Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror, Steelville, Crawford Co. MO
Local Obituaries for the Week of March 24, 2004
Mabel Hannah Bland
Mabel Hannah Bland nee Beezley of Cuba, Missouri was born on September 21,
1917 at Echo Valley, Cuba, Missouri to the union of Levi L. Beezley and
Georgianna Sweetin Beezley and passed away on March 16, 2004 at her home
near Cuba, Missouri at the age of 86 years, 5 months and 25 days.
On November 27, 1936 Mabel was united in marriage to Dr. James A. Bland.
Three sons, Ronald, Johnny and infant son, Michael, and one daughter,
Nancy, were born to this union. They were happily married until James
preceded her in death on August 31, 1977.
Mabel was also preceded in death by her parents, infant son, Michael, one
granddaughter, Julie A. Bland and five sisters, Mary Cowell, Willetta
Goodman, Mildred Van Patten, Bonnie Le Doux and Betty Mae Hughes.
Dr. Bland was a dentist when they married in Cuba. Then in 1965 they lived
in Memphis, Tennessee and when he retired from the Veterans Administration
they moved back to their home in Cuba where Dr. Bland was a dentist until
he passed away in 1977.
Mabel was a member of the Cuba First Baptist Church and the Sunshiners.
Mabel was affectionately called "Granny" by all who knew her.
Those who survive to mourn her passing from this life are her two sons
Ronald A. Bland and Johnny R. Bland and wife Brenda all of Cuba, Mo.; one
daughter, Nancy Streb and husband James of Cuba, Mo.; two sisters Irene
Seener of St. Louis, Mo. and Gertrude Schubert of Sullivan, Mo.; one
brother, William S. Beezley; grandchildren, Kelly, Bob, Andrew, Edward and
Joseph O. Connor, Todd and Caleb Bland, Debbie Street, Tonya Hughes, Nancy
Bland and Jenny Avery; great grandchildren, Jonathon, CJ and Kaleigh
Bland, Collin and Kyle Avery, Krystal, Daniel, Emily and Jacob O'Connor,
Jimmy and Chyenne Bland, AJ and Andrew Poelker, Steven and Shannon Street;
many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
Mabel was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother,
sister, aunt, good friend to all who knew her and will be sadly missed.
Mabel Hannah Bland nee Beezley was in state at the Britton Funeral Home of
Cuba, Missouri where Funeral Services were held on Thursday, March 18,
2004 at 1 p.m. with Rev. Wendell Starns officiating. Interment was in the
Oak Ridge Cemetery, Cuba, Missouri. All arrangements were under the
direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri.
Charles Stephan Carey
Charles Stephan Carey of Cuba, Missouri was born on October 3, 1915 in
Cuba, Missouri to the union of Daniel B. Carey and Mabel Short Carey and
passed away on March 14, 2004 at the Missouri Baptist Hospital, Sullivan,
Missouri at the age of 88 years, 5 months and 11 days.
On July 12, 1939 Charles was united in marriage to Helen Nora Hercy at
Cuba, Missouri. Three sons, Dennis, Robert and James and one daughter,
Virginia, were born to this union. They were happily married for 61 years
until Helen preceded Charles in death on October 16, 2000.
Charles was also preceded in death by his parents, one brother Arthur
Carey, one half-brother Paul Killeen, one half-sister Virginia Spencer.
Charles was inducted into the Army of the United States of America on
February 2, 1945 and was honorably discharged on January 21, 1946.
He was a member of the Holy Cross Church of Cuba, Missouri and the Cuba
VFW Post No. 7147.
Those who survive to mourn his passing from this life are his three sons,
Dennis L. Carey, Robert C. Carey and wife Mary Ann and James P. Carey and
wife Mary Jane; one daughter, Virginia Carey; one brother, George Carey;
two sisters, Sarah Prickett and Christine Gideon; one half-sister Rose
Gilliam; nine grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; nieces; nephews;
other relatives and many friends.
Charles was a devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, great
grandfather, brother, good friend to all who knew him and will be sadly
missed.
Charles Stephan Carey was in state at the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba,
Missouri where a prayer service was held on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at
6:15 p.m. Funeral Mass was held on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at Holy Cross
Church of Cuba, Missouri with Father James Finder officiating. Interment
was in the Holy Cross Cemetery, of Cuba, Missouri. All arrangements were
under the direction of the Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri.
Kathleen Bernice Decker
Kathleen Bernice Decker was born Friday, December 12, 1923, at Newburg,
Missouri, to the union of Lola Kathleen (Nee Stulce) and Cecil W. McBenge.
She passed away Saturday, February 14, 2004, at the Cuba Manor, Cuba, Mo.,
at the age of 80 years, 2 months and 2 days.
On April 17, 1941, Bernice McBenge made a decision that would guide her
life until February 14, 2004. She became the wife of James Walter Decker.
By the time she was 21 she had survived the Great Depression, World War
II, and the birth of three children. Life could not have been easy then
but through the strength of persistence, faith, devotion, loyalty and
love, Jim and Bernice carried on.
After recuperating from two purple hearts in World War II, Jim became the
city marshal and Chief of Police for Steelville. Life was full of risks.
It was not long before both of their lives were involved in law
enforcement-Steelville could not afford a police car so the family car was
the police car, complete with flashing red lights and sirens and the house
telephone became the police phone with emergency calls at all hours of the
day and night.
Bernice never slept while Jim was away from home. Those hours were spent
piecing quilts or baking homemade bread. The quilts were gifts to friends
and when the bread was baked, a neighbor would receive a gift of hot
homemade rolls and a jar of homemade jelly.
Bernice's life was that of a devoted, loving, faithful wife and mother who
knew how to make "much out of a little something."
As time went by, Bernice Jamie Decker and fiancé Jo was made a deputy
sheriff and as a police dispatcher until Jim's death, August 3, 1977.
In order to cope with life without Jim, she joined the Eastern Star, the
Federated Garden Club, the VFW Auxiliary and became a member of the
Presbyterian Church. She worked as an election judge for Crawford County
and donated many hours working at the food pantry. Food was very important
to her and she never wanted anyone to go hungry.
She had many hobbies. Quilting was one of her favorites and shipped quilts
to people all over the United States. She enjoyed gardening. Two hundred
new tulips should bloom in her yard this spring! The vegetables were
canned or made into pickles. Her apple cakes, jellies, and chili sauce
were relished by many lucky people. She enjoyed traveling with the bank
groups and several other groups of friends who would go to quilt shows or
play bingo. Most of these were fundraisers.
People will remember Bernice Decker as Jim Decker's wife, the loving
mother of her two daughters and one son, grandmother and great
grandmother, and other family members. They will remember how happy she
was to share whatever she had. Her life was not about material things-it
was about a faithful, dedicated person who shared her love with the whole
community.
Among those who remain to mourn her passing are her two daughters,
Kathleen McCann of Steelville and Jane Crum and husband Bob of Rolla; one
son, Jim Decker and wife Brenda of New Port, Arkansas; seven
grandchildren, Mark Pounds and fiancé Chen in of Rolla, Michael Pounds and
wife Melanie of Steelville, Amy McCann and husband Gary Crapenhoft of
Columbia, Mo., Robert McCann of Steelville,
Carol, Stephanie Butler and husband Shane, all of Kennett, Mo., and Jason
Decker of Springfield, Mo.
Also remaining are six great-grandchildren; two brothers, George McBenge
and wife Jessie Mae of Mobile, Alabama and Lester McBenge and wife Mary of
Steelville, Mo.; sister-in-law, Maude Decker of Rolla, Mo.; nieces,
nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a
son-inlaw Howard K. McCann and seven brothers, Donald, Frank, Wilbur,
James, Lawrence, Williams and Ralph McBenge.
Kathleen Bernice Decker lay in state after 5:00 p.m. Sunday, February 15,
2004, with Martha and Mary Chapter #164, OES memorial services at 7:00
p.m. Sunday.
Funeral services were held 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 16, 2004, in the
Britton Chapel with Rev. Jerry Beers officiating. Musical selections were
also provided by Jerry Beers.
Committal prayers and interment were in Steelville Cemetery. Serving as
pallbearers were Robert McCann, Jamie Decker, Jason Decker, Shane Butler,
Emory Clonts and John Harmon.
Arrangements were under the Britton Brothers Funeral Home of Steelville,
Mo.
Marian Glassey
Marian Glassey nee Baxter of Cuba, Missouri was born on Wednesday, June
14, 1911 in Madison County, Mo. to Joseph M. Baxter and Attie Ellen Lewis.
She passed away at Missouri Baptist Hospital, Sullivan, Missouri on
Friday, March 12, 2004 at the age of 92 years, 8 months and 27 days.
Marian married William Cornell Glassey in St. Charles, Mo. on March 14,
1936. She worked for a short time as a clerk at the Famous-Barr Department
Store in St. Louis, Mo. Marian lived most of her life in Crawford County
and was a devoted homemaker and wife to Cornell until his death on March
22, 2003. She was a member of the Eastern Star for 50 years and also
attended the Cuba Methodist Church where she had been a Sunday school
teacher. She also enjoyed and spent a lot of time sewing and making
clothing.
Those who preceded her in death were her parents and husband.
She is survived by a niece, Marie Boatner, of St. Louis, Mo.; special
friend Lois Dicus of Steelville, Mo.; other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 11 a.m. at Huston Funeral
Home, Cuba, Mo. with Rev. Delmar B. Hutson officiating. Burial at Meramec
Hills Cemetery, Cuba, Mo. With pallbearers Gary Counts, Paul Glaese, Dr.
Charles Leezy, and Dale Woodruff.
All arrangements under the direction of Hutson Funeral Home, Cuba, Mo.
Anthony "Tony" Payne
Anthony Lee Payne of Steelville, Mo. was born on Thursday, February 26,
1970 in Town and Country, Mo. to Larry Dale Payne and Ellen Lin Swain
Payne. He died at St. John's Mercy Medical Center. St. Louis, Mo. from the
results of a vehicle and train accident on Friday, March 12, 2004 at the
age of 34 years and 15 days.
Tony was married to Linda Scott on January 6, 1998 in Steelville, Mo. and
to this union two children were born. He lived most of his life in
Crawford County and recently had worked at All-type Fence Company in Cuba,
Mo. He enjoyed spending time on the computer and playing paint ball.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother Jewell Payne; Aunt Sandra
Payne; and cousin Sherry Campbell.
Those who remain to mourn his passing are his parents Larry and Vickey
Payne of Steelville, Mo.; and Ellen Lin Swain; children Michael Joseph
Payne and Megan Jewel Payne; ex-wife Linda Payne and mother Donna Scott;
grandfather Bradley Payne, all of Steelville, Mo.; brothers Richard
Sherman and wife Michelle of St. Louis, Mo., Doug Payne and wife Rheanne
of Cuba, Mo., Michael Sherman and wife Christina, and Shane Bullinger;
sister Susan Hollenbeck and Bob Hollenbeck, all of Steelville, Mo.; nieces
and nephews Brook Sherman, Ashlyn Sherman, Haley Sherman, Destiny Otte,
Sherry Otte, Tommy Hollenbeck, Austin Sandburg, Richie Sherman, Douglas
Payne and Justin Payne; aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and many
friends.
Visitation Monday, March 15, 2004 from 6-9 p.m. at Hutson Funeral Home,
Steelville, Mo.
Funeral services were Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 2 p.m. at Huston Funeral
Home, Steelville, Mo. with Rev. Matt Cook officiating. Pallbearers were
Mike Sherman, Rich Sherman, Ray Wilson, Shane Bollinger, Jason Wallis, and
John Massey. Honorary pallbearers were Doug Payne, Chris Campbell, and Bob
Hollenbeck. Burial was in the Steelville Cemetery, Steelville, Mo.
All arrangements under the direction of Hutson Funeral Home, Steelville,
Mo.
Kathleen Sue Sellers
Kathleen Sue Sellers nee Ponzar of Steelville, Missouri was born on
Thursday, February 24, 1949 in DeSoto, Missouri to Raymond Marion Ponzar
and Nioma Vera Harding Ponzar. She passed away on Saturday, March 6, 2004
at the Missouri Baptist Hospital, Sullivan, Missouri at the age of 55
years and 11 days.
Kathleen was married to Lindell Gene Sellers at the Assembly of God
Church, Cherryville, Missouri on April 24, 1993. She was a homemaker most
of her life in addition to fishing, playing bingo, being with her friends,
yard sale shopping, and most of all spending time with her grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother Raymond Jack Ponzar,
sister June Ponzar, three children, Sarina Wells, Sandra Wells, and Elvis
Dewayne Wells.
Those who remain to mourn her passing are her husband of the home, Lindell
Sellers; children Leasa Hawkins and husband Bucky of Potosi, Mo., Charla
Sellers, Sara Woods and husband James, Brian Sellers and wife Cathy, all
of Steelville, Mo.
Brother Richard Ponzar and wife Betty of Mora, New Mexico; four sisters,
Marion Guiwitts and husband Robert of California, Ruth Hawkins of Festus,
Mo., Helen Villmer and husband Tom of Potosi, Mo., Judy Drenner and friend
James Arnott of DeSoto, Mo.; mother-in-law Ruth Garms of Steelville, Mo.,
and father-in-law Homer Sellers of Boss, Mo.
Sister-in-law Elanor Ponzar of Milton, Wisconsin; brothers-in-law Winford
Sellers and wife Mary and Dewayne Sellers and wife Faye, all of
Steelville, Mo.; grandchildren Cagney Watson, Justin Hawkins, Lindsie
Woods, Ethan Woods, Palin Hawkins, and Tristin Woods.
Visitation was Monday, March 8, 2004 from 6-9 p.m. at Hutson Funeral Home,
Steelville, Mo.
Funeral services were Tuesday, March 9, 2004 at 11 a.m. at Hutson Funeral
Home, Steelville, Mo. with Rev. Delmar Hutson officiating. Burial at
Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Steelville, Mo. with pallbearers Carl Green, Mike
Green, Bucky Hawkins, Justin Hawkins, Steve Boyer, Dale Davis, Jimmy
Woods, and Billy Davis.
All arrangements under the direction of Hutson Funeral Home, Steelville,
Mo.
Reprinted with permission from the Obituary page of the
Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror Web site.
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