Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror, Steelville, Crawford Co. MO Local Obituaries for the Week of February 18, 2009 Thomas Lee Cockrell Thomas Lee Cockrell of Cuba, Missouri was born Monday, January 4, 1943 at Keokuk, Iowa to the union of Paul J. and Edith (nee Quick) Cockrell and passed away Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at Cuba, Missouri at the age of 66 years, 1 month and 7 days. Tom was united in marriage to Patricia Ann Frieden on January 21, 1967 and to this union two sons were born. He graduated from the Marine Mechanic Institute (M.M.I.) in Daytona Beach, Florida. He worked as a truck driver and a machinist at a Tool & Dye Company before becoming disabled in 1984. He enjoyed New Age music, crafts and all of his cats. But what he enjoyed most was spending time with family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; sister, Bernadine Cockrell; brother, Jerry Cockrell; other relatives and friends. He is survived by his children, Lance Cockrell of Cuba, Missouri, Shawn Cockrell of Phoenix, Arizona, Eric Kelly of St. Roberts, Missouri and Hope of the state of Iowa; three grandchildren, Tristian Cockrell, Byrco and Bryan Kelly; other relatives and friends. Private arrangements were under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri. Dorothy Marie Counts Dorothy Marie Counts of Cuba, Missouri was born Friday, January 1, 1926 at St. Louis, Missouri to the union of Theodore J. and Agnes R. (nee Bushmann) Osborn and passed away Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 83 years, 1 month and 10 days. Dorothy was united in marriage to William K. Counts on November 11, 1950 at Steelville, Missouri and to this union five children were born. Dorothy was an excellent mom, homemaker and cook. She made pies, doughnuts and bread from scratch. She enjoyed quilting, crafts, sewing, needlepoint, cross stitch, canning and working word puzzles. But what she always enjoyed most was spending time with her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Donald Osborn; sister, Anna Mae and husband James Wood; other relatives and friends. She is survived by her five children, Donna and husband Tom Conduitt of Cuba, Missouri; Sharon and husband James Mosley of El Paso, Texas, Janice and husband Keith Howdeshell of Cuba, Missouri, Kent and wife Helen Counts of Berryman, Missouri and Tammy and husband Garry Lukefahr of St. James, Missouri; nine grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Pat Osborn of St. Louis, Missouri; other relatives and friends. Visitation was held Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 1-3 p.m. at Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri. Funeral service was at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 15, 2009 at Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri with Father James Finder officiating. “Precious Memories,” “On Eagles Wings” and “Peace in the Valley” were the special music for the service. Pallbears were Christopher Lukefahr, Don Howdeshell, Matthew Howdeshell, Joshua Trautwein, Garry Lukefahr and Keith Howdeshell. Interment followed at Delhi Cemetery, Cuba, Missouri. Arrangements under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri. Mary Nadine Glandon Mary Nadine Glandon of Bland, Missouri was born in Camden on May 25, 1919 to Lawrence Richard and Opal Ray (Happy) Durbin and passed away Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at Frene Valley Healthcare South in Owensville, Missouri at the age of 89 years, 6 months and 15 days. On December 17, 1934 in Belle, Missouri she was united in marriage to Fred Lee Glandon. She was preceded in death by her husband; granddaughter, Mary Lou Keeney; step son, Herbert Glandon, step daughter, Agnes Buddemeyer; two brothers, Harvey and George Durbin; two sisters, Thelma Baker and Margie Smith. She is survived by her children, Richard Glandon of Bland, Missouri, Mary Keeney of Cuba, Missouri and Betty Neese of Bland, Missouri; a step daughter, Eunice Hicks of Bland, Missouri; 12 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren and nine great great grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Friday, February 13, 2009 at 11 a.m. at the Gottenstroeter Funeral Home in Owensville, Missouri with Rev. Ken Patterson officiating. Burial in the Countryside Memorial Gardens, Owensville, Missouri. Arrangements under the direction of the Gottenstroeter Funeral Home, Owensville, Missouri. George W. Grady, Jr. George W. Grady, Jr. of Cuba, Missouri was born Wednesday, November 16, 1910 at Chicago, Illinois to the union of George W. Grady, Sr. and Mary Jane (nee Crawford) Grady and passed away Thursday, February 12, 2009 at Rolla, Missouri at the age of 98 years, 2 months and 26 days. George was an excellent athlete while attending high school at the Illinois School for the Deaf. He was the halfback for the football team and ran track were he received many awards. He was united in marriage to Marie Pearl Hermes. He retired in 1980 from the Litho Plate Company after many years of service. In 1995 George and Marie moved from Des Plaines, Illinois to Indian Hills, Cuba, Missouri, where they made their home until Marie passed in 1998. George spent the last five years at Gibbs Care Center, Steelville, Missouri, where he got to enjoy ice cream morning, noon and night. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; brother, Bernard Grady; two sisters, Helen and husband Red McComb and Alice and husband Boots Headtke; other relatives and friends. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Mrs. Bernard Grady of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; other relatives and friends. Private arrangements were under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri. Vera M. Halsey Vera M. Halsey of Sullivan, Missouri was born October 10, 1924 to Rolla Walter Beckett and Noble Irene (Peek) Beckett and passed away Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at the age of 84 years. She was concerned about others and enjoyed helping them where she could. She enjoyed fishing, playing Rummy and crossword puzzles. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Brad Halsey. She is survived by three brothers, Dale Beckett and wife Janet of Bourbon, Missouri, Royce Beckett and wife Shirley of Auburn, Alabama and Lindell Beckett and wife Dorothy of Kansas City, Missouri; two sisters, Norma Brouk and husband Clarence of Manchester, Missouri and Bonnie Pennock of Bourbon, Missouri; other relatives and friends. Services were at noon on Monday, February 9, 2009 at the Chapel of the Eaton Funeral Home with Pastor Scott Perry officiating. Interment in the Bourbon Cemetery, Bourbon, Missouri. Arrangements under the direction of the Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, Missouri. Hal Martling Huff Hal Martling Huff of Rolla, Missouri, was born April 9, 1933 to William D. Huff, Sr. and Mary Clarissa Wells Huff, in Springfield, Missouri and passed away January 21, 2009 at the age of 75 years. Hal was very active in Boy Scouts and became an Eagle Scout and camp counselor. He loved to sing and act and was part of a musical comedy group who called themselves the Dirty Half-Dozen. Hal graduated from Springfield High School in 1951 and attended Park College in Kansas City before serving with the U.S. Army in Korea from 1953 to 1955. He married Shirley Helen Wuertz on May 25, 1958 and to this union two children were born. The family moved to Missouri in 1966 and settled in St. James in 1973. Hal was a member of the Rolla Methodist Church and a former member of the St. James Methodist Church. Besides teaching children, he loved nature and bird-watching, hiking, canoeing, and just being outdoors. He was also a member of the Golden Aires, a local singing group. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife and brother, William D. (Bill) Huff Jr. He is survived by his daughters, Carolyn Ellsworth and husband Brian, of West Plains, Missouri and Catherine Bookout and husband Mark of St. James, Missouri; sister, Charlotte Louise Lowther of Danville, Virginia; brother, Merrifield Wells Huff and wife Bette, of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren, Laurin and Nathan Bookout, and Jennifer, Abigail and Charlotte Ellsworth; other relatives and friends. A memorial service was held at 1 p.m. on February 14, 2009, at the St. James United Methodist Church with Reverend Amy Turner and Reverend Robert A. Morrison officiating. Interment in the St. James Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of the James & Gahr Mortuary, Rolla, Missouri. Lee Wallace Miles Lee Wallace Miles of Viburnum, Missouri was born November 18, 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri to William and Lyttia Regina (Jordan) Miles and passed away Monday, February 9, 2009 at his home at the age of 69 years. Lee had worked in St. Louis for several years as an auto mechanic before retiring in Viburnum, Missouri. He was a member of the NRA. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his companion, Sharon Harris of Viburnum, Missouri; one son, Vince Miles and wife Cindy of St. Charles, Missouri; one daughter, Lisa Schmitt and husband Ron of St. Charles, Missouri; two brothers, Jim Miles and wife Judy of St. Peters, Missouri and Tom Miles and wife Sharon of Viburnum, Missouri; two sisters, Anita Simpson and husband Jim of Salem, Missouri and Marilyn Gilbert of Dittmer, Missouri; four grandchildren, Phillip Nations, Brittney Cox, Cameron Miles and Adisson Miles. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements under the direction of the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, Missouri. Valerie Kay Prince Valerie Kay Prince of Sullivan, Missouri was born at Sullivan, Missouri on October 7, 1959 to Delbert and Laura Lawrence Jones and passed away at her home on Wednesday, February 12, 2009 at the age of 49 years. She had lived the majority of her life in the Sullivan area and was a 1978 graduate of Sullivan High School. She attained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Central Methodist University and was employed by the Crawford County R-I School District for over 15 years. She loved her students and was constantly outgoing, friendly and happy and was an eternal optimist. She found pleasure in playing golf and bowling, crocheting and walking. She was united in marriage to Stephen Prince and to this union four children were born. She was a member of Temple Baptist Church of Sullivan, Missouri. She is survived by one son, Stephen Prince of Sullivan, Missouri; three daughters, Shannon Keogh and husband Stephen of Cuba, Missouri, Nikki Gomez and husband Santos of Sullivan, Missouri and Stacie Prince of Sullivan, Missouri; her mother, Laura Jones of Sullivan, Missouri; two sisters, DeLynn Martin of Sullivan, Missouri and Vicki Jones of Kansas City, Missouri; two grandchildren, Dylan and Paxton Keogh; other relatives and friends. Visitation was held on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 4-8 p.m. at the Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, Missouri. Memorial funeral services were conducted at 5 p.m. Monday, February 16, 2009 from Temple Baptist Church in Sullivan, Missouri with Pastor Scott Perry officiating. Arrangements under the direction of the Eaton Funeral Home. Willa Mae Yocom Willa Mae Yocom of Davisville, Missouri was born May 25, 1920 to Marvin and Mae (Vehlewald) McCann in Wellsville, Missouri and passed away February 8, 2009 at the Salem Memorial Hospital in Salem, Missouri at the age of 88 years. On December 19, 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri, she was united in marriage to Billy Eugene Yocom. Willa was a member of the American Legion Woman’s Auxiliary in Davisville, Missouri. She enjoyed working on crossword puzzles, cooking and taking care of her flower garden in her spare time. She was preceded in death by her parents. She will be sadly missed by her husband, of 61 years, of Davisville, Missouri; two sons, Mike Yocom and Steve Yocom and wife Heidi, all of Davisville, Missouri; one daughter, Becky Russell and husband Melvin of Davisville, Missouri; one brother, Harold McCann and wife Margaret of Houston, Texas; two grandchildren, Rachael Mae Yocom and Cara Jean Russell; other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, Missouri with Rev. John Slade and Rev. Gene Thrasher officiating. Special music of “Precious Memories” and “In the Garden” were played. Rachael Yocom, a granddaughter shared special memories of her grandmother. Casket bearers were Otis Coleman, Johnny Halbert, Gary Muetzelfeld, Richard Turnbough, Doug Barrett and Dan Paul. Committal prayer and burial were in the Steelville Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, Missouri. Reprinted with permission from the Obituary page of the Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror Web site. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/mo/mofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWebArchives by: Winnie Brooks