Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror, Steelville, Crawford Co. MO Local Obituaries for the Week of January 17, 2001 Joan Muriel Callahan Joan Muriel Callahan (nee Gray) was born Monday, May 12, 1941, at Steelville, Mo., a daughter of the late John M. Gray and Gladys (Humphrey) Gray. She entered eternal rest Friday, January 5, 2001, at her home near Davisville, Mo., at the age of 59 years, 7 months and 24 days. On June 29, 1957, at First Baptist Church, Cherryville, Mo., Joan was united in marriage to Clarence J. Callahan, son of Orville Callahan and Villia (Bryant) Callahan. One son and two daughters were born to this union. They have enjoyed over forty-three years together. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Marie Taylor. Among those who remain to mourn her passing are her devoted husband Clarence Callahan of the home; their son, Dennis Callahan and wife Beverly; two daughters, Tina and husband Dennis Mason, Leslie and husband Jim Martin, all of Cherryville, Mo. One brother, Tom Eads of Cherryville, Mo.; one sister, Dorothy Land and friend Cecil Midgett of Steelville, Mo. Sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Emma and Kenneth Williams, Rosetta and Johnny Hubert, Robert and Rosemary Callahan, all of Cherryville, Mo., Loretta Spearman and friend Bill Cassidy, Ray and Barbara Callahan, all of Steelville, Mo. Lillie Hernandez, Ima and Frank Hunter, all of St. Louis, Mo.; nine grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends. Joan Muriel Callahan lay in state 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, January 7, 2001, at the Britton Brothers Funeral Home, Steelville, Mo. Funeral services were held 1 p.m. Monday, January 8, 2001 in the Britton Chapel with Rev. Larry Buettner officiating and Rev. Marvin Callahan assisting. Musical selections were provided by Bob and Carol Coleman. Committal prayers and interment were in Martin Cemetery, Cherryville, Mo. Serving as pallbearers were Brad Callahan, Ray E. Callahan, Robert D. Callahan, Robert L. Leasor, Rick E. Leason and Ron A. Leasor. Arrangements were under the direction of Britton Funeral Home, Steelville, Mo. Hazel Irene Gibbs Hazel Irene Gibbs, daughter of Roy and Frances (Martin) Davis, was born March 25, 1915 at Davisville, Mo. and passed away on January 9, 2001 at the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan, Mo. at the age of 85 years, 9 months and 14 days. On April 22, 1933 in Steelville, Mo. she was united in marriage to James Ray Gibbs. She is survived by three sons: James and wife Judy of Cuba, Mo., Kenneth and wife Jolene of Steelville, Mo., Paul and wife Yvonne of St. Charles, Mo.; three daughters: Frances Thomas and husband Harry of Viburnum, Mo., Verna Price and husband Carl of Cuba, Mo., Gayle Deal and husband Carrol, Missionaries to Equatorial Guiana, Africa. Twelve grandsons, five granddaughters, nineteen great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren; four brothers: Jack Davis and wife Ina, Louis Davis and wife Agnes, Gilbert Davis and wife Ina, Max Davis and wife Mildred; three sisters: Hilma Adams, Nerene McGlasson, JoAnn Crabtree and husband Robert; sisters-in-law Irene Gibbs and Elsie (Davis) Williams; nieces; nephews; other relatives; neighbors and friends. Hazel is preceded in death by her husband Ray, daughter Mary Ruth, parents Roy and Frances Davis, brothers, Lytle, Eugene and Glen Davis, brothers-in-law Treff Adams, Bruce McGlasson, Virgil Bettorf and George Gibbs, sisters-in-law Esther Bettorf, Verna Wilson and Virginia Davis. She was saved at the age of sixteen and became a Charter Member of the Davisville Assembly of God Church and taught Sunday School for many years. After retiring and moving to Cuba, Mo. in 1978, she faithfully attended the Calvary Assembly of God Church. She and her husband farmed and operated a grocery and feed business for many years. Her hobbies were quilting and reading. In her later years she enjoyed sewing doll clothes and stuffed toys for her grandchildren. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, sister, good friend to all who knew her and will be sadly missed. Hazel Irene Gibbs was in state at the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Mo. Funeral services were held Saturday, January 13, 2001 at 11 a.m. at the Calvary Assembly of God Church, Cuba, Mo. with pastor Allen Teal officiating. Jeff Wilson sang her favorite songs. Interment was in the Turnbough Cemetery of Davisville, Mo. Serving as pallbearers were six of her grandsons: Shawn Deal, Jason Gibbs, Jeremy Gibbs, Karl Gibbs, Kevin Gibbs and Paul Ray Gibbs. Honorary pallbearers were the remaining grandsons: Jeffrey Gibbs, Brian Price, Bruce Price, Anthony Thomas and Lloyd Thomas. A special appreciation to the Women's Group from the Calvary Assembly of God Church who visited her regularly in the Cuba Manor when her health was failing. All arrangements were under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Mo. James Murdock James Murdock, 80, of Parkdale, Arkansas died Tuesday, January 9, 2001 at the St. Johns Regional Hospital in Oxnard, California. Mr. Murdock was a native of Casper, Wyoming; a resident of Parkdale since 1949 and he had been staying with his daughter and family in Ventura, California for the past six months. He was the owner and operator of Murdock's Service Station in Parkdale for many years and he taught school at the Parkdale High School. He was a veteran of the US Navy having served during World War II. He was a member of the Parkdale United Methodist Church and a member of the American Legion for over 50 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian Grice Murdock in March of 1999; his parents, James Moses and Frances Blodgett Murdock. He is survived by a daughter, Patricia Dunn and her husband, Wayne, of Ventura, California; a brother, William L. Murdock of San Angelo, Texas; two sisters, Sylvia Mounce of Steelville, Missouri and Mary Provancha of Crocker, Missouri; two grandsons, Jeffrey Wayne Dunn and Patrick James Dunn and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 14, 2001 at the Parkdale United Methodist Church with Rev. John Henley and Rev. Harry Noble officiating. Pallbearers were Joe Powell, Jimmy Grice, Randy Grice, Steven Grice, Tommy Mounce and David Grice. Interment will be in the Parkdale Cemetery under the direction of Jones Funeral Home of Hamburg, Arkansas. Memorials may be made to the Parkdale United Methodist Church, c/o Mr. Glyn Pope, PO Box 127, Parkdale, Arkansas 71661. Dorothy Christmas Ray Dorothy Christmas Ray of St. James passed away Friday, January 5, 2001 at her home in St. James, Mo. She was 79 years of age. Dorothy, the daughter of the late Irvin Austin and Rosa Ellen Tinker Turnbough, was born December 25, 1921 in Davisville, Mo. She was united in marriage to Henry Jacob Ray on January 8, 1944 in St. James, Mo. He died on June 15, 1974. She is survived by one daughter, Margaret Pack; three brothers, John A. Turnbough of Steelville, Elmer O. Turnbough of Waynesville and Noah Edward Turnbough of Viburnum; five nieces, and three nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Henry; one infant brother, Finis; two sisters, Gladine Abney and Dolly Mae Turnbough and one nephew, Lonnie Abney. Funeral services were conducted 1 p.m., January 8, 2001 at the Jones Funeral Home with Elmer Turnbough officiating. Pallbearers were Ken Bailey, Johnny Meuer, Jack Sansoucie, Jerry Copeland, Bill Nippert and Bob Abney. Burial was in the family plot at the Adams Cemetery near St. James, Mo. All arrangements were under the direction of the Jones Funeral Home of St. James, Mo. Ezma Lerna (Mary) Riegler Ezma Lerna (Mary) Riegler of Leasburg, Missouri, passed away Tuesday, January 9, 2001 at the age of 91 years. Mrs. Riegler was born July 11, 1909 in Miller County, Mo. to the late Erza and Clara (Philips) Catron. She had made her home for several years in the St. Louis area where she was employed as a tobacco stemmer at Liggett and Meyers. After her retirement from there, she resided in Leasburg, Mo. where she has lived over the past 50 years. She was a woman of principle with whom you knew where you stood. She enjoyed sewing and gardening and also found pleasure in doll collecting. She was raised in the Baptist faith and attended the First Southern Baptist Church of Leasburg. She is survived by one sister, Freddie Pierce of St. Louis, Mo., nieces, nephews, great-nieces, cousins, other relatives and friends. Along with her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her husband Charles, one brother, Edward Kimbrell, and a sister, Pauline Kinberlin. Funeral services were conducted 1 p.m. Saturday, January 13, 2001 from the Eaton Funeral Home, in Sullivan with interment in Lea Cemetery, Leasburg, Mo. Visitation for Mary Riegler were held from 3 until 8 p.m., January 12, 2001 at the J. B. Smith Funeral Home, 7456 Manchester Road, Maplewood, Mo. and from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, at the Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan. All arrangements were under the care of the Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, Mo. Thelma Marie Smith Thelma Marie Smith passed away Saturday, January 6, 2001 at Barnes Extended Care in St. Louis. Thelma was born in Cook Station, Mo. on September 17, 1917 to the late Morris Smith and Grace Rumfelt Smith. She is survived by her brother Evert Smith and several cousins. Thelma graduated 1935 from Steelville High School and in 1945 received her Nursing Degree from St. Luke's School of Nursing in St. Louis. She also served as a nurse in the U.S. Army for one year at the Winter General Hospital in Topeka, Kansas treating returning military personnel from World War II. She then graduated from Washington University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. Thelma was a pediatric nurse at St. Louis Children's Hospital for over 40 years, retiring in 1982. However after retirement, Thelma continued to do volunteer work with children at a clinic at the Lighthouse Free Methodist Church. For the past six years, Thelma and her brother Evert Smith resided together in St. Louis after the death of Evert's wife, Ada Smith. Thelma Smith had been in failing health for the last two years and passed away rather suddenly. Visitation was Tuesday, January 9 at the Jay B. Smith Funeral Home-Maplewood Chapel with funeral service Wednesday, January 10, Rev. Travis Hanna of the Maplewood Baptist Church officiating. Interment was 2 p.m. Wednesday, January 10 at the Carr Cemetery near Cook Station. --------- Reprinted with permission from the Obituary page of the Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror Web site. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe L. Miller ====================================================================