Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror, Steelville, Crawford Co. MO
Local Obituaries for the Week of April 15, 2005
Twyla Martin
Twyla Sue Martin of Decatur, Georgia, formerly of
Steelville, Missouri was born on April 15, 1944 to Kenneth William
and Delma Ruth Martin. She passed away on Good Friday, March 25,
2005 at Dekalb Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia at the age of 60
years 11 months and 10 days.
Twyla graduated from Steelville High School in 1961 and
went on to complete college at Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar,
Missouri and Mississippi College. She briefly taught high school
before joining "the telephone company" as an engineer.
In 2000 after 30 years service with the company she
retired from a Director-level position at BellSouth. For most of
those years she was a manager and considered an expert on
governmental regulatory issues, working from Atlanta, New York, New
Jersey and the District of Columbia.
She also frequently represented BellSouth on prominent
national telecommunications committees and forums. Despite her
career accomplishments, the non-professional side of her life was
far more intriguing and significant.
Four aspects of Twyla's life were particularly important
to her: missions, her faith community, friends and travel. While in
a rather fast management track, she sought a sabbatical for mission
work in Africa. Ultimately, with loss of her former position, sale
of her beloved Porsche, and no guarantee of a job upon return, she
left excitedly for a year in Uganda. "Missions" for Twyla was not an
effort to convert others, to push a theology or proof-text the
Bible.
It was instead to serve those in need as her faith
directed her, whether in Atlanta at the Buckhead Christian Ministry,
in a Manhattan mission church, or on the other side of the world.
Other extensive mission commitments included agricultural
communities in Thailand, slums of Sao Paulo, the Philippines,
Morocco, Liberia and Russia.
Although an effective manager, Twyla did
enthusiastically what was needed at the time in that place,
including painting walls in Russia, scrubbing toilets in Prague,
teaching English, developing singles programs, teaching Bible
classes, hammering Habitat houses or sorting thrift shop clothes.
Her travel adventures were not limited to mission trips;
friends cannot even count them. Twyla had traveled to all continents
but Antarctica and had graced all but two US states. She had climbed
Kilimanjaro, recently hiked the entire Amalfi Coast, bungee jumped
in Australia, skied the Rockies and Alps, rode rapids of the Snake
River and jet-boated in New Zealand, to name a few.
Her illness cancelled at a late date another working
visit this March to Sao Paulo, Brazil. An avid photographer, her
home was stuffed with slides and photos of adventures, missions, and
travels, allowing friends and church to share those experiences and
commitments.
Twyla's service to her beloved Wieuca Road Baptist
Church has been extensive and effective for decades. She was the
first woman Chair of the Deacons. She won the highest award for
service to her church and congregation and has had deep and
leadership involvement in missions, Sunday school, most major
committees, choir, outreach, and children's programs. At her death
she was Vice Chair of Deacons, Chair of the Missions Committee, and
Director of Mission Friends (children).
Twyla's deep Christian faith and other more uncommon
attributes enabled her to live an excitingly full and inspiring life
and to share it widely with friends, family, and associates. But
with all these adventures and contributions, perhaps her greatest
gift was as a friend. Few have had comparable ability to cultivate
and maintain friendships.
It is striking that she could have been close or best
friend to so many people in varied settings. Her accepting
personality, wondrous energy, organized life, precise focus and
desire to love and support are a few of many traits that make her
"best friend." She graciously shared her life broadly and will be
greatly missed by family and loving friends around the world.
Twyla was preceded in death by, her parents; older
brother Kenneth Martin Jr. and younger brother Robert Martin.
She is survived by her brother Jerry Martin and wife
Luci, sister Wanda Ransom, nephew Chris Ransom and wife Alisha,
nephew Mike Ransom and wife Mary, Randy Lewis and wife Cindy, niece
Tracy Garrison and husband Mark and niece Jeryl Martin, all of
Steelville, Missouri.
Great nieces and nephews Joshua, Jered, Trevor, Erica,
Erin, Molly, Michelle, Thomas, and Randi Jean; close family Teri
Geuse, Sonny and Sharon Turnbough, Spencer and Linda Jones, Mariah
and Marissa, Gina Tetley, Candace, Caleb, Lisa Hughes, Johnny, Jamie
and all other family and friends mourn the passing of this
extraordinary woman.
Kenneth Eugene Poling
Kenneth Eugene Poling of Steelville, Missouri was born
on Tuesday, June 14, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri to Everett Poling
and Bernice McMillen Poling. He passed away at his home on Saturday,
April 2, 2005 at the age of 72 years, 9 months and 18 days.
Kenneth married Janet Sweeny Poling and to this union
four children were born. He served his country honorably in the
United States Navy Reserves. Kenneth later married Margaret Ann
Stinson on December 23, 1985. They have made their home in
Steelville, Missouri the last ten years. Most of his adult life he
was a machinist at the Tool & Die Industry in St. Louis, Missouri.
His hobbies were fishing, hunting, golfing and being outdoors.
Kenneth made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and attended the
Presbyterian Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents Everett and
Bernice Poling.
Those who remain to mourn his passing are his wife
Margaret Poling of the home; children Karen Hungerford of Bridgeton,
Missouri, Cindy Hickman of St. Peters, Missouri, Kim Poling of St.
John's, Missouri and Kenneth "Kip" Eugene Poling, Jr. (Jackie) of
Florissant, Missouri; grandchildren Kenneth Eugene Poling III
(Christine), Tiffany Rehg, Robby Hickman (Jackie) and Laura
Hungerford; great grandchild Kenneth Eugene Poling IV; sister
Carolyn Sellini (Charlie)of Cottleville, Missouri; nephews Chuck
Sellini (Sandy) of St. Peters, Missouri and Tim Sellini (Kim) of
O'Fallon, Missouri; stepchildren Steve Murphy (Laura) of Elbert,
Colorado, Dorothy Foley (Don) of Florissant, Missouri, Janet
Dandever and family of Spanish Lake, Missouri, Nancy Tolan and
family and Brian Murphy all of Florissant, Missouri; brothers-in-law
Lee Stinson (Audrey) of Tega Cay, S.C. and James Stinson (Pat) and
eight step-grandchildren; cousins and friends. He was preceded in
death by two stepchildren, James Murphy and Dennis P. Murphy.
Visitation was Wednesday, April 6, 2005 from 3-8 p.m. at
Hutson Funeral Home, Steelville, Missouri.
Funeral services were Thursday, April 7, 2005 at 11
a.m. at Hutson Funeral Home, Steelville, Missouri with Bro. Delmar
Hutson officiating. Burial was at Berryman Cemetery, Berryman,
Missouri with pallbearers Kip Poling, Kenneth Eugene Poling III,
Chuck Sellini, Tim Sellini, Anthony "Bum" Parry, Mike Smith and
Jimmy Halbert.
All arrangements were under the direction of Hutson
Funeral Home, Steelville, Missouri.
Donald N. Rimbach
Don Rimbach, noted geologist, caver and activist, died
at the Missouri Veteran's Home in Mexico Missouri April 6, 2005. He
was 62.
Mr. Rimbach, of Webster Groves, Missouri, is known to
older Free Press readers from the 1970's as one of the most vocal
opponents against the building of the Meramec Lake Park Project.
He was employed by Lester Dill of Onondaga Cave as the
cave geologist, 1973-75. Mr. Rimbach debated the Army Corps of
Engineers at many public hearings in the Sullivan-Cuba-Steelville
area and aided many local residents along the river engaged in
condemnation hearings, and testified before the US Congress about
what he saw as geological flaws in the Corps engineering plans.
A welder by trade, Mr. Rimbach suffered ill health in
his later years, but never lost his love of the Upper Meramec River
and passion for Onondaga Cave and the Leasburg-Cuba area, which he
visited frequently.
After strokes in 2001 and 2002, Mr. Rimbach, a Navy
veteran, entered the Missouri Veteran's Home in Mexico.
Mr. Rimbach will be cremated, and an outdoor memorial
service is being planned within the next month or so. Details will
be posted at his online obituary www.ozarkspringstudies.org as they
become available.
Ruth Mae Cassidy Willhite
Ruth Mae Cassidy Willhite nee Neff of Cuba, Missouri was
born on November 24, 1913 in Iron County, Missouri to the union of
Allen Levi Neff and Della Abney Neff and passed away on April 7,
2005 at the Cuba Manor, Cuba, Missouri at the age of 91 years, 4
months and 13 days.
Ruth was united in marriage to Leonard Cassidy. One son,
Orville, was born to this union. Leonard preceded Ruth in death.
On August 4, 1983 she was united in marriage to Lloyd
Willhite at Cuba, Missouri, Lloyd preceded her in death on March 4,
1999.
Ruth was also preceded in death by her parents, son,
Orville Cassidy, five brothers, Logan Neff, Floyd, Claude, Rainey
and Woodrow Britton and four sisters, Edith Cassidy, Esther
Richards, Geriene Abney and Dorothy Chandler.
Those who survive to mourn her passing from this life
are her two brothers, Ocie Neff and Julius Britton; one sister
Adeline Farmer; three grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other
relatives and many friends.
Ruth was a loving wife, mother, and sister, good friend
to all who knew her and will be sadly missed.
Ruth Mae Cassidy Willhite nee Neff was in state at the
Britton Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri where funeral services were
held on Saturday, April 9, 2005 at 1 p.m. with Rev. James Self
officiating. Interment was in the Davisville Cemetery, Davisville,
Missouri. All arrangements were under the direction of the Britton
Funeral Home of Cuba, Missouri.
Reprinted with permission from the Obituary page of the
Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror Web site.
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