Obituaries

Leslie P. Watson., 67, of Exeter, passed away Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at his home. He was born Aug. 1, 1953, in Carthage, the son of Leslie Paul, Sr., and Nola Christine (Oakley) Watson. On April 10, 2010, he was united in marriage to Starlett Ward who survives...

Deborah Spiva, 60, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at her home. She was born June 2, 1960, in Monett, the daughter of Jim and Leta (Davis) Darity. On June 25, 1983, she was united in marriage to Ernest Lee “Ernie” Spiva in Noel, who preceded her in death on Aug. 16, 2015. Also preceding her in death were her parents...

Charles G. Shore, 81, of Cassville, passed away Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, at his home. He was born July 20, 1939, in Cassville, son of Earl and Nora Shore. Preceding him in death were his parents and one brother, Lavern Shore. He was a 1957 graduate of Cassville High School. He was an employee of Fasco for 26 years. He then worked for the Highway Department prior to retirement. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Cassville...

Glen “Rod” Roller, 89, of Seligman, passed away Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, at his home. He was born May 9, 1931, in Washburn, the son of Albert Pietzer and Gusta (Banks) Roller. On April 18, 1954, in Washburn, he was united in marriage to Patsy Stewart who survives...

Cleo Joann (Shrum) Robbins passed away Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at Cox Hospital, Monett. She was born Sept. 23, 1943, in the Mt. Olive Community, Cassville, the youngest child of Abie and Mary Frances (Cooper) Shrum. She was united in marriage Oct. 28, 1962, to William Loran Robbins, who survives...

Ronald “Jay” Hopkins, 76, of Pleasant Hope, passed away Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at his home. He was born Dec.17, 1944, in Cassville, the son of Rolland and Veva (Garrison) Hopkins. On Feb. 2, 1968, in Stockton, he was united in marriage to Ruth Ann Chandler who survives...

Robert H. Ryder, 96, of Cassville, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, at Cox Hospital in Springfield. Mr. Ryder, son of Harry Clark and Ella Mae (Harper) Ryder, was born on Oct. 31, 1924, in Pioneer. He was a 1942 Wheaton High School graduate and was subsequently drafted in the United States Army in 1943 and was called out to serve in January 1944 and was honorably discharged in 1946. ...

John David Quick, 80, of Exeter, passed away Wednesday, Feb 3, 2021, in Rogers, Ark. He was born Feb. 14, 1940, in Mineral Springs, to Ralph Sidney and Etries Quick. He is preceded in death by his parents; son, Jefferey Quick; three brothers, Bob, Jim, and Bill Quick; and sisters, Betty Williams and Jane Coffey...

James Dale Mutrux, 90, passed away Feb. 10, 2021, at his home in Springfield, MO.  Mr. Mutrux; son of Harold and Effie (Hankins) Mutrux, was born Aug. 20, 1930, in rural Barry County MO, near Cassville. He served in the US Air Force in the Korean War as a radio mechanic, and later as an electronic test equipment technician. ...

Evelyn Louise Miller, 91, Joplin, Mo., passed away peacefully, Sunday, February 7, 2021, at her home, surrounded by family. Evelyn was born June 21, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, daughter of the late Claude S. Mandell and Maybell G. (Kemp) Mandell. She moved to Seligman, Mo., at age 9, and graduated from Seligman High School in 1947. ...

Carol Jean Cole, 78, of Shell Knob, passed away Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, at her home. She was born June 4, 1942, in St. Paul, Minn., the daughter of Donovan and Ruth Florence (Thorson) Addis. On Sept. 3, 1977, she was united in marriage to Thomas Cole, who survives...

Willis Ray (a.k.a. Happy Jack) Ball, 76, passed away Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Jack was born November 16, 1944, in Eagle Rock, Mo., to Edward and Lorena Margaret (Carter) Ball. He was a lifetime resident of Carthage and employed by Carthage Marble for 33 years; he retired in 2000. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Carthage...

John Larry Altizer, 81, of Shell Knob, passed away Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at his home. He was born Oct. 2, 1939, in Pleasant View, Ill., the son of Edward and Grace (McGuire) Altizer. On Jan. 1, 1967, he was united in marriage to Linda Lentz, who survives. ...

Cheng Xiong, 54, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, at The Temecula Valley Hospital in Temecula, Calif. She was born Dec. 31, 1966, Moua Chang and Pa Lou Xiong, in Phub Xaun Yab, Laos. She married Ka Cheng in Laos in 1985 then moved to Thailand and later immigrated to Fresno, Calif...

Mark John Stoeckert, 73, of Wheaton, passed away Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, at Roaring River Health and Rehabilitation in Cassville. He was born Jan. 14, 1948, in Centerport, N.Y., the son of August J. and Florence A. (Spring) Stoeckert. On March 14, 1977, in Las Vegas, Nev., he was united in marriage to Gail Rearrick who preceded him in death on Jan. 16, 2020. Also preceding him in death were his parents, two brothers, August and Ronald Stoeckert and one sister, Ruth Hall...

Mary Lou Nelson, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield. She was born Nov. 2, 1945, in Butterfield, the daughter of Ora Ray and Gladys Nadine (Fogg) Hinson. On Aug. 17, 1963, she was united in marriage to Danny Joe Nelson who preceded her in death on Jan. 2, 2013. Also preceding her in death were her parents and one sister, Rayma Craig...

Dr. David Vernon Honeycutt, 82, of Monett, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, at Cox South Medical Center in Springfield. On June 19, 1965, David and Lou Ellen McKechnie were united in marriage; she survives. Additional survivors include: two sons, Brad Honeycutt and wife Jennifer of Greenville, Wis., and Rustin Honeycutt and wife Joy of Hewitt, Texas; one daughter, Diane Inman of Monett; and seven grandchildren...

Francis “Ed” Houston, age 78, of Shell Knob, Missouri, passed away at 5:02 a.m. on Monday, January 25, 2021, at his home. He was born February 21, 1942, in Ottawa, Kansas, the son of William and Dorothy (Blankenship) Houston. Ed worked as a baker for Holsum Bread Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and California, before beginning his career as a Truck Driver as an owner/operator. He was a member of the Victory Baptist Church in Cassville, Missouri, and the Sons of Thunder Prison Ministry...

Beverly Ann “Betty” Shockley, 85, of Cassville, passed away Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, at The Communities of Wildwood Ranch in Joplin. She was born July 5, 1935, in Exeter, the daughter of Rolland and Veva (Garrison) Hopkins who preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death were two brothers, Robert Hopkins and Darrell Hopkins; two sisters Peggy McCain and Frankie Vanderpool...