Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror, Steelville, Crawford Co. MO
Local Obituaries for the Week of September 28, 2011
Ella Mae Cowan
Ella Mae Cowan, a lifetime resident of St. James, Missouri, was born and grew
up in Red Bird, Missouri, daughter of George and Lena Smith and passed away
September 22, 2011 at the Cuba Manor Nursing Home at the age of 88 years,
7 months and 10 days.
She married Robert Elmo Cowan on June 28, 1947 at Cuba Baptist Church and
they lived their lives on the Cowan family farm near High Gate, Missouri.
Ella Mae graduated from St. James High School, attended Central Missouri
State and graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree
in Education. She taught school in Tarkeo, High Gate, St. James, Bland and
Belle. She held a variety of jobs, including working at an ammunition plant
in St. Louis, serving as Secretary for the Maries County Farm Bureau,
Supervisor for Missouri Home Health Services and Census Worker. She
regularly served as an election poll worker in Vichy, Missouri.
As a farm wife and mother, her interests included sewing, quilting,
cooking, music and family. She was an active supporter of 4-H, FFA,
band and County Extension programs.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Elmo Cowan; sisters,
Beatrice Zinn, Katherine Zweig, Nora Johnson and brother, George Smith.
She is survived by her seven children, Jo Ann Webb of Columbia, Missouri,
Rena Cowan of Pleasant Hill, Oregon, Robert Cowan Jr. of Memphis,
Tennessee, Cheryl Oehlert of St. Louis, Missouri, Dwight Cowan of
Germantown, Tennessee, Leita Scott of Bismarck, Missouri and Eric Cowan
of Kirkwood, Missouri; 18 grandchildren, Adrien Webb, Andrew Webb, Alex
Scott, April Huizenga, Robert Cowan III, Reed Cowan, Kelly Cowan, Shawn
Cowan, Robyn Fries, Michelle Cowan, Krista Cowan, Jason Cowan, Kacie Scott,
Landon Scott, Caitlin Cowan, Christopher Cowan, Claire Cowan and Sarah Cowan;
by two step grandchildren, Warren Scott and James Scott; five great grand-
children, Noah Webb, Molly Webb, Daniel Webb, Colin Huizenga and Quinn
Huizenga; sister, Mildred Brown of Rolla, Missouri and brother, Leroy Smith
of St. James, Missouri; other relatives and friends.
Pallbearers were grandsons Adrien Webb, Andrew Webb, Shawn Cowan,
Christopher Cowan, Jason Cowan and Reed Cowan.
A memorial celebration of life was at 10 a.m. on Saturday,
September 24, 2011 with visitation from 5-8 p.m. on Friday evening, and
burial service at High Gate Baptist Church Cemetery with Mike Smith
officiating.
Arrangements under the direction of the James and Gahr Mortuary of
St. James, Missouri.
Patsy Lee “Pat” Simmerly
Patsy Lee “Pat” Simmerly of Springfield, Missouri, was born November 26, 1938
in Neponset, Illinois to Robert and Alice (Crockett) Clarke and passed away on
Monday, July 11, 2011 in Cox South Hospital at the age of 72.
Raised in Elmira, Illinois, when she was 12 years old the family moved to
Perry, Missouri where Pat attended Greenlawn Country School and Perry High
School, graduating in 1956. After graduation Pat would stay with her father
in a boarding house in St. Louis during the week while they worked, going
home on the weekends.
She married Vernon N. Simmerly on May 25, 1957 in Bourbon, Missouri.
Pat and Vernon lived in St. Louis the first few years of their marriage.
Around 1965 they moved to the Sullivan-Bourbon area.
In 1977 Pat and Vernon divorced, at that time she moved to southern
Missouri.
At the age of 57 Pat returned to college to study Business Administration
and Accounting, graduating in 1993. After graduation she was employed by
National Valuation Services as a secretary, working there full time
until March of this year.
Pat found pleasure in sewing, bowling, reading, music, cooking, being with
family and friends and her job.
She was preceded in death by parents, Robert and Alice Clarke and her
sister Wendy Clarke.
She is survived by two sons, Daniel Simmerly and wife Lisa of Bourbon,
Missouri and David Simmerly and wife Sandra of Kissee Mills, Missouri; two
daughters, Charlotte Hall and husband Bob and Julie Harrelson, all of
Springfield, Missouri; six grandchildren, Nicole Simmerly, Whitney Bridgeman
and husband Tom and Lauren Simmerly, all of Bourbon, Missouri, Samantha
Oberkramer and husband Scott of Idaho, Ryan Sherby of North Carolina and
Erik Sherby of Springfield, Missouri; one great granddaughter, Addie
Oberkramer; three sisters, Roberta De Ornellis and husband Tom of Centralia,
Missouri, Marjorie Sharkey of Bourbon, Missouri and Vada Valley and
husband Marvin of Bakersfield, California; one brother, Terry Clarke of
Arlington, Texas, other relatives and friends.
A graveside service and inurnment will take place at 11 a.m. on
October 8, 2011 in the Bourbon Cemetery, Bourbon, Missouri.
Arrangements under the direction of the Eaton Funeral Home.
Robert “Bob” Ware
Robert “Bob” Ware of Bourbon, Missouri was born on December 13, 1948 in
rural Benton, Missouri in Crawford County to Estel Raymond and Rosella Marie
(Chapman) Ware and passed away on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at the age
of 62 years, 9 months and 4 days.
His parents owned and operated the Circle N Malt Shop in Bourbon and Bob
first started working there in 1961. He was a graduate of Bourbon High
School and later honorably served his country during the Vietnam War
attaining the rank of SP5. Bob returned to Bourbon where he worked with
his parents until 1973 when he purchased Circle N from them. Bob dedicated
his life to the restaurant; however he did enjoy the outdoors and spending
time on the river, boating and fishing. He also found pleasure in building
and fixing things and was an avid Cardinals baseball fan.
He is survived by two sons, Joshua Ware of Bloomington, Illinois and
Justin Ware of Hazelwood, Missouri; two brothers, Leonard and Lawrence
Ware, both of Bourbon, Missouri; three sisters, Bernice Quinton of the
state of Arkansas, Kathy Rigas of the state of Florida and Elaine
Steuernagel of Bourbon, Missouri; three granddaughters; Frederica
Schultz-Ware, Lila Shultz-Ware and Kiara Ware; other relatives and
friends.
Visitation was held from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday evening,
September 21, 2011, at the Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan, Missouri.
Funeral services were conducted at 11 a.m., Thursday, September 22, 2011
from the Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan, Missouri. with interment in the
Delhi Cemetery with full military honors.
Arrangements under the direction of the Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan,
Missouri.
Reprinted with permission from the Obituary page of the
Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror Web site.
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