Stories from Tuesday, October 1, 2024

BLOOMFIELD — In this year’s primary election, Stoddard County residents are making their voices heard through early absentee voting. During the Stoddard County Commission meeting Monday, County Clerk Cecil Weeks reported 224 early absentee votes have been cast. It was learned 61 residents voted in the main office...

James Grover McCoy born March 19, 1929, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 at his home in St. Louis, Missouri at age 95. James was the devoted husband of Billie Jean McCoy (Heigle) who he joined in marriage June 26, 1953; loving father of his children: son, James “Greg” (Lee Ann) McCoy who preceded him in death, daughter, Kim (Kevin) Donica, and son, Jaime (Brandy) McCoy. ...

Patricia Sue DeProw Ockel was born March 11, 1941, in Sikeston, Missouri, and died Sept. 20, 2024, at home with her daughter’s family in Norwalk, Iowa, where they were blessed to have had her live for the last three and a half years. Pat was the daughter of the late Dolly Patterson DeProw and Hurshel “Dick” DeProw of Tallapoosa, Missouri. On June 2, 1962, in Tallapoosa, Missouri, she was united in marriage to Arthur “Art” Louis Ockel, Jr. Pat was 83 years old when she joined Art in Heaven...

Doris Louise Williams (nee Sargent) was born March 15, 1932, near Kennett, Missouri and died peacefully at home Sept. 26, 2024, in Columbia, Missouri at 92 years of age. She is preceded in death by her mother, Notria Brown; her husband, Leroy Wellington Williams; her sister, Jewell Pauline King; her brothers, Edward Leon (EL) Jackson and Wayne (Bill) Sargent; her son, Kerry Cameron Williams and his wife Cheryl Depew Williams...

James Walter Berry Jr., the son of the late James Walter Berry Sr. and Thelma Gwendolyn McKenzie Berry, was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri April 24, 1941 and departed this life at his residence in Bernie, Missouri Sept. 29, 2024 at the age of 83. Mr. Berry was a veteran of the United States Air Force. He later worked at Federal Mogul, having retired after 37 years. He was a member of Bernie Christian Church and a resident of Bernie...

Robert G. Simpson Sr., 66, of Bloomfield, Missouri, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 at Mercy Hospital Stoddard, in Dexter, Missouri. Mr. Simpson was born June 1, 1958 in Caledonia, Mississippi, son of the late Robert and Lurene Simpson. He had served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War...

On Sept. 2, 2024, Jerry Wayne Garner left this world to join his wife Sue in heaven, where she has patiently waited since February 2023. A dedicated family man, Jerry leaves behind three sons (Thomas [Janet], Todd, and Trevor [“Leena”]), seven grandchildren (Quinton [Paige], Ashley, Bailey, Lauren, Kendall, Edward and Kirsten [Chelsea]), and three great-grandchildren (Elijah, Kennedy, and Noah)...

Jessie Oleta Whitley of Morehouse, Missouri, was born Jan. 22, 1938 in Murry, Arkansas and passed away Sept. 28, 2024, in Sikeston, Missouri at the age of 86. Visitation and funeral services were Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 at the First Oneness Pentecostal Church in Morehouse, Missouri...

Kay (McPheeters) Ables of Malden, Missouri, was born July 31, 1945 and took her journey home to heaven Sept. 28, 2024 at 79 years of age. She was born to the late William “Bill” and Genevieve McPheeters, and grew up in Malden and Campbell, Missouri. On Dec. 19, 1980 she married her late husband, Don Ables...

Terri Bunch, daughter of Patsy Morris Bunch of Puxico, Missouri, and the late Terry Bunch, was born Feb.7, 1980, in Dallas, Texas and departed this life Sept. 24, 2024, in Puxico, Missouri at the age of 44. Visitation was held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024...

John Carroll, son of the late James Carroll and Rita Villafana Carroll was born Oct. 29, 1953, in Pontiac, Michigan and departed this life Sept. 24, 2024, in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 70. A memorial service was held at New Bethel Church Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024...

Jacob Hurdle, the son of Tanya Farmer of Dexter, Missouri and Joseph Hurdle of Williams, Arizona, was born Nov. 15, 2008, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and departed this life Sept. 27, 2024, in Dexter at the age of 15. Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024...

Stanley Hueckel, son of the late Billy Hueckel and Vivian Allen Hueckel, was born Oct. 27, 1955, in Dexter, Missouri, and departed this life Sept. 30, 2024, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at the age of 68. Funeral services were conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. Interment followed in the New Essex Cemetery in Essex, Missouri...

Rosie Johnson, daughter of the late J. B. McBride and Ecelner Moncrief McBride, was born July 24, 1929, in Newton, Mississippi, and departed this life Sept. 30, 2024, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at the age of 95 years. Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 11 a.m. until noon Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel at noon Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Interment will follow in Macedonia Cemetery in Malden...