Daniel R. Caruthers

Daniel Ray Caruthers, age 62, of Lamar, Missouri passed Thursday, February 2, 2017 early in the morning at his home due to complications from Alzheimer’s.  His wife and children were at his bedside. Daniel was born November 30, 1954 in Lamar, Missouri to Orville Thomas and Martha Louise (Selvey) Caruthers.  He attended Anderson Country School, grades 1-4.  Then attended and graduated from Lamar High School.  He also attended MSSU. On October 19, 1974, he married Cathy McElroy in Lamar, where they raised their three children.  He had worked for the Missouri Department of Transportation for 32 years, starting as a maintenance man and working his way to supervisor of the Lamar Highway Barn and retiring in 2009.  Before working for MoDOT he worked at Community Lumber Co. and enjoyed going on wheat harvest from Texas to North Dakota.  He was a member of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Ozark Steam and Gas Association and Wolf Creek Tractor Club.  Dan enjoyed fishing, deer camp, excessive walking, Sudoku, skeet shoots, wood working, teaching his kids, grandkids and daycare kids how to tie their shoes and helping with homework especially math.  He also enjoyed restoring vintage John Deere garden tractors and taking them to many fairs and shows.  He was extremely proud of his garden tractors going through the Lamar Fair parade with his kids and grandkids getting to show them off. Daniel is survived by his wife Cathy; two sons, Jeremy and wife Mandy Caruthers, Matthew, and wife April Caruthers; one daughter, Monica, and husband Skyler Moore; his mother, Louise Caruthers, all of Lamar, MO; two brothers, Richard and wife Carol Caruthers, Rock Port, TX, Tom, and wife Brenda Caruthers; one sister, Karen, and husband Dale Nims; seven grandchildren, Michael, Courtney, Darin, Madison, Taylor, Lexi, and Chloe, all of Lamar.  He was preceded in death by his father Orville Caruthers. Funeral service will be at 10:00 am Tuesday, February 7, 2017 with burial to follow in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.  Father Pat Teeter will officiate.   A short prayer service will be at 6:00 pm Monday at the funeral home and the family will receive friends immediately following. Contributions are suggested to Alzheimer’s Association in care of Daniel Funeral Home.