Obituaries

Robert Gene Lawrence Sr., age 68, of Lamar, Missouri passed Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at Barton County Memorial Hospital after a two-year battle with cancer.       Robert was born August 4, 1948 in Kiesar, Arkansas to Larry Lawrence and Nora E. (Card) Lawrence.  He had worked as a truck driver for many years until his health caused him to retire....

Joyce LeAnn Braudaway, age 54, of Carl Junction, Missouri, passed away Monday night, March 13, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin.      Joyce was born April 26, 1962, in Lamar, to Marion and Leila (Clark) Giger.  She grew up in Barton County where she was active in 4-H, band and basketball, graduated from Lamar High School in 1980 and worked...

Maxine Anderson, age 68, of Nevada, Missouri, passed away Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin. A private committal of ashes will be held at a later date.

Clarice D. McKay, age 85, of Lamar, passed away Friday, March 10, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin.      Clarice was born August 4, 1931, in Anthony, Kansas, the youngest of the five children of Henry and Clara (Fitz) Podschun.  She attended Anthony schools, graduating in 1949.  On June 16, 1953, in Pittsburg, Kansas, Clarice married John Gilbert Jr and...

On September 29, 2016 Katie Rutledge and Russell Barnes welcomed Adam Roy Barnes into this world along with his older brother, Ethan Blake Rutledge.  Adam had a smile that lit up a room and his giggle warmed your heart. Adam loved the sound of his mama’s voice as she sang "Adam's Song" and he shared a special bond in the...

Shane Cole Nunn, age 44, of Mindenmines, Missouri, unexpectedly passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at his home.      Shane was born September 11, 1972 in Visalia, California.  A natural athlete and sports enthusiast, he excelled in football and was an award-winning wrestler in high school.  Shane had a life-long love of music, was a dance instructor and a self-taught...

Leta Lorraine Barnes, age 97, of Lamar, MO passed Monday, February 27, 2017 at Good Shepherd Nursing Home.      Leta was born January 8, 1920 in Hocomo, Missouri to John S. and Amelia Iva (Rogers) Hunter.  She graduated from Bakersfield High School, in 1937. On June 18, 1939, she married Leslie Eugene “Gene” Barnes at Amy Union Chapel in Hocomo,...

Eugene Herbert Willet, age 90, of Lamar, passed away Friday night, February 24, 2017, at Truman Healthcare Center following a long illness.      Gene was born November 7, 1926, at the family farm in the Newport community, to Earl and Nora (Archer) Willet.  At the age of seventeen, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Austin in...

William Dewain “Wild Bill” Eads, age 55, of Mulberry, Kansas, unexpectedly passed away Saturday, February 18, 2017 at his home.      Bill was born July 28, 1961, at Port Smith, Virginia, to William B. and Connie (Carroll) Eads.  He had lived in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas, working as a heavy equipment mechanic and miner in rock quarries for many...

Ramona Mae Wessler, age 83, of St. Peters, Missouri passed Saturday, February 18, 2017 at St Joseph Hospital, St. Charles, Missouri.      Ramona was born October 8, 1933 in Hebron, Nebraska to Henry John and Laura Remona (Holtzen) Wessler.  After graduating from Lamar High School in 1951, she pursued her education in nursing and earned her PhD.  She taught at...

Wayne Allen “Winnie” Wilson, age 57, of Lamar, Missouri, passed away Monday evening, February 13, 2017, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.      Wayne was born November 29, 1959 in Broken Bow, Nebraska, one of the four children of George and Josephine (Wright) Wilson.  He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Barry Wilson; and a sister, Betty...

Gene Ray Davis, age 77, of Lamar, Missouri passed unexpectedly in his sleep, Monday, February 13, 2017.      Gene was born October 9, 1939 in Lamar, Missouri to Clint LeRoy and Thelma Blanche (Trout) Davis. He graduated from Jasper High School in 1957, moving from Mindenmines during his senior year. On October 14, 1961, he married Theresa Marie Cronister in...

Ellen Irene (Holstin) Fitzpatrick, age 98, passed Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Hermitage Nursing & Rehab.      Irene was born September 10, 1918 in Pearsonia, Oklahoma.  She was the daughter of the late Everett and Mary (Sanger) Holstin.  In 1945 Johnny Fitzpatrick and Ellen Irene Holstin were united in marriage. He passed April 21, 2006.  They had two children, a...

Mary “Marcella” (Holt) Norton, age 94, of Lamar, passed away on Sunday, February 5, 2017, at Truman Healthcare.      Marcella was born on October 8, 1922 in rural Lamar, one of seven children, to Dennis and Flora (Faurot) Holt. She graduated from Lamar High School with the Class of 1940. After graduation, she worked in Kansas City at the Ammunition...

While at home on February 3rd, 2017, Loyal Lee Berryhill passed through the gates of heaven to meet his Lord and Savior.      Loyal was born on October 26, 1926 to N.L. Berryhill and Lois (Williams) Berryhill.  He married Velma May Smith on February 26, 1949.  Living on a farm north of Jasper, they raised three children, Elene Fitchpatrick, Ann...

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...

Darrell Wayne Johnson, age 53, of Liberal, Missouri, passed away Saturday, January 28, 2017, at The University of Kansas Hospital after suffering a stroke Friday morning.      Darrell was born January 30, 1963, in Siloam Springs, Arkansas and had also lived in Oklahoma before moving to Missouri in 1995.  He was an over-the-road trucker for fifteen years, seven of those...

Franz H. Penner, age 89, of rural Lamar, passed away Friday, January 27, 2017 at his home following a long illness.      Franz was born October 3, 1927, in Lushton, Nebraska, to Franz F. and Katharina (Harder) Penner.  After graduating from Lushton High School in 1948, he attended the University of Nebraska for two years.  A life-long farmer, Franz moved...

John David McClane, age 41, of Lamar, unexpectedly passed away Tuesday night, January 24, 2017 at his home.       John was born April 25, 1975 in Memphis, Tennessee, moved with his family to Lamar in 1986 and graduated from Lamar High School in 1993.  He worked for Thorco for several years and had been a store manager at KD’s Flooring...

Olive Elaine Pyatt, age 94, of Lamar, passed away early Thursday morning, January 26, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Carthage.       Olive was born December 12, 1922, the third of eight children, to Claude W. and Sarah Opal (Palmer) Jones in Knob Noster, Missouri.  The family moved to Barton County when she was very young.       Olive graduated from 8th...