Obituaries

Arlene Mae Ratzlaff Engle, a longtime resident of Lamar, Missouri, departed this life on Monday, January 19, 2009 at Christian Health Care in Nevada, Missouri.        Arlene entered this life on February 3, 1914 in Stafford County, Kansas, daughter of Joseph Andrew and Susie Lewis.  She was raised in western Kansas.  Working to pay her way, she graduated from...

John W. Hampton, age 55, of Lamar, Missouri, passed away Saturday, January 10, 2009 at Freeman Hospital West following a long illness.        John was born September 26, 1953, at the family home in Dunklin County, Missouri, to Johnny Mack and Erma Mae (Mitchell) Hampton.  As a very young child, John was stricken with polio and he overcame many...

Myrtle Virginia Simms, age 86, a long-time Lamar, Missouri resident, passed away Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at the Gardens at Osage in Bentonville, Arkansas.        Myrtle was born March 11, 1922, at Iantha, Missouri, to Harley and Una (Rives) Davis.  On August 31, 1952, at Huntsville, Arkansas, she married Kenneth W. Simms and they made their home in Lamar. ...

Howard Donald Foster, age 78, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, January 1, 2009, at National Healthcare of Joplin.        Howard was born July 1, 1930, at Cape Fair, Missouri, the first of six children born to Howard Russell and Kathleen (King) Foster. Howard joined the U.S. Marine Corps at a young age and served on the east coast. While...

Cecil Edward Jones, age 74, of Jasper, departed this life to be with the Lord on Tuesday, December 23, 2008, at his home after a short illness.      Cecil was born April 10, 1934, at Stockton, Missouri, to Silas Jesse and Ruth Ellen (Felty) Jones.  He graduated from El Dorado Springs High School and went to work for the Missouri...

Henry John Blackford, age 93, of Golden City, passed away Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at Missouri Veterans Home in Mount Vernon.      Henry was born July 12, 1915, in Carthage, Missouri, to Laughlin and Lillie (Ware) Blackford.  He joined the U.S. Army in 1941 and trained to guard the Golden Gate Bridge.  In addition to farming and raising livestock near...

Eulah D. Watkins, age 88, of Lamar, passed away Monday, December 15, 2008, at Truman Healthcare following a 3 year illness.        Eulah was born May 23, 1920 in the Esrom Community of Barton County, MO to Ira and Daisy (Onstott) Williams.  She was a lifelong resident of Barton County.  On November 15, 1939 she married Tommy Watkins.  He...

Janetta M. Furdaus, age 50, of Lamar, passed away Friday, November 28, 2008, at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin.        Janetta was born February 3, 1958, in Wallace, Idaho, to William James and Jean (Silvey) Pierce.  She moved with her family to Missouri where she attended Alba and Webb City schools.  On March 19, 1996, at Miami,...

Ethan Cord Mayfield, age 13, of rural Lamar, passed away Thursday, November 27, 2008 at Children’s Mercy Hospital following an accident at school October 22nd which resulted in a prolonged illness.        Ethan was born August 6, 1995, at Lamar, to Norman and Pam (Enochs) Mayfield.  He was a sixth grade student at Lamar Middle School.  Ethan was an...

James Henry Button, age 81, of Lamar, passed away Saturday, November 22, 2008, at Truman Healthcare Center.        Jim was born August 30, 1927, in Carthage, Missouri, to George and Blanche (Coons) Button.  Except for the time he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, Jim was a life-long area resident.  He was a long-time Barton County...

Ida Vera Mitts, age 82, of Lamar, passed away Sunday, November 16, 2008, at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.       Vera was born September 14, 1926, in Gross, Kansas, to George and Grace (Lanning) Burdick.  After moving with her family to Missouri, she graduated from Minden High School and worked at the poultry plant and Alexander’s Department Store in...

Robert Ward Rogers, age 48, of Lamar, passed away Tuesday, November 11, 2008.        Bobby was born August 13, 1960, in Lamar, to James and Vera “Babe” (Blanchard) Rogers.  He grew up in Lamar and had worked as a roughneck in the oil fields of Oklahoma.  In July of 2008, he moved back to Lamar from Kansas City.  Robert...

Edward Terrell Bennett, age 86, of Lamar, passed away Thursday, November 13, 2008, at Truman Healthcare Center following a long illness.        Ed was born July 4, 1922, at Attica, Kansas, to Charles Franklin and Eva (Voss) Bennett.  He graduated from Golden City High School in 1940 and immediately went to work for the CCC in Eldora, Iowa.  Ed...

Bessie Margaret Holt, age 83, of Lamar, passed away Monday, November 10, 2008, at Barton County Memorial Hospital.        Bessie was born November 2, 1925, in the Eshrom community, to James and Elizabeth (Younts) Ruddick.  A life-long Barton County resident, Bessie had worked for Sawyer Dry Cleaners and Houston Clean-All for many years.  She also worked for O’Sullivan Industries...

Patrick Edward Bolin, age 78, of Milford, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, November 5, 2008, at Barton County Memorial Hospital.        Pat was born March 13, 1930, in Big Lake, Minnesota, to Alonzo and Mildred (Boander) Bolin.  He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.  Returning to Minnesota, Pat began his 38 year career as an auto transport...

Lorraine Victoria (Lucietta) Long, 87, of Lamar, Missouri, passed away Monday, October 20, 2008, at Spring River Christian Nursing Home in Joplin, Missouri.        Lorraine was born April 1, 1921, in Barton County, Missouri to Pete and Minnie (Beccatti) Lucietta.  On June 7, 1941, she married Marvin A. Long, and they made their home in Irwin, Missouri until moving...

Henry Clay “H.C.” Hooper, Jr., age 86, of rural Lamar, passed away Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at Cox South Hospital in Springfield.        H.C. was born June 13, 1922 in Fannin County, Texas, one of the eleven children of Clay and Mattie (Merriman) Hooper.  He moved with his family to Oklahoma, then to Barton County where he graduated from...

Thomas Mitchell Percy, age 58, of Jasper, passed away Saturday, October 11, 2008, due to a motorcycle accident east of Lamar.        Tom was born April 10, 1950, in Colony, Kansas, to Carl and Letha Mae (Bunker) Percy.  He graduated from high school in Iola, Kansas and had been a truck driver most of his life.  He worked for...

Clifford R. Sweeney        Clifford Robert Sweeney, age 85, of rural Lamar, passed away Wednesday, October 8, 2008, at Barton County Memorial Hospital.        Clifford was born May 18, 1923, in Chase County, Nebraska, one of the ten children of Hiram and Rosa (Daschofsky) Sweeney.  He had lived in Eads, Colorado before moving to Barton County in 1947. ...

George Franklin Foster, age 75, of Lamar, passed away Friday, October 3, 2008 at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.        George was born August 18, 1933, at Kansas City, Missouri, the only child of Claud and Julia (Strickler) Foster.  After graduating from North East High School in Kansas City, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 until 1956. ...