Stories from Wednesday, December 11, 2019

George Louis Boehm Jr., 51, of Golden, passed away Monday, Dec. 2, at Mercy Hospital in Cassville. Services are currently pending. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences...

George Brattin, 70, of Cassville, passed away Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at Bentonview Park Health and Rehabilitation in Monett. He was born July 9, 1949, in Cassville, the son of Freddie and Juanita (Smith) Brattin, who preceded him in death. Survivors include: two sons, George Brattin Jr., and Edward Brattin; three daughters, Missy Willis and her husband Jeff, Melanie Fulks and her husband Gary and Juanita Delano; two brothers, Everett Brattin and Farris “Bud” Brattin; four sisters, Jennetta Harrison and her husband Bobby, Alice Varner and her husband Larry, Brenda Erway and Francis “Sug” Kennemer; 22 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.. ...

Terry Chrisco, 67, of Cassville, passed away Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, at Cedar Ridge Care Center in Cassville. He was born Dec. 13, 1951, in Peoria, Ill., the son of Billy and Juanita (Maxfield) Chrisco, who survive. Also surviving are one son, Alex Chrisco and a brother, Bobby Chrisco...

Tina Marie Cummins, 55, of Golden, passed away Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at her home. She was born Aug. 27, 1964, in St. Charles, the daughter of Earl and Carol (Jones) Whitehead. On Dec. 11, 2001, she was united in marriage to Doug Cummins, who survives...

Billy D. Ellis, 57, of Cassville, passed away Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, at Milan Health Care Center in Milan. He was born Nov. 6, 1962, in Monett, the son of Bob and Letha (Greek) Ellis. He was united in marriage to Shelley McGuire. Survivors include: one daughter, Angie Brooks; one sister, Cindy Carr of Cassville; and three grandchildren...

Ruth Virginia Erickson, 94, of Shell Knob, passed away Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at Roaring River Health and Rehabilitation in Cassville. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Resthaven Cemetery in Wichita, Kan. Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences...

William Jacob “Bill” Gripka, 84, of Cassville, passed away Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at Roaring River Health and Rehabilitation in Cassville. He was born Oct. 9, 1935, in Ritchey, the son of Tony and Stella (Clapper) Gripka. On Nov. 11, 1960, he was united in marriage to Hazel Fetters, who survives...

Loretta Kahrl, 76, of Eagle Rock, passed away Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at her home. She was born Jan. 3, 1943, in Detroit, Mich., the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Sajdak) Pustelnik. On May 17, 1986, in Eureka Springs, Ark., she was united in marriage to Don Kahrl, who preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death were her parents and two brothers, Leonard Pustelnik and Joey Pustelnik...

Helen Rose, 80, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield. She was born April 26, 1939, in Klamath Falls, Ore., the daughter of John and Maudie (Cooper) Periman. On June 21, 1958, she was united in marriage to Lyle Sam Rose, who survives...

Wilma Joyce Russell, 86, of Exeter, passed away Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, at Roaring River Health and Rehabilitation in Cassville. She was born Aug. 27, 1933, in St. Francis, Ark., the daughter of Charles and Beulah (McMillian) Merritt. On July 5, 1952, she was united in marriage to Cletus Russell who preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death were her parents; two sisters, Velma and Laverne and two brothers, Paul and Leslie...

Roger R. Winchester, 80, of Shell Knob, passed away Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at his home. He was born April 1, 1939, in Saco, Maine, the son of Guy and Helen Winchester. On Nov. 7, 1964, he was united in marriage to Sandra Jean Winchester, who preceded him in death on May 6, 2014...

In just over a week, the Winter Solstice will be upon us, one of those happenings in December that some folks like to see roll around. For this part of the world, which is the Northern Hemisphere of this planet, it means that around the 21st of the month we will have reached the shortest day of the year. It’s also the first day of winter for this year...

Volunteers helped make plates for patrons at the tailgate sponsored by the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce Saturday prior to the Class 3 state championship game.

The Big 8 Conference is losing its longest-tenured coach after Scott Bailey announced on Monday that he was stepping down as the football coach at Lamar High School. Bailey has resigned from his position after 14 seasons at the helm. A member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Bailey closes his career with the Tigers with a 151-41 overall record, while leading Lamar to seven consecutive state championships from 2011-2017. ...

A patient pair of Cassville soccer players collected Big 8 All-Conference honors this season. Earning Second Team honors for the Wildcats was Michael Sommers and Peter Littlefield was a Second Team honoree. The Complete list is as follows: Coach of the Year: Mike Hines, Springfield Catholic...

Having covered one football team or another each fall for the past decade and covering Cassville for the past six years, I have never been part of a season quite as exciting as this one. This Cassville football team proved to everyone that dreams can come true, and with top class effort come top class rewards, like this year’s trip to Columbia for the state championship game...

There was no need to ask the four Cassville players that Coach Lance Parnell brought to the post game interview how they felt after a 49-28 state championship loss. The answer was plain as day. Even the most casual fan could see that they had no energy left in the tank and that they left their collective hearts and souls on Faurot Field in Columbia...

Barry County Collector Skyler Bowman mailed out the 2019 Tax Statements on Nov. 4. Anyone who did not receive a statement by now should call the collector’s office at 417-847-2113 to request a statement. The 2019 taxes become delinquent on Jan. 1, 2020. Payment can be made in person at the collector’s office with cash, check, debit or credit card. ...

Huge crowds gathered at Tomblin’s on Nov. 30 to celebrate the store’s 55th anniversary.

For 20 years, Brent Herrin has opened his office up for an Open House and Toy Drive, which is an event held dearly by the Herrin Animal Hospital employees.

Charlie Fratus aimed to offer guests at her table “A Very Merry Handmade Christmas” at the annual Tinsel Tea event at the United Methodist Church on Saturday.

Santa Claus is coming to town, and he made a quick stop on Saturday for the Exeter Christmas parade.

All dressed up in Christmas colors Kevaeh Vasey, 8, of Exeter, gathered candy during the Washburn Christmas parade on Saturday.

Santa Claus waved at people lined up on Main Street during the Cassville Christmas Parade Sunday evening.

A Cassville man is facing four felonies after a traffic stop allegedly led to him attempting to ditch drug paraphernalia and assaulting the arresting officer. Christopher Pulliam, 35, of Cassville, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, third-degree assault of a special victim, resisting arrest and tampering with physical evidence...

After the recent purchase of the American Legion building on Highway 112, new owner Donnie Stumpff has decided to make the big debut of Stumpff’s Family Event Center a community event. On Dec. 14 starting at 5 p.m. people can gather for fellowship, food, gospel music and a number of craft vendors for those last-minute Christmas gifts...

Over the last year, the business name Simplicity Lavender Farm has been heard more frequently and with more understanding. The plant’s scent fills the air surrounding the the acre of planted lavender. Rick and Kathy Henning, owners of Simplicity Lavender Farm, said they bought the property about six years ago, but it was a little more than two years ago when the idea really began to develop...

The projects list for Vision 150 are moving forward, and the district is excited about its progression. Vision 150 was a $4 million bond issue that passed in April, and the work to be done on campus was broken into phases by priority. The plans included updating and upgrading the district’s security systems. The campus has, over the last year, moved on to a campus wide intercom system, installed new security cameras and is bringing a new idea of metal detectors to the table...