Allen Kelley, age 67, passed away on September 3, 2016 at his home in Essex. Allen was born in Siketson, Missouri to the late Norman Kelley and Ola Hill Kelley.
He worked for the Missouri Division of Social Services for twenty-two and a half years. Allen was a member of the Essex Church of Christ. He had a love of animals, especially his cats and spent many hours caring for them. He also enjoyed camping with his brother, Jerry.
He graduated from Richland High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.
He is survived by one brother, Billy Kelley of Essex; by four sisters, Judy Armstrong of Clarksville, Tennessee, Paula Byrd of Sikeston, Missouri, Pam Woosley of Essex and Regina Martin of Essex and by many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by one brother, Jerry Kelley; by one brother in law, Darrell R. Martin and by one niece, Shawna Godwin.
A graveside service was conducted on Sunday, September 4, 2016 at the Essex Cemetery in Essex with Herman Morse officiating. Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter is in charge of all arrangements.
Hailey Elizabeth Laws, daughter of Clarence Laws Jr. and Sandra Miller Williamson was born August 8, 1996 in Sikeston, Missouri and departed this life on Friday, September 2, 2016 at the age of 20.
Hailey was a 2015 graduate of Richland High School and was a student at Three Rivers Community College in Dexter.
She is survived by her fiance’, Alex Lynn Crider of Bloomfield; by her mother and step-father, Sandra and Travis Williamson of Essex; her father and step-mother Clarence Jr. and Tonya Laws of Sikeston; one sister, Brittany Barker of Essex; two brothers, Chase Laws of Portageville and Jeffrey Barker of Essex; by her paternal grandmother, Sherri Laws of Portageville; paternal grandmother, Fern Taylor of Essex; and by her paternal grandfather, Glenn Williamson of Bloomfield.
Hailey and her son, Weston Lynn Crider perished in an accident together on Friday, September 2, 2016.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 from 11:00 A. M. until 1:00 P. M.
Funeral services will then be conducted on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at 1:00 P. M. with Rev. James Malloy officiating.
Interment will follow in the Essex Cemetery.
Floye Creed of Bloomfield, daughter of the late John Floyd and Nellie Casey White, was born in Clarksville, Arkansas on July 1, 1926, and passed away at the Golden Living Center in Bloomfield, Missouri on September 3, 2016, at the age of 90 years, 2 months and 3 days.
Mrs. Creed had lived in the Bloomfield area all of her life. She was a member of the Church in .
She was married to Doy Creed, he preceded her in death on October 18, 2008.
Surviving are three sons, Doy W. Creed of Dexter, Kenny Creed of Olive Branch, Mississippi; Danny Cross of Lexington, Kentucky; two grandchildren; and one sister, Marie Bean of Milton, Washington.Other relatives and friends also survive.
She was also preceded in death by three sisters, Effie Allen, Roma Duke and Velva Farris.
Friends may visit from 9:00 to 11:00 am on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Missouri.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, at 11:00 am at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Missouri.
Interment will follow in the Rock Hill Cemetery near Puxico, Missouri with Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Missouri in charge of all arrangements.
Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home
573-568-4500
Frances grew up on a farm in the Frisco, MO area and attended school at Trotter and Gray Ridge. She was married first to William Albert Rainwater on 15 March 1941 in Bloomfield. They were divorced in 1968. Her second marriage was to Finis Newton Cope on 23 November 1974 at Steele.
Frances dropped out of high school to marry and a vivid dream made her decide to continue her education. She got her high school equivalency at age 28. When she moved to Fontana, CA the following fall, she discovered that Chafee Community College was free and a bus would pick her up at the end of the block. She was in heaven! She loved school and loved to learn! She was always grateful to those who helped her obtain a college education.
Frances worked at the shoe and shirt factories in Dexter after her marriage and then moved to Flint, MI near the end of WWII to work as a gun and bomb sight inspector.
In 1959, she got her teaching certificate from Arkansas State and taught 5th grade at Essex for three years. In 1969, at age 42, she earned a degree in Social Work from SEMO State. She was a social worker for the Missouri Department of Social Services in Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Sikeston from 1968 till her retirement in 1992 after 25 years of faithful service. She worked in the children's division for 15 years and was a hotline worker for neglected and abused children. The last 10 years of her career, she worked for the Division of Aging.
Frances was baptized into the Catholic faith at Sacred Heart Church in Dexter on 15 August 1965. She moved to Sikeston after her husband’s death and was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church for many years. After retirement from social work, she volunteered for 10 years as a "Pink Lady" in the gift shop at Missouri Delta Memorial Hospital. She was a lifelong Democrat. She loved to listen to music and had an extensive collection of her favorites. She was always an avid reader.
Her great loves were Faith, Family, Service, Learning, and Music which gave joy and meaning to her life. Frances had a kind and gentle soul and a beautiful smile. She touched the lives of many and everyone loved her. Even in the last stages of Alzheimer's she hugged and kissed her family and those who took care of her. She had lost the ability to speak, except for "I love you," the most important words of all.
Frances is survived by her daughters Brenda Rainwater Garner (Bethel) and Gloria Rainwater Wethington (Don) of Bloomfield, MO.
Grandchildren: Keith Garner (Bambi), of Waco, TX; Dena Garner Creg Emerson (Rod) of Charleston, MO; Sherri Garner Moore Kennedy (Paul) of Russellville, MO; Lisa Wethington Pulley (Tim) of Bloomfield, MO; Tara Wethington Cooper Halcomb (Tim) of Rogersville, MO; Sharon Wethington Slayton (Steve) of Fairdealing, MO; and Jay Yourch (Kim) of Raleigh, NC.
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Great-grandchildren: Hilary Garner Hollingshad Hamilton (Eric) of Bardstown, KY; Josh Creg of Dexter, MO; Heather Creg Dowdy of Charleston, MO; Laura Creg Pruett of Bloomfield, MO; Catherine Lucas-Creg Gibson (Duke) of Dexter, MO; Jennifer Moore Guthrie (Wayne) of Sikeston, MO; John and Adam Kennedy of Russellville, MO; Matt Pulley (Cassy), Megan Pulley Henson (Aron), Michael and Mason Pulley of Bloomfield, MO; Briget Cooper of Rogersville, MO; Brittany Slayton (Jeff Micke) of Festes, MO; Courtney, Derek and Abby Slayton of Fairdealing, MO; Kathryn and Andrew Yourch of Raleigh, NC.
Great-great-grandchildren: Harley Hollingshad, Landon and Weston Hamilton; Ryleigh, Brendan, and Karsynn Dowdy; Cayton and Logan Pruett & Kodi Creg; Kayleigh & Alleigh Gibson; Mila and Cali Guthrie; Emmitt & Asher Pulley, and Collin Henson.
Frances was preceded in death by her spouse Finis Cope, parents Richard and Gladys McDaniel and siblings James Lee McDaniel and Harriet June McDaniel Widrig.
A funeral mass is to be celebrated by Fr. David Dohogne at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dexter on Saturday, 3 September 2016, followed by interment at Walker Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Memorials can be made to: Mayo Clinic – Alzheimer’s Research, 200 First Street NW, Rochester, MN 55905.
The family would like to thank those angels at Central Gardens, Golden Living and Crown Hospice who ministered to her during her ten year journey with Alzheimer's. Words cannot express how much you have meant to her and to us!
Barbara (Brown) Tanner Lettington, born May 24, 1946, passed away peacefully on August 29 at her home in Wappapello, Missouri.
Survivors include her daughter Amy Elise Tanner, son Brady Tanner and his wife Alyssa; all of Memphis, and her husband Harold Lettington of Wappapello. Other survivors include Judy Gregory, Jerry and Beverly Brown, Jim and Jeri Adkins; all from Dexter.
Raised in Dexter, Barbara is a descendant of one of the town’s first families. Proud of her ancestry, she had a remarkable memory of family stories, sharing them with her children.
She graduated from Dexter High School in 1964 and attended Southeast Missouri State University majoring in Home Economics. While at SEMO, Barbara met Carl Nathan Tanner, of Bernie MO. The two were married in 1966 and moved to Memphis, TN.
In 1968, the couple returned to Dexter to start a family. Barbara and her family lived in Dexter, Rolla, and Hannibal before returning to Memphis in 1985. Carl preceded her in death in 1993.
Throughout her life she was active in the community, volunteering with non-profits and serving as Secretary for the First Presbyterian Church. Her life-long passion to serve led to extensive work among people with disabilities, creating and administering several programs benefiting those in special need. For two years, she served as Executive Director of the United Way of Marion County. Another passion was volunteering at Cape Arrowhead, assisting veterans diagnosed with PTSD and serving on their Board of Directors. Barbara was also an artist, co-owning a gallery in Hannibal’s historic district that featured her original paintings and wood pieces.
In 2000, Barbara married Harold Lettington. Traveling extensively, their experiences took them to the American Southwest, Jamaica, the Florida coast and local wineries across the Heartland.
Diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer in 2012, Barbara’s faith in God supported her through chemotherapy at the West Clinic in Memphis. A devoted daughter, wife and mother, Barbara was a very special person who lived an incredible life.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Thursday, September 1, 2016 from 2:30 P.M. until 3:30 P.M.
A memorial service will then be conducted on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 3:30 P.M. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Catherine Bryant officiating.
A private burial will be conducted at a later date.
The family wishes to thank the staff of the West Clinic, the Hospice Team at VNA of Southeast Missouri who provided exceptional care during her last days, and the friends and family her supported Hal, Amy, Alyssa and Brady. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: WINGS Cancer Foundation in Memphis, TN or Lake Wappapello United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Wappapello, MO.
