthcare Hospice. A00008B2007MY11
Rex Miller (1924-2006)
Rex and
his wife Velma are also faithful supporters from far away. Julie,
particularly, had had many engaging and interesting email
conversations with Rex about Polk Countians.
Obituary: Rex Miller Sr., 81, of Dardenne Prairie, formerly of
Bolivar, died Friday, July 7, 2006.
He is the son of the late Shirley Elton Miller Sr. and Mary Ellen Miller.
Miller was a member of the Everton Memorial Post No. 443, VFW Post, Ash Grove, DAV, Springfield, Masonic Lodge No. 5 AM&FM, Springfield, Violet Chapter No. 480, OES, Stockton, Abou Ben Adhem Shrine, Springfield, and the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, Springfield. He was a licensed embalmer/funeral director. While in St. Louis, he was employed with Hoffmeister Colonial Funeral Home and Lupton Chapel. A former resident of Bolivar, he graduated from Bolivar High School in 1942 after which he was employed at the Erwin-Blue Funeral Home until he entered the U.S. Army, serving 33 months in the Medical Corp. in the Pacific Theater.
He was preceded in death by his grandson, Kenneth Miller, and brothers Shirley Elton Miller Jr., William "Bill" Miller and Don Miller.
He is survived by his wife, Velma I. Wimberly Miller; six children and their spouses, Joan and Eddie Smith of Houston, Rex Jr. and Annie Miller of Spring, Texas, Patricia Starrett of Lester, Iowa, Cynthia and David Jacob of Palm Harbor, Fla., Mary and Rick Mizera of St. Louis and Greg and Diane Miller of Dardenne Prairie; 11 grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Burial will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis. Memorial donations may be made to Everton Memorial Post No. 443 of the American Legion, Box 283, Everton MO 65646 or Shriner's Hospitals for Children, 2001 Lindberg Blvd., St. Louis MO 63131-3597. Arrangements are under the direction of Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 West Clay, St. Charles.
Vesta Coffman (1909-2001)
Vesta and
her niece Beth Haring have been members and supporters of PCGS
from far away since the very beginnings of the group.
Kathy Baldwin (1932-2009)
Kathy was
a past officer of PCGS and a great help to us in the early days.
At one time she had the job of Secretary/Treasurer/Membership all
in one (which now takes two people to do, with room for a third
or fourth if we can get the volunteers).
Obituary: Kathleen Baldwin, 77, of Bolivar died Friday, April 24, 2009, in her sleep surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born April 6, 1932, in Larned, Kan., the daughter of Kenneth “KC” and Clara Hampton Hall. She was married to Harland “HD” Baldwin Aug. 1, 1952, and to this union four children were born.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harland; a brother, Dusty Hall; and a grandson, Christopher Baldwin; and a great-grandson, Brady Diehl.
She is survived by four children, Cindy Drake and husband Robert, Randy Baldwin and wife Billie, all of Bolivar, David Baldwin of Springfield and Debbie Keith and husband Mark of Bolivar; a sister, Betty Sawyer, state of Nebraska; two brothers, Jack Hall and wife Florence of Springfield and Mike Hall and wife Rose of Bolivar; 10 grandchildren, Greg Drake, Jenny Wasson and husband Jay, all of Springfield, Jody Warwick and husband Chris of Bolivar, Lori Diehl and husband Thomas of Springfield, Josh Drake and wife Pam of Battlefield, Grant Baldwin and wife Sheila, Taylor Baldwin and Kelsey Baldwin, all of Springfield, Tracey Baldwin and Brandon Baldwin, both of Bolivar; 12 great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.
Private family services will be held at a later date. Friends and family may sign a guest book or send private condolences at www.greenlawnfuneralhome.com or by e-mail at mombear@windstream.net.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements have been entrusted to Pitts Chapel of Greenlawn Funeral Homes, Bolivar. A00008B2009AR29
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