Obituaries

Gwen “Gennie” Scroggins, age 94, of Washburn, Missouri, was called by God to help him watch over the farmers, ranchers’ cattle, and all of the children in the world, on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Roaring River Health & Rehab in Cassville, Missouri. Gwen, daughter of John and Evalena (Reynolds) Brissey, was born in her paternal grandmother’s home in Tucumcari, New Mexico, on October 10, 1930. The Brissey family resided in Quay Valley and later moved to Tucumcari. During her teen years she belonged to the Horse Square Dancing Club. They performed at the Texas Governor’s Ball. In size she was the smallest, but her heart was extremely large. Following graduation from Tucumcari High School she attended Draughn Business School in Lubbock, Texas, which formed her career in bookkeeping. She first started at Worley Mills Feed Lots in Tucumcari. Following her move to this area in 1962, she worked as a bookkeeper at Southwest IV School District in Washburn and retired from the Purdy III School District. She often said she would work for free if she could work with her great friend, LouAnna Dodson. Gwen’s skills were reflected in her recordkeeping on the farm.

Janice “Lee” Smiley, 80, of Shell Knob, Mo. passed away Sunday, February 2, 2025, at St.

Judith Lynne “Judy” Byrd, 74, of Goodman, Mo. passed away Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Brendan Arthur Mathis, 21, of Purdy, Mo. passed away on Friday, January 31, 2025, at his home.

Mike England, of Exeter, Mo., passed away on January 19, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Coleen (McCullah) England, a brother, Allen England and sister-in-law, Jan England, a sister-inlaw, Pat McGuffey and her husband Butch McGuffey; mother-inlaw and father-in-law, Betty Sue and Gene Love and a brother-in-law, Donnie Love.

Terry Dale Pyles, 72, of Cassville, Mo. passed away on January 22, 2025, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Mo.

Christy Dawn Andrews, 49, of Exeter, Mo. passed away Sunday, January 19, 2025, at her home.

Katherine Louise Moore-Dinneen, 81, of Bella Vista, Ark. passed away January 19, 2025, at St.

Donald Lee Henson, age 90, of Cassville, Missouri, passed away on January 15, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Mr. Henson, son of Orville and Rosa (Lyall) Henson, was born on August 22, 1934, in the Mineral Springs community in Barry County. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He worked for Schreiber Foods in Carthage for 40 years and in 1973 received an Industrial Education Certificate through Franklin Technical School for training in Industrial Control Circuit. Following his retirement, he also was a member of the Shell Knob Eagles Lodge and Lions Club, both in Shell Knob. Donald had a long life enjoying the outdoors hunting and fishing. He especially enjoyed hunting turkey and deer. He also found peace driving through the woods hunting morel mushrooms. For a time, he made knives from saw blades, deer antlers and other materials. He passed down a couple of them to his daughter and great grandson.