Obituaries

Leslie Howard "Les" Turner, age 67, of Lamar, passed away Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.      Les was born December 17, 1943, at Independence, Missouri to Clifford and Florence (Rice) Turner.  In his youth, he was active in scouting and earned the distinction of becoming an Eagle Scout.  After graduating from William Chrisman High School...

Marjorie Maxine VanKirk, age 93, of Liberal, MO, died Monday November 28, 2011 at Via Christi Hospital, in Pittsburg, KS.    Marjorie was born January 5, 1918 at Liberal, MO to David Allen and Clara "Dolly" (Minor) Coffey.  She graduated Liberal High School in 1936.  Marjorie married Arthur McClellan VanKirk and together they had 12 children.     In addition to...

Donald William Gage, age 86, of Lamar, passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at his home following a sudden illness.       Don was born January 15, 1925, at Lamar to Amos and Eva (Chaffin) Gage.  After graduating from Lamar High School in the class of 1943 Don enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  He served aboard the USS Montpelier (Mighty Monty)...

Jessica Magan Robertson, age 13, of Liberal, MO and formerly of Sheridan, AR, died Monday November 21, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital after a diabetic reaction.  Jessica was born June 8, 1998 at West Memphis, AR to Roger Dale and Mandy Elizabeth (Parker) Robertson.  She was an 8th grade student at Liberal Middle School.  She was an avid reader;...

Elizabeth Ann (Feezell) Londo, age 47, of Lamar, passed away Friday, November 18, 2011 at her home following many years of ill health.      Liz was born July 24, 1964 at Lockwood, Missouri to Junior Lee and Alma (Bronson) Feezell.  She was a life-long Barton County resident and a member of Lamar Assembly of God Church.  In addition to being...

Eileen May (Harr) Wilson, age 51, of rural Lamar, passed away Thursday, November 16, 2011 at her home.          Eileen was born February 5, 1960 at Lockwood, Missouri to Roy and June (Hobbs) Harr.  She was a life-long Barton County resident and had worked at Tamko and Subway as well as various places as a server, cocktail waitress and...

Naomi Lucille Custer Maze, daughter of George Lebbeus Custer and Glenn Dora Miller Custer, was born September 6, 1916 at Grainola, OK.  She peacefully departed this life on November 5, 2011 while at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott, KS at the age of 95 years.  For the past 66 years Naomi has resided on the family farm located in the...

James Ray "Sarge" Ryan, age 75, of Lamar, died Sunday, October 30, 2011 at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK.  James was born July 14, 1936 at Jefferson City, MO to Ray and Ellen (Cable) Ryan.  He served his country in the United States Army, retiring in 1975 after 20 years of service. He was also a truck driver and...

Margery Pauline Miller, age 89, of Lamar, died Friday October 28, 2011 after a short illness.        Margery was born February 23, 1922 at Lamar to James Alonzo "Lon" and Mary Catherine (Lawrence) Pritchett.  She attended country school at Hanes Grove. On December 24, 1941, she married Amos Miller at Lamar.  Margery was a homemaker and a caregiver. She...

William Owen (Bill) Taylor went home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, October 26, 2011. He died of natural causes at his home in Lamar, Missouri. Bill loved his hometown of Brookfield where he was born on February 8, 1911. He graduated from Brookfield  High School where he lettered in every sport, became a football...

Bernice Foger, age 92 of Lamar, died Sunday October 24, 2011 at Truman Health Care Center.        Bernice was born June 27, 1919 at Smithfield, West Virginia to John and Mary (Showalter) Brewer.   On April 21, 1940 she married Glen Guy Markley at Pawnee, OK. He died February 12, 1976.  She then married Martin Leroy Foger on January 3,...

Amy Cass Ortega, age 45, of Joplin completed her battle with cancer and won the victory of eternal life on Wednesday, October 19, 2011.  She was surrounded by her family and loved ones.       Amy was born July 17, 1966 in Lamar, Missouri to Billy Bob and Nancy (Phipps) Cass.  Amy is survived by her loving husband James Ortega of...

Daniel Joseph Penney, age 61, of Liberal, passed away Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from a sudden illness.  Dan was born December 28, 1949 at Great Bend, KS.  He went to school and worked there until 1968, when he moved to Kansas City, MO.  In 1983 he met his wife, Louise and moved to the rural Liberal, MO area.  He loved...

Roy Herman Pierson, age 87, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, October 6, 2011 at his home.      Roy was born December 14, 1923 in Fair Play, Missouri to John Allen and Mary Jane (Phillips) Pierson.  He grew up hunting and fishing, and in later years supplied many a friend and neighbor with his catch.  In his youth he became an...

Roy Lee Thompson, age 93, of rural Lamar, passed away Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at his home.       Roy was born January 25, 1918, at Minneola, Kansas, the fifth of the six children of Leo and Mattie (Hunter) Thompson.  He graduated from Larned High School and worked on the family farm before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corp in 1939. ...

Vada Eilene Metcalf, 86, of Benton,  AR passed away September 15, 2011.  She was born March 24, 1925 in Jerico Springs, Missouri to the late Dale and Meleta Cross.  Eilene was a member of Temple Baptist Church in Benton.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Irvin Metcalf, brother, Leon Cross and sister, Norma Tucker.     Eilene...

Charles P. Boman, age 103, of Lamar, died Thursday September 15, 2011 at his home.       Charles was born April 2, 1908, near Maxville, Kansas, the second of the four sons of Shelva and Alta (Wheatley) Boman.  He grew up with a great curiosity about how things worked and was gifted with a natural ability to fix almost anything.  He...

Timothy Aaron Forst, age 24, of Carl Junction, passed away Sunday, August 28, 2011 due to an accident near Lamar.       Tim was born March 22, 1987 in Lamar, Missouri, the sixth of the six children of Leonard and Diana (Andersen) Forst.  He graduated from Lamar High School in 2005 and earned certification as a diesel mechanic at Wyoming Tech...

Hazel (Felty) Flanigan, 84 years, resident of Spring Hill, TN, formerly of rural Liberal, MO, passed away Thursday, August 25, 2011.        She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, William Wayne Flanigan; newborn daughter, Linda Kay Flanigan; parents Floyd C. and Pearl Felty, and her three brothers, Ralph, Clyde, and Dale Felty.    ...

Jewell L. Wells, age 100, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, August 25, 2011 at her home. Jewell was born April 12, 1911, at Iantha, Missouri, to Harvey and Edna (Burr) DeHart.  She graduated from Lamar High School with the class of 1929 and furthered her education at Pittsburg State College and Kansas City Business College. On May 4, 1931, at...