Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror, Steelville, Crawford Co. MO
Local Obituaries for the Week of March 18, 2009
Robyn Marie Austin
Robyn Marie Austin of Arnold, Missouri was born Friday April 10, 1959 at
St. Louis, Missouri to the union of Edward Earl Austin and Delores (nee
Welker) Austin and passed away Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Arnold, Missouri
at the age of 49 years, 11 months and 4 days.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Michael and Mark Willy; grand-
parents, Marion and Irene Reed; other relatives and friends.
She is survived by her mother, Delores Gault of Arnold, Missouri; father of
St. Louis, Missouri; one brother, Ted Austin of St. Louis, Missouri; one
sister, Kim Stout of Bourbon, Missouri; other relatives and friends.
Graveside service was at noon on Monday, March 16, 2009 at St. Mary’s
Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri with Father Tom Kiefer officiating.
Arrangements under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba,
Missouri.
Theresa Ruth Gawer
Theresa Ruth (Tracy) Gawer of Sullivan, Missouri was born January 21, 1947 in
St. Louis, Missouri to Loretta (Eads) Scott and John Henry Scott. She passed
away Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at the age of 62 years.
She was raised in Cuba, Missouri and later moved to Sullivan where she
graduated from high school. On April 30, 1965 she was united in marriage to
Ronald Harry Gawer at Sullivan and to this marriage three children were born.
She and her husband, Ron, owned and operated Harry’s Tire Service in Sullivan
for the past 39 years where she was the bookkeeper. She was an avid reader
with an interest in history and politics. Those close to Tracy know that she
grew up listening to Elvis Presley, and she was fortunate later in life to
see him in many concerts. She instilled a love of music in her children,
playing the piano and singing with family, as well as founding the Sullivan
Encore Band Booster organization. Whether cheering at high school halftime
shows, yelling at basketball games, or participating with friends at a local
trivia night, Tracy could bring a crowd to life with her wit.
She is survived by her husband of the family home; two daughters, Julie Lynn
Darrah and husband Chase of Sullivan, Missouri and Jeniffer Mary Rubenstein
and husband Mark of St. Albans, Missouri; one son, Ronald Scott Gawer of
Kansas City, Missouri; her mother, Loretta Mary Scott of St. Louis, Missouri;
one brother, Michael Scott and fiancée Angie of Sullivan, Missouri; two
sisters, Hallie (Scott) Kline of St. Louis and Sally (Scott) Blackburn and
husband Bill of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren, Madison and Adam Darrah,
Dillon Schmidt, Samuel Rubenstein; four step grandchildren, Billy, Michael,
Daniel and Emily Rubenstein; a special life-long friend, Shirley Connell;
other relatives and friends.
Visitation was held from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2009 from the Eaton
Funeral Home in Sullivan, Missouri with an eulogy reading and prayer at
7 p.m.
Arrangements under the direction of the Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan,
Missouri.
Dora Mandy Gray
Dora Mandy (nee Livesay) Gray of Sullivan, Missouri, formerly of Steelville,
Missouri was born January 11, 1933 in Keysville, Missouri to William Robert
Livesay and Bertha Blanch Key Livesay and passed away on March 11, 2009 at
her home at the age of 76 years.
On May 3, 1952 in Salem, Arkansas, she was united in marriage to Jack Smith
who preceded her in death on January 8, 1991. In later years, Mandy married
Russell Gray who also preceded her in death on August 16, 2007.
A few years ago, Mandy had attended the Presbyterian Church in Cuba,
Missouri. She enjoyed traveling to Branson for the musical shows, but did not
want to venture out of the state. She was a “true Missourian” since she often
declared Missouri was the “greatest place on earth.”
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; three brothers,
Haskell, Ralph and Noah Livesay and one sister Maize Tynes.
She is survived by her son, Ronald “Ron” (Rhonda Roth) Smith of Sterling,
Colorado; stepchildren, Darlene (Ricky) Richards and Edward (Deborah) Gray,
all of Shreveport, Louisiana, Coleen Gray of St. Charles, Missouri and Rusty
Gray of Cuba, Missouri; one brother, Billy Livesay of Pennsylvania; two
grandchildren, Jessica (Jim) Greenwood of Scottsdale, Arizona and Tom Smith
of Ft. Collins, Colorado; other relatives and friends.
Visitation was from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2009 at the Britton-Bennett
Funeral Home of Steelville, Missouri.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at the
Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, Missouri with Rev. Bud Sanders
officiating. Special music of “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art” were
played.
Committal prayer and burial were in the New Home Cemetery at Cherryville,
Missouri.
Casket bearers were Ron Smith, Tom Smith, Ricky Richards, Dick Ogle, Harold
Smith and Tom Boldt.
Arrangements under the direction of the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of
Steelville, Missouri.
Donald “Don” Arthur Harper
Donald “Don” Arthur Harper of Steelville, Missouri was born in Oby, Missouri
on August 21, 1916 to Oscar and Ida (Slowensky) Harper and passed away
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 92 years.
On January 24, 1942 in Potosi, Missouri, he was united in marriage to Dorothy
Leona Adams.
As a young boy, Donald was baptized at the Huzzah Baptist Church.
Donald always enjoyed farming and after retirement he enjoyed the outdoors by
gardening. In his past time, he would play checkers with his buddy, Paul Hogan
and other friends. He also played Pinochle or Aggravation.
When someone would ask him, “how are you doing?” He would reply, “Nothing that
a little duct tape wouldn’t fix.”
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife; a daughter, Donna Lee
Harper; a daughter-in-law, Barbara Sue Harper; one great great grandson,
Simon Slovensky; five brothers, Thomas A. (Jeannette) Harper, Harry (Gladine)
Harper, Rev. W. K. (Orpha) Harper, Herbert (Nora) Harper, and Arvel Harper;
two sisters, Myrtle (William) Campbell and Hallie (Ed) Gray; sisters-in-law,
Mildred Schoen and Ilean Adams and brother-in-law, Charles Adams.
He is survived by two sons, Charles Harper and wife Donna of Steelville,
Missouri and Lonnie Harper and wife Jean of Sullivan, Missouri; one daughter,
Linda Pope and husband Ed of Steelville, Missouri; seven grandchildren,
Regina (Tom) Slovensky, Rita (Joe) Eaton, Stephen (Tammy) Harper, Jason (Becky)
Harper, Dustin (Sheilah) Harper, Robin (Ken) Kerley and Donald (Kara) Garms;
three step-grandchildren, Mike (Carol) Davis, Becky (Chad) Barton and Erin
(Rob) Harmon; 18 great grandchildren Andrew (Astryd), Cyrus, Seth, Matthias
Slovensky, Hannah, Hope Eaton, Jonathan, Bethany, Ethan and Nathaniel Harper,
Danielle, Jonathan and Evie Harper, Kayla Harper, Josh, Derek and Aaron Harper
and Sage Garms; seven step-great grandchildren, Dusty Davis, Scott, Crystal,
Jonathan and Amber Barton, Shantel and Dalton Harmon; two great great
grandchildren, Alexander and Anthony Slovensky; three sisters-in-law, Betty
Hogan and husband Bob of Fenton, Missouri, Pauline Garrison and husband
Orville of Joplin, Missouri and Rachel Adams of Steelville, Missouri; other
relatives and friends.
Visitation was from 4-8 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2009 at the Britton-Bennett
Funeral Home in Steelville, Missouri.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at the
Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, Missouri with Dr. Richard Williams
and Rev. Eric Williams officiating.
Special music of “Go Rest High” and “I Want Us to Be Together in Heaven” were
sung by Stephanie Pyatt (pianist), Debbie Shasserre (guitarist) and
granddaughter, Rita Eaton. An instrumental selection of “Amazing Grace” was
played by great-grandsons, Cyrus Slovensky on violin and Matthias Slovensky
on guitar.
Casket bearers were great grandsons, Andrew Slovensky, Cyrus Slovensky, Seth
Slovensky, Matthias Slovensky, Jonathan Harper, Joshua Harper, Derek Harper
and Aaron Kerley.
Committal prayer and burial were in the Steelville Cemetery.
Arrangements under the direction of the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of
Steelville, Missouri.
Laura Hunt
Laura Catherine Hunt of Bourbon, Missouri was born Thursday, September 9, 1926
at Owensville, Missouri to the union of Henry Eikermann and Clara (nee
Haffner) Eikermann and passed away Friday, March 13, 2009 at Sullivan,
Missouri at the age of 82 years, 6 months and 4 days.
Laura worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for 33 years retiring in
1978 as a supervisor. After retiring she moved to their farm in Bourbon. She
spent 25+ years volunteering and working for the Bourbon Community Center.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; two brothers, Oscar Henry
and wife Lillian Eikermann and Harold Eikermann; five sisters, Meta and
husband Monk Meade, Ella and husband Paul Maples, Elsie and husband Ed
Hansen, Hilda Joslin and Lydia and husband Jr. Ohen; other relatives and
friends.
She is survived by one brother, Walter and wife Adriane Eikermann of
Owensville, Missouri; other relatives and friends.
Memorial service will be held Sunday, March 22, 2009 at the First United
Methodist Church of Bourbon with Pastor Leo Shumaker officiating.
Arrangements under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba,
Missouri.
Thomas Brice Munns
Thomas (Tommy) Brice Munns of Steelville, Missouri was born June 27, 1929
in Denver, Colorado to Kenneth Clifford Munns and Mary Eleanor Valona Wolfkiel
Munns and passed away on March 13, 2009 at his home at the age of 79 years.
In 1947, he joined the Army Air Corps as a jet engine mechanic and was part
of the Air Corps’ transition to the United States Air Force. After his
honorable discharge in 1951, he devoted his life to flying and maintaining
aircraft working for a variety of aviation organizations including
Continental and Frontier Airlines in Denver.
On January 2, 1956, he married Bessie Barbara Bowman of Timberville, Virginia,
raising three children.
During these years Tommy flew and maintained the first generation of corporate
aircraft. In 1965, the Munns family relocated to Omaha, Nebraska where Tommy
was a corporate pilot for Union Pacific Railroad.
They moved to Cody, Wyoming, where he flew for the Husky Oil Company. While
living in Wyoming, Tommy flew for two companies and refined his passion of
finding and restoring old Piper Cub aircraft to mint flying condition. Over
the years, he rebuilt numerous ‘Cubs’. In 1981, Tommy and Bessie opened Tom
Munns Aircraft in Cody, devoting full time to his love and passion. Following
Bessie’s death on September 12, 1987, Tommy moved to Anchorage, Alaska in
1990 where he worked in a variety of flying industries.
Among his many aviation accomplishments, Tommy was the first pilot to be
certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly selected business jets
as a single pilot. It was during this time Tommy met his second wife, Kitty
Ann Dobbs. They were married in November, 2008.
In 2005, Tommy was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award and the
Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA). Both are awarded for lifetime achievements in aviation for superior
flying ability and maintenance accomplishments. Each award category requires
a minimum of 50 years experience and as of this date, he is the only person
to have received both FAA awards.
He is survived by his wife, Kitty, of Steelville, Missouri; daughter, Jeannie
Marie Swartz, Anchorage, Alaska; two sons, Clifford Brice Munns Gastonia,
North Carolina and Thomas Malcolm Munns, Leonardtown, Maryland; brother,
Robert Munns of Denver, Colorado; sister, Rita Caulfield of San Francisco,
California, six grandchildren and one great grandchild; other relatives and
friends.
There will be a private family burial.
Arrangements under the direction of the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of
Steelville, Missouri.
Marilyn E. Reilly
Marilyn E. Reilly, nee Frederich, formerly of Cuba, Missouri, passed away
Sunday, March 8, 2009 in Port Charlotte, Florida, at the age of 72 years.
Marilyn was active in many organizations in Cuba, Missouri.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Reilly.
She is survived by daughter, Sandra (Glenn) Wright of Port Charlotte,
Florida; step daughters, Debbie (Wally) Cunningham of Green River, Wyoming
and Donna (Hack) Hakenewerth of Fenton, Missouri; siblings, Jeanette (Vern)
Nickrent of Affton, Missouri, Joan Pupillo of Fenton, Missouri and Bud
Frederich of Lakeland, Florida; grandchildren, Richard Pepper, Anthony Pepper,
Jennifer McColgan and Deanna Hakenewerth; great grandchildren, Mitchell and
Jacob Pepper and Aliyah Hakenewerth; other relatives and friends.
Visitation was at the John L. Ziegenhein & Sons Funeral Home, St. Louis,
Missouri, Friday, March 13, 2009 from 9 a.m. until time of service at 10 a.m.
Interment at the St. Matthew Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.
Arrangements under the direction of the John L. Ziegenhein & Sons Funeral Home,
St. Louis, Missouri.
Walter Charles Westholz
Walter Charles Westholz of Cuba, Missouri was born on Tuesday, April 8, 1924
in Swiss, Missouri to Charles Henry Westholz and Laura Stoehr Westholz. He
passed away on Monday, March 9, 2009 at the age of 84 years, 11 months, and
1 day.
Walter married Iva Mae Miller on October 18, 1947 in Owensville, Missouri.
He was a member of the Cuba Presbyterian Church. Several years ago he was
employed at Cuba Shoe factory, then Deb Shoe and later at Linn Flex West shoe
factory in Owensville, Missouri where he retired from. His hobbies were
hunting, fishing, watching Cardinal ballgames, mushroom hunting, and
attending auctions.
He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Ella Westholz; daughter,
Carol Jean Westholz; sister, Helen Krause; sisters-in-law, Alice Ferling,
Gladys Nieman and Loretta Spurgeon; and brother-in-law Allan Miller.
He is survived by his wife of the home; sister, Gladys Holtgrewe of
Owensville, Missouri; sisters-in-law, Joy (Chester) Rogers of Cuba, Missouri
and Faith (Joe) Moore of Hillsboro, Texas; other relatives and friends.
Visitation was Tuesday, March 10, 2009 from 4-8 p.m. and funeral service was
2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Hutson Funeral Home, Cuba, Missouri with
Rev. Gary Mace officiating.
Burial at City Cemetery, Owensville, Missouri with pallbearers Kenny
Holtgrewe, Harlan Moore, Daniel Rice, Mark Rogers, Larry and Ronald Ellis.
All arrangements under the direction of Hutson Funeral Home, Cuba, Missouri.
Reprinted with permission from the Obituary page of the
Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror Web site.
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