Obituaries

Apr 25, 2023

Orval Ray Funk, age 76, formerly of the Rich Hill and Hume area, passed away April 25, 2023.  Orval was born August 29, 1946, the son of William Newton Funk and Cecil Lucas in Lamar, Missouri.

Orval worked as a dairy farmer and spent the last year of his life at the Butler Center.

Orval...

Apr 22, 2023

Wilma Marcine Weedin Taylor, age 85 of Rich Hill, Missouri passed away Saturday, April 22, 2023 at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Overland Park, Kansas. Born on January 7, 1938 in Butler, MO. Marcine lived in a small home in New Home Township with her parents Sam and Goldie (Robertson) Weedin, and elder brother Marion Weedin for several years,...

Mar 10, 2023

Richard L. Skocy 9/18/1923-3/10/2023 Richard was born to Anton and Juliette on September18, 1923 in Joliet, Illinois. On September 10, 1942, Richard enlisted into the United States Marine Corps and served in World War II. He participated in action against the enemy in New Georgia, British Island, and Okinawa in Japan. He was honorably discharged on November 19, 1945....

Mar 9, 2023

Frances Norann Brooks passed away peacefully on March 9, 2023 surrounded by family at St. Luke's Hospice Hospital. Born August 16, 1938 on the farm of her parents David and Frances Brooks south of Hume, MO, Norann was the oldest of the six children. She attended Brush College in a one room school house her elementary years, walking to...

Jan 8, 2023

Janet Elizabeth Copeland, 75, passed away on January 8th, 2023.  Janet Elizabeth Fox was born on April 6th, 1947 to Tommy and Elizabeth (Manchester) Fox in Nevada, Missouri, the first of two daughters.  Tommy and Elizabeth moved their young family to Grandview, Missouri for better job opportunities.  They bought a house and raised their two girls there.  They lived...

Jan 5, 2023

Alan Eugene Wheatley, 100, of Rich Hill, Mo., passed away on January 5, 2023, at his home.

Alan Eugene Wheatley was born on November 29, 1922, at home in Rich Hill, Mo., to Fred and Nell Wheatley, the fourth of nine children. Life was never dull on the family farm, and with siblings, friends, and...

Nov 28, 2022

Wayne Phillip Wheatley passed away on November 28, 2022 at Medicalodge Nursing Home in Butler, MO.

Wayne was born a twin on April 23, 1925, one of nine children to Fred and Nell Ayer Wheatley on the family farm. It is still up for discussion who was born first—but we think it was very close. Wayne attended...

Nov 25, 2022

Walter William Mellenbruch, age 80, was born June 7, 1942 to William Vernon and Syrelda Irene (Stoddard)Mellenbruch at their country home west of Rich Hill. He passed on to Heaven on November 25, 2022 at his own country home, not a mile from where he was born. Walt graduated from Rich Hill High School in 1960, and began dating...

Nov 23, 2022

Janie Droz Nunn, age 74, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. Janie was born on October 5, 1948, in Rich Hill, MO to Glenn R. and Dorothy L. (Jennings) Droz. Janie grew up in Rich Hill, where she enjoyed an active school life, including band and cheerleading. She attended Central Missouri State University and University of Missouri...

Nov 22, 2022

Delores Janet Wheatley, 90, of Rich Hill, Mo., passed away on November 22, 2022.  Delores Janet (Zerkel) Wheatley was born August 27, 1932, in Humansville, Missouri, to Frank and Nina Zerkel. She was the pride and joy of her parents. Delores made the medical record books as the youngest survivor of an appendectomy surgery at just six months old. ...

Nov 10, 2022

Stonie Lee Heckadon was born September 8, 1943 to LeRoy and Lucille (Laning) Heckadon.  He departed for his heavenly home on November 10, 2022.  Stonie was born in Rich Hill and graduated from Rich Hill High School in 1961.  Growing up, Stonie worked the family farm.  He then worked for People’s Grain in Rich Hill and Ideal Truck Lines...

Nov 8, 2022

Sharon K. Heckadon Holsworth went to be with the Lord on November 8, 2022.  She was born on December 8, 1942 to Vada Hobson Heckadon and Melvin Heckadon, along with seven other brothers and sisters who proceeded her in death along with her parents.  Harland was her last brother and he passed away on the morning of the same...

Oct 13, 2022

Theresa Foster went to be with the Lord on October, 13, 2022.  Theresa was born on February 28, 1956 to Ralph and Doris (Rushing) Robison.  She grew up in Mississippi and Arkansas.  She is survived by her husband, Eddie Foster of the home, Nevada, Missouri; four sons, Junior and Jennifer Ward of West Plains, Missouri; Tim Ward and Chasti...

Sep 30, 2022

William Raymond Ratty was born to this earth on July 21, 1952 and left us on September 30, 2002.  He grew up on the south end of Kansas City in the post-war Ruskin Heights neighborhood, site of the historic Ruskin tornado of 1957.    Bill married Debra Skoff in 1978.   He was stepfather to her son, Mark Woods.   Bill and...

Sep 25, 2022

Mary Francis (Keener) Jennings was born on March 26, 1930 in Rich Hill, Missouri, the daughter of John Christopher Keener and Carrie Elizabeth Fredrick.  Mary was united in marriage to Carl E. Jennings on January 27, 1947.  Mom and Dad met at the Rich Hill Skating Rink on December 31, 1946.  To this union, four children were born.

Sep 17, 2022

Margaret Lawrence died peacefully on September 17, 2022. She was born on a farm near Rich Hill, Missouri to her loving parents, Joseph & Minnie Bell.

Margaret attended Rich Hill R-IV and moved to Kansas City to work after graduation. She worked for several years for Old American Insurance Company where she became the first woman computer...

Aug 27, 2022

Mary Kathryn Rutherford Murray

Mary Kathryn Rutherford Murray passed away Saturday, August 27, 2022. She was 95 years old.

Kathryn was born May 8, 1927, to Hugh L. and Mary (Goodwin) Rutherford in Stotesbury, Missouri. She graduated from Stotesbury High School.

She married Tom Murray on December 18, 1943. To this union they...

Aug 21, 2022

Steven Shane Cowan was born July 4 1973, to Steve and Linda Cowan of Appanoose County, Iowa.  Steve was joined in marriage to Nikki April 18, 2019. They resided in Appleton City, Missouri.  Together with their children they created their own family. They shared a love of fishing, mushroom hunting , he loved his animals and riding...

Aug 10, 2022

Amanda Lee (Loyd) McCoy was born in Nevada, Missouri on April 20, 1978, to Lonnie Stephen Loyd and Lois Eileen (Foster) Loyd. She passed away at Research Hospital on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, with her children and family members by her side.  When Amanda was born, she entered the world with a heart problem that required surgery, but even...

Aug 3, 2022

Elsie Elaine (VanLue) Trammell, age 81, was born on November 27, 1940 in Hartland, Illinois to Benjamin Harvey and Alma Ruth (Schultz) VanLue.  She passed away Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at home with her family by her side.

Growing up, mom lived in a lot of places, and I mean A LOT of places.   Grandpa was always...