Obituaries

Ryan Wayne VanGilder, age 27, of El Dorado Springs, Missouri, passed away Thursday, October 8, 2009 due to an automobile accident.        Ryan was born August 24, 1982 at Lamar, Missouri and lived most of his life in the Lamar area.  He worked as a die operator for Peerless Products in Fort Scott, Kansas.  He was of the Christian...

Curtis L. “Jack” Tanner, age 88, of Lamar, passed away Wednesday, October 7, 2009, at Barton County Memorial Hospital.        Jack was born March 23, 1921, in Lamar, to Elmer and Eva (Rice) Tanner.  After graduating from Lamar High School in 1939 he joined the U.S. Army and served in the 203rd “Houndawg” Unit during World War II.  Returning...

James Donald Winningham, age 61, of Lamar, passed away Sunday, October 4, 2009, at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin.        Jim was born October 19, 1947, in Lamar, one of the five children of James E. and Helen (Davis) Winningham.  He graduated from Lamar High School in 1965 and served in the U.S. Army.  Jim had worked...

Grace Deloris Reichard, 80, a long time resident of Metz, Missouri,  passed peacefully away Sunday, October 4, 2009 at Girard Medical Center in Girard, Kansas.        Grace was born September 24, 1929, at Irene, South Dakota, to George and Judith (Lyngstab) Lokken.  She moved with her family to Wisconsin where she graduated from Madison High School.  She then enlisted...

Bob O Hopkins, age 76, of Hannon, Missouri went to be with his Savior on October 3, 2009.   Bobby Oma Hopkins was born November 22, 1932 in Beaman, Missouri to Oma Clanton and Chessie (Phillips) Hopkins.  He was raised in the Sedalia, Missouri area and left home at the age of 14 and joined the US Army, where he...

Mabel Ward-Robbins, age 86 of Lamar, died Thursday October 1, 2009, at Freeman Hospital West after a sudden illness.        Mabel was born April 2, 1923 at Howard, KS to Robert F. and Audra G. “Utt” Hassard.  She graduated High School at Cedar Vale, KS and attended college for 1 year.  On May 29, 1942 she married Lyle M....

Paul J. Kennon Sr., age 73, of Lamar, died Wednesday, September 30, 2009, at Barton County Memorial Hospital after a three year battle with cancer.        Paul was born January 24, 1936 at Portageville, MO to James D. and Mattie A. (Studie) Kennon.  In 1955, at Corinth, Mississippi, he married Verna Comely and they made their home in Prescott,...

Gale Higgins, age 87, a well-known farmer and cattleman, passed away Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at Barton County Memorial Hospital in Lamar.        Gale was born April 10, 1922 at the family home in Dade County to Jay and Elsie (Burke) Higgins.  On December 25, 1942, at Webb City, Missouri, he married Nellie Mae Cones and they farmed and...

Lyle Rolland Moss, age 82, of Lamar, passed away Sunday, September 13, 2009 while fishing in western Barton County.        Lyle was born November 27, 1926, at Ridgeway, Missouri, to Dorrel & Mabel (Morris) Moss.  He graduated from Raymore High School and entered the U.S. Army in 1945. Returning to the states after World War II, Lyle began his...

Nellie Jean Williams Phipps, age 79, of rural Lamar, passed away Sunday morning, September 6, 2009 at Barton County Memorial Hospital.        Nellie was born October 21, 1929, at Harrisonville, Missouri, to Carl and Allie (Hughes) Findley.  She moved with her family to Barton County in 1935 and graduated from Lamar High School in 1948.  On May 28, 1948,...

Jerry H. Yount, age 92, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, August 27, 2009, at Barton County Memorial Hospital.        Jerry was born November 28, 1916, in Dade County, Missouri, one of the 12 children born to James and Sarah (Berry) Yount.   Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Larry Allen ; two brothers; and three sisters....

Jane Blanche Holl, age 56, of Milford, passed away Saturday, August 22, 2009 due to an automobile accident.        Jane was born June 6, 1953, in Rush City, Minnesota, one of the ten children of Albert and Beatrice (Jerrow) Osterdyk.  She grew up in Minnesota where she graduated from Pine City High School. On April 16, 1977, at Brook...

Laura Inez Worbington, age 75, passed away peacefully at her home in Lamar Saturday morning, August 15, 2009.        Laura was born November 8, 1933, in Alabama, one of eight children born to Charles and Minnie (Greenhaw) Peace.  On October 16, 1948, at Rosedale, Mississippi, she married Daniel Burris “Boone” Worbington and they made their home in Greenville, Mississippi. ...

Bonnie J. Stafford, age 60, of Jerico Springs, MO, died Monday, August 10, 2009.  She was born March 11, 1949 at Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Robert and Annie (McKay) Cumming.   Bonnie has lived in the area for the past 3 years, moving from Princeton, NJ, where she lived for 23 years.  She was a former model and currently was...

Robert Eugene “Rob” Gillette, age 43, of Lamar, passed away at 4:09 p.m. August 11, 2009 at his home after more than three years of ill health. Rob was born April 8, 1966 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Gerald Lloyd and Roberta Jane (Hudson) Gillette. Having lived in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, Rob attended South East High School in Cherokee,...

Edward Lee Meadows, age 75, of rural Liberal, Missouri, passed away Sunday evening, August 9, 2009 at his home.        Lee was born June 29, 1934, at Grove, Oklahoma, to Truman and Alice (Vice) Meadows.  He graduated from Mindenmines High School in 1952 and on November 15, 1952, at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, he married Neva Ann Pennington. They lived...

Walter F. Hermsen, age 90, of rural Lamar, died Saturday, August 8, 2009, at Barton County Memorial Hospital after a long illness.        Walter was born March 30, 1919 at David City, Nebraska, to Joseph and Angela (Seibold) Hermsen.  On June 18, 1946 he married Irma Ann Macholan at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in David City.  In 1951, after...

Walter F. Hermsen, age 90, of rural Lamar, died Saturday, August 8, 2009, at Barton County Memorial Hospital after a long illness.        Walter was born March 30, 1919 at David City, Nebraska, to Joseph and Angela (Seibold) Hermsen.  On June 18, 1946 he married Irma Ann Macholan at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in David City.  In 1951, after...

Louise Morain, age 70, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, August 6, 2009, at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.        Louise was born May 28, 1939, at Lamar, to Worth and Pearl (Little) Norton.  She graduated from Lamar High School in 1957 and later earned an associates degree in accounting.  On May 15, 1958, at Baxter Springs, Kansas, she married...

James Barton Fast, age 66, of rural Lamar, died Tuesday, August 4, 2009, at Nevada, RegionalMedicalCenter        James was born September 3, 1942, in Barton County, Missouri, to Barton and Hazel (Ross) Fast.  He graduated from Liberal High School in 1960 and attended college at Pittsburg, Kansas.         On July 15, 1961, at Liberal, James married Judith Lynn...