Obituaries

David Franklin Wortham, age 85, of Lamar, Missouri, passed away Monday, August 15, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.      David was born July 19, 1926 at Kansas City, Missouri, one of the three children of David F. and Oda (Boyd) Wortham.  He served in the Merchant Marines before beginning his career as a carpenter.  He had lived in California...

Wallace G. Norton, Sr., age 88 of rural Lamar, passed away Sunday, August 7, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.            Wallace was born October 5, 1922 at Nardin, Oklahoma, one of the seven children of Lloyd and Winona (Mullen) Norton.   In 1931, he moved with his family by train to the Iantha area and graduated from...

Allen Long Walters, age 89, of Lamar, passed away Saturday, July 30, 2011 at his home following a two-year illness.      Allen was born July 4, 1922 in Lamar, to Paul, Sr. and Cora (Long) Walters.  After graduating from Lamar High School in 1940 he furthered his education at the Winona, Indiana Professional School of Photography.  During World War II,...

James Elton Garver was born to Rols and Eva Mae Pruitt Presnell Garver, February 9, 1921 in Harlem, Kansas.  He departed to his Heavenly Home on July 26, 2011 at the age of 90 years, five months.  He was left at an early age of 11 when his mother passed away. His father raised him to manhood.  James or “Jim”...

Donna Jean Betz, age 81, of Lamar, passed away Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.      Donna was born October 2, 1929 at Milford, Missouri, to Roy and Ayleen (Bratton) Thomas.  She attended Golden City High School before moving with her family to Nevada where she graduated with the Nevada class of 1947.  Donna had worked as...

Katharine Maurine Vonier, age 79, of Lamar, died Saturday, July 23, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.         Katharine was born near Carthage, MO April 9, 1932 to Elmer & Dorothy (Hiett) Vonier. She attended Chesterfield-Dover Consolidated School, north of Wauseon, OH and Milligan College, in Milligan TN.  She served in the US Air Force from May 1957 to...

Zoe F. "Smitty" Lee passed away at her home on Wednesday morning, July 20, 2011, after a courageous battle with cancer.  She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 60 years, Richard J. Lee, and her younger siblings, Olivia Thudium, Bill Smith and his wife Eleanor.       She will forever be remembered by a large, loving family as...

Rebecca Sue “Becky” Blaser, age 56, of Lamar, passed away Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.       Becky was born January 3, 1955 at Fort Scott, Kansas, to Buzz and Juanita (Davis) Sinn.  She graduated from Nevada High School in 1973 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Southern in 1986.  After substitute teaching at several...

Alvin Martin Unruh, age 89, of Lamar, died Monday July 18, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital after a long illness.          Alvin was born October 28, 1921 to Henry J. and Elizabeth (Thomas) Unruh at Ringwood , Oklahoma .  He served his county during World War II in the United States Army from 1944 until 1946, serving...

James R. Cole, age 81, of Lamar, passed away Thursday July 14, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.      James was born November 16, 1929 at Virgil City, Missouri, one of the two sons born to Chester B. Matt and Valeta (Hammer) Cole.  He graduated from the eighth grade in Montevallo and then moved with his family to Weiser, Idaho. ...

Kathie Lee Dunaway, age 57, of Golden City, and formerly of Bentonville, AR  died Saturday July 9, 2011 at her home after a sudden illness.   Kathie is survived by a brother, Tom McRell, of Anderson, MO.   A private family service will be held with burial in Bentonville.

Mary Lou Fryer, age 80, of Mindenmines, MO died Sunday July 10, 2011 after an illness.   Arrangements are pending and will be updated soon.

Juanita M. Hobbs, age 70, of Lamar, passed away Friday, July 1, 2011, at her home following a long illness.      Juanita was born July 10, 1940 at Kingsport, Tennessee, one of the three daughters of Harvey and Violet (Dolen) Rowland.  After graduating from Fall Branch High School in 1958, Juanita enlisted in the Navy where she trained as a...

Bob Berry, age 73, of Iantha, lost his battle with cancer, Thursday June 23, 2011.  Bob was born November 4, 1937 in Bois D'Arc, MO, to Wiley Bernard and Ova Olivia (Bishop) Berry.   He grew up near Olympia, MO and married Mae Williams on February 20, 1961.  Together they raised four children in Iantha, MO.  Bob liked to fish and...

Donna Rae Woodward, age 90, of Westchester, Illinois, passed away May 21, 2011.       On September 29, 1944, at Hutchinson, Kansas, Donna married Ralph W. Woodward Jr. and he preceded her in death October 15, 1996.  She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Jay and Bill Isenhower.       Survivors include a son, Carl (Tracey) Woodward; a...

Margie "Granny" Baggs, age 89, of Lamar, passed away Saturday, June 18, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.      Margie was born January 20, 1922  Kansas City, Missouri, one of the eight children of  William & Eva (Duckett) Dinwiddie.  On September 1, 1938, at Carthage, Missouri, Margie married Dorwin "Buster" Baggs and he preceded her in death June 13, 1983. ...

Rebekah "Becky" Lee Long, age 63, of Lamar died Tuesday June 14, 2011 at her home after a lengthy illness.       Becky was born October 9, 1947 in Springfield, MO to James D. and Betty Jo (Davis) Speake.  She was an High School Graduate and on February 20, 1979 she married James "Bill" W. Long at Springfield, MO.  After moving...

William (Bill) Thomas Bodine, age 85, of Lamar, passed away Saturday, June 11, 2011, at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.  He was a loving husband, devoted father and former Postmaster at Lamar, MO.  Bill was the youngest of 9 children who all preceded him in death.  Bill was born November 13, 1925 in Sedalia, Missouri to Clarence Edgar and Ella...

Christopher John Barber, age 48, of Lamar died Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at his home.   Christopher was born August 18, 2962 to James Charles Andrew and Geneva Faye (Hammers) Barber at St. Louis Missouri.  He was formerly employed by Thorco Industries as a welder. Christopher also operated a metal recycling business.  Survivors include two daughters, Toya Pettyjohn of Sheldon, MO,...

Christopher John Barber Christopher John Barber age 48, of Lamar, Missouri passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at his home. Arrangements are pending.