Obituaries

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Alice Lee Ewing, 71, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died April 16, 2019, in Olathe.  She was born Oct. 24, 1947, in Charleston, daughter of the late Theoda and Ora Lee Coleman Kirkwood, she was a member of Mercy Seat Missionary Baptist Church in Charleston until she relocated to Kansas City, where she attended Zion Travel Baptist Church. She had primarily been employed as a factory worker. Her last employer was General Motors, where she retired in 2017.  ...

SIKESTON — Beverly Anne Cheatham, 86, died April 22, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 14, 1932, in Jackson, Tenn., daughter of the late E. Grady and Ollie Darnel Butler, she was a member of Shady Acres Church of Christ in Sikeston. She retired from Sikeston Public School System in 1992 after 20 years of service as a remedial reading teacher...

SIKESTON — Iris Billman, 87, passed away on April 22, 2019, at Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. She was born April 23, 1931, in Tennessee, to the late Virgil and Birtie Duren Plunk. On March 17, 1951, in Piggott, Ark., she married Roy L. Pratt, who preceded her in death on Jan. 20, 1977. On Sept. 25, 1980, in Lilbourn, she married Howard E. Billman, who preceded her in death on April 26, 1996...

ORAN, Mo. — John Thomas Gray Eagle Daniels Jr., 76, died April 22, 2019, at his family home. Born on July 19, 1942, in Messler, son of the late John and Birtha Miller Daniels, he was retired from the social studies computer department with Ste. Genevieve R-2 School District. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Charles W. Hawkins, age 79, formerly of Matthews, Mo., passed away on April 20, 2019, at his home in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 20, 1939, in Matthews, to the late Charles and Florence House Hawkins. Charles served as President of the New Madrid County School Board from April 1976 to March 1985; he served on the Regions Bank Board, formerly known as First Financial Bank from 1973 to 1996. He also served on the New Madrid County Port Authority Board of Commissioners...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — Gerard Lawrence Tessens, 66, died April 21, 2019, at Southeast Health of Stoddard County in Dexter. Born March 7, 1953, in Louisville, Ky., son of the late Lawrence A. and Delia Grace Burleson Tessens, he had lived in Bloomfield most of his life. He had worked in drafting at Stites Concrete and retired after 30 years. He then worked in maintenance for 13 years at the Bloomfield Public Schools. He was a member of the Dexter Church of Christ...

SIKESTON — Donna Hoyer, 81, died April 18, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 6, 1937, in Kingsbury County, S.D., she was the daughter of the late Milton and Eleanora Johanson Petersen. On Aug. 29, 1954, in Arlington, SD., she married Richard Hoyer, who preceded her in death on Dec. 19, 2012...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Lloyd Paul Holtsman, 90, died April 18, 2019, at Hayti. Born April 2, 1929, in Richland, son of the late Paul Holtsman and Viola Holtsman Fry, he was of the Baptist belief. A veteran of World War II serving in the Army 24 Division, he was also a member of the Pipefitters Union Local 562 of St. Louis. ...

DORENA, Mo. —Katheryn Ray, 93, died April 17, 2019, at Bertrand Nursing Center. Born Sept. 7, 1925, in Hickman, Ky., daughter of the late R.A. Smith and Mary Rainey Smith Casey, she had been employed at the East Prairie Garment Factory and also Brown Shoe Co. in Charleston. She had formerly attended the Dorena Methodist Church...

HAYWOOD CITY, Mo. — JReece ''Jerry'' Johnson, 60, died April 16, 2019, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 9, 1958, in Philadelphia, Miss., son of the late Rev. Roosevelt Johnson and Helen Brown Johnson, he was a 1977 graduate of Scott County Central High School. He was employed by the Missouri Highway Department for 39 years before retiring, and he had worked part-time at Wal-Mart in Sikeston since 2000. He was a member of Masonic Lodge Harmony 40 of Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON — Donna Hoyer, 81, died April 18, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

KEWANEE, Mo. — J.R. Blankenship passed away at his home in Kewanee at the age of 75 years. He was born March 26, 1944, in Sikeston, son of the late Jay and Weba Ross Blankenship. J.R. was a farmer until his retirement in 2009 due to health problems...

SIKESTON — Joan F. Evans, 78, died April 17, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 30, 1940, in New Jersey, she was a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. On Sept. 24, 2000, at Charleston, she married Don Evans; he survives of the home...

LICKING, Mo. — Margaret Ann McMillen Cates, 89, formerly of Charleston, died April 15, 2018, at Hickory Manor in Licking. Born June 3, 1929, in Tennessee, daughter of the late Thomas Maxie McMillen and Maggie Ann Stagner McMillen, she had lived in Charleston most of her life until moving to be near her family. She had been employed with the Brown Shoe Co. in Charleston until her retirement and was a member of the Southside Baptist Church...

MORLEY, Mo. — Wilma S. Powell, 74, died April 16, 2019, at her home in Morley. Born Aug. 23, 1944, in Morley, daughter of the late Horace and Goldie Terry Winfield, she was a member of New Life Christian Center at Morley. On Oct. 20, 1959, at Morley, she married Floyd Powell, who survives of the home...

SIKESTON — Rosa Lee Harris, 87, died April 15, 2019, at her daughter’s home. Born Jan. 26, 1932, in Spanish Fort, Miss., daughter of the late Walter and Jessie Bell (Taylor) Hill, she attended school in Mississippi and received her high school diploma in 1954. She was a member of New Morning Star Baptist Church where she served on the Mother’s Board...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. — Travis Clay Davis, 37, died April 12, 2019, in Jackson. Born June 17, 1981, in Sikeston, son of LaDonna Haynes of Matthews and the late Ricky Howard Davis, he had formerly attended the Lighthouse Christian Center in Dexter and was affiliated with the Connection Point Church in Jackson. He worked as a union laborer for Penzel Construction in Jackson and had just completed his apprenticeship to become a journeyman laborer. He was a member of Union Local 1104...

ELVERTA, Calif. — Kenneth “Kenny” Long, 74, died March 30, 2019, in Elverta. Born April 4, 1944, in Tennessee, he was raised in Missouri and had been an iron worker. He is survived by his wife, five children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Rev. James N. Howard, 79, died April 6, 2019. Born Aug. 25, 1939, in Sikeston, Mo., son of the late Ed and Jennie Howard, he was one of 12 other students from Lincoln School to join the Sikeston Public School System during integration of the junior and senior classes in fall 1954. ...

CHESTERFIELD, Va. — Marjorie Laverne Spivey Hopkins, 91, died April 3, 2019, in Chesterfield. Born July 30, 1927, in Sikeston, Mo., daugther of the late Elmes H. and Dona Martin Spivey, she attended went school in Sikeston, graduating in the class of 1945. ...

SIKESTON — Margaret Marie Joyce, 88, a lifelong resident of Sikeston, died April 12, 2019, at her home.   Born Sept. 2, 1930, in Sikeston, daughter of the late Arlen and Blanche Moody Miller, she began working at Buckner-Ragsdale in Sikeston at the age of 17, and in 1980, she became co-owner-operator with her husband and sister-in-law. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and had been a volunteer Pink Lady at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

SIKESTON — Yolonda Gale Webb, 40, died April 14, 2019, in Sikeston. Born Jan. 23, 1979, in Sikeston, she was the daughter of Janice Webb of Sikeston. In addition to her mother, survivors include: two sons, Tyson Webb and Kaysar Revelle of Sikeston; two brothers, Cedrick Webb of Glen Carbon, Ill., and Duke Webb of Elgin, Fla.; her “Babball,” Geri Kinder Layton of Anniston; and her grandfather, Howard Webb of New Concord, Ohio...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Elsie Marlenia Walters, 82, died April 13, 2019, at her home in Portageville. Born July 28, 1936, in East Prairie, daughter of the late Velma McCain and Clement Summerlott, she was of the Baptist belief and a member of the Living Stone Baptist Church in Portageville...

DEXTER, Mo. — Alvin Metz of Dexter, 91, died April 13, 2019, at Southeas Missouri Hospital in Cape Giradeau. Born May 24, 1927, in Parma, son of the late James Edgar and Laura Oralie Bascom Metz, he had lived in Paragould, Ark., and the last 30 years in Dexter. He was a retired steel mill worker and member of the Grace Fellowship Church. On July 12, 2003, in Dexter, he married Deanna Ott, and she survives of the home...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. — Thomas Everette Richardson Jr., 67, died April 11, 2019 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.  Born Nov. 12, 1951, in Gideon, son of the late Thomas Everette and Mildred Laverne Methenia Richardson Sr., he had worked for Sikeston Department of Public Safety in Sikeston, and previously, he was an officer in Cairo, Ill...

SIKESTON — Hudson Peters, 42, died April 12, 2019, at his home in Sikeston. Born July 21, 1976, in Sikeston, son of Susan Sutherland Peters of the home and the late Steven Peters, he was a member of Community Baptist Church in Sikeston. He graduated from Sikeston High School in 1995 and from Southeast Missouri State University in 2000. He had worked at Regency Wire Co. as a sales representative as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources.

SIKESTON — Melba Colbert, 84, died April 12, 2019, at her home. Born Aug. 10, 1934, in Perkins, Okla., son of the late Edgar Alvin and Goldie Saddler Collins, she was a member of Blodgett First Baptist Church and had been employed as a cook in the Kelly school system for 32 years...

SIKESTON — Jackie Lee Baker Herndon, age 72, of Sikeston, passed away peacefully on April 10, 2019, at her home surrounded by her family. Born Jan. 12, 1947, in Cape Girardeau, to the late Joseph L. and Emma Lee Carson Baker; she was a graduate of the Sikeston High School class of 1964. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. She went on to obtain a Master of Business of Administration from William Woods University...

CHAFFEE, Mo. — Lois Mae Chapman, 76, died April 10, 2019, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 4, 1942, in Randles, daughter of the late Martin and Mildred McCormick Menz, she was a retired inspector with Columbia Sportswear in Chaffee. She was of the Christian belief...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Dorothy Jean Russell, 76, died April 6, 2019, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born Nov. 13, 1942, in Wolf Island, to the late A.J. “Arthur” Worthy and Annie Mae Melton Worthy, she was formerly employed at the St. Louis Science Center and also in the catering business. She was of Baptist belief...

MALDEN, Mo. — Donald Jay Seuell, 62, died April 3, 2019, in Malden. Born Feb. 1, 1957, in Plymouth, Mo., he was the son of Lavern Bradley Simmons of Parma. Other survivors include: three sisters, Linda Castleberry of Parma, Debra Seuell of Poplar Bluff and Marcia Seuell Beverly and husband, Timothy of Parma; and two brothers, Dave Seuell and Leander Seuell of Parma...

BRIGHTON, Tenn. — Awald Anthony Bohnert, 90, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died April 9, 2019, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. Born July 26, 1928, in Longtown, Mo., to the late Susanna Renner Bohnert Milfelt and Joseph Luke Bohnert, he had been a rolling mill operator at Alumax Factory for over 39 years, was a veteran of the U.S. Army during the Korean War and had attended Catholic, Church of Christ and Baptist churches...

SIKESTON — Dallas Hall passed away April 8, 2019, at Delta South Center in Sikeston at the age of 88 years. He was born Sept. 11, 1930, son of the late James and Maggie Ward Hall. He lived most of his life in West Virginia where he graduated from high school then joined the United States Navy. He was a Korean War veteran. After his time in the service, he attended Marshall College where he met and married his wife, Shirley, who survives of the home...

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Diana Parks Long, age 69 of Johnson City, met her Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, April 8, 2019, in the Johnson City Medical Center. She was the daughter of Kenneth and Vera Gant Nace, born to them on Aug. 13, 1949, in Buffalo, N.Y. She was the loving wife of Richard H. J. Long and was a member of the Antioch Church of Johnson City...

MINER, Mo. — Tilda Foster Davison, 87, died April 9, 2019, at Miner Nursing Center in Miner. Born 15, 1932, in Pocahontas, Ark., daughter of the late George and Maude Foster Foster, she was of the Baptist belief and attended Anchor Church in Vanduser. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Margaret Ann Griffin Glass, 79, died April 8, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 25, 1939, in Charleston, she was the daughter of the late Leland Britton Griffin and Willie Mae Baker Griffin. Following 20 years as a military wife while her husband served in the U.S. ...

ST. LOUIS — Phillip Cornish II, 45, died April 7, 2019, in Chesterfield. Born April 6, 1974, in St. Louis County, son of Phillip Cornish I and Donna Cornish of St. Augustine, Fla., he had been a major in the U.S. Army Medical Reserve Unit 303 for 17 years and a nurse practitioner at SSM Healthcare in St. Louis...

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Jeffrey Nicholas Garner, 55, a resident of Boynton Beach and formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Florida. Born Aug. 28, 1963, son of the late David Garner and Dana Jenkins, he was a 1982 graduate of Sikeston High School...

SIKESTON — Dorothy Jean Burton Towe, age 86, died April 6, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Oct. 3, 1932, in Johnson County, Ark., to the late Earl and Violet Cato Burton. She was of the Baptist faith. She was married to Robert Cecil Towe on April 17, 1950; he preceded her in death on March 18, 1970...

SIKESTON — Ed Fox putted his last ball and threw his last bowling ball on Saturday, April 6, 2019. He loved golf, bowling, and most of all his Buckeyes, friends, and family. Ed always had a smile and jokes whenever he would see you. If you golfed with him, you better follow the rules, rake the bunkers, and fill your divots. ...

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. — Ora H. Wells, 89, formerly of Sikeston, died March 9, 2019. Born Feb. 28, 1930, in Faro, son of the late Jess Leonard and Rachel Flora Wells, he served in the United States Navy where he received the National Defense Service Ribbon. He worked as a senior construction inspector for Missouri Department of Transportation for 30 years...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Harriet Shy Porter passed away April 6, 2019, at her home in New Madrid at the age of 91 years. She was born Oct. 10, 1927, in New Madrid, to the late Arthur and Mildred Phillips Shy Sr. On Nov. 29, 1947, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, she married to Cyrus Porter, who survives of the home...

SIKESTON — Charles Hafford, 48, died April 6, 2019, at Westfield Nursing Center in Sikeston. Born April 8, 1970, in Sikeston, son of Thomas Hafford Sr. of Memphis, Tenn., and Beverly Rose Humphrey of East Prairie, he attended the First Assembly of God in Sikeston and was a former employee of Jerry James Trailer in Sikeston. ...

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Inez Holder, 97, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died April 5, 2019, at Magnolia Manor Nursing Home in Columbus. Born June 24, 1921, in Murray, Ky., daughter of the late Perry Delmer and Bessie Lee Hendrick Daniel, she lived in Dexter most of her life before moving to Georgia. She had been a member for many years of the First Church of the Nazarene in Dexter. She retired in 1979 from the Stovall's Department Store in Dexter...

MATTHEWS, Mo. — Decalvis “Dee” Cobb, 75, died April 6, 2019, at Cotton Point Living Center in Matthews. Born July 5, 1943, in Stoddard County, he was the son of the late Wilburn and Maude Lenderman Cobb. On May 25, 1963, in New Madrid, he married Carolyn Clark, who survives of Sikeston...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. — Freeman Collier, 76, a resident of Villa Ridge, Ill., died Saturday, April 6, 2019, at the family home north of Charleston, Mo. Born July 9, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, he was the son of the late Freeman and Esther Mitchell Collier Sr. A graduate of Patton High School, he served six years in the Missouri National Guard and was a lifelong farmer. He was a member of the Unity Baptist Church in Benton where he had served as a deacon for several years...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Mary Frame McLain, 92, died April 3, 2019, at Charleston Manor. Born May 25, 1926, in Cumberland, Md., daughter of the late Charles and Julie Mooney Frame, she was retired from the United States Army, last serving in Washington, D.C...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Anita Sue Poley Wolford, 82, died April 3, 2019, at her Delta South Nursing Cener in Sikeston. Born Dec. 14, 1936, in Dorena, daughter of the late James and Leota Trevathan Poley, she was a 1954 graduate of Anniston High School and member of St. James General Baptist Church in East Prairie. She was employed for many years at Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. Head Start in East Prairie...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Paula Hayes Carnell, 63, died April 2, 2019, in Poplar Bluff. Born Oct. 25, 1955, she was the daughter of Bernard Hayes of Marston and the late Shirley Fincher Hayes.

MALDEN, Mo. — Goldie Mae Benford, 88, died April 2, 2019, at her home in Malden. Born Dec. 11, 1930, in Malden, daughter of the late Adolphus Aikens and Addie Smith Aikens, she was a member of the Zion Grove Baptist Church in Malden. On April 10, 1948, in New Madrid, she married Albert Thomas Benford, who preceded her in death on Oct. 18, 2014...