Billy Neill

(From Ozark Memorial Park Crematory)

Billy, William Hunter Neill passed from this life into eternity on October 13, 2026, at 3:00PM in Joplin, Missouri with family by his side. He fought a great short fight with cancer. Billy was born on November 26th, 1964, to Ada Louella Johnston-Neill and Lester Alvin Neill in Larned, Kansas at the Gleason Hospital. Billy spent the next 17 years growing up in Larned down on Parks Street with all the Southside Kids of the neighborhood. After his mother passed away, he moved to Pretty Prairie, Kansas with is sister Sue, to finish High School.

On November 10, 1984, Billy Married Janice Bruce in Pretty Prairie and Kaitlyn Elizabeth was born on April 8, 1987. Billy then married Melisa Mills on May 5, 1989. Andrew James was born from this union on January 15, 1990. Bill then married Debra Ann Perricotti on July 22, 2000. Bill then found Christal Hooker on May 3rd, 2003. Christal stayed by Bill’s side for the next 23 years until his passing.

Billy spent a lot of his adult life in Kansas, moving to Joplin for the last half of his life. Billy was great at being a handyman and general maintenance and worked in construction taking care of rental property for numerous owners in the Joplin community.

Bill was preceded in death by both his parents, his older brother Robert Hohl of Mariposa California; his sister Sharon Neill-Hohl of Harper Kansas. He is survived by his soul mate of the last 23 years Christal Hooker; his older Brothers Harold Hohl, Centerview, Kansas, Clinton Bullard, Stafford, Kansas and Lester Neill, Woodward, Oklahoma; his older sisters Sue Peterson, Hutchinson, Kansas and Linda Cody, Marionville, Missouri; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Ozark Memorial Park Crematory, Neosho.

Clay Charlton

(From Konantz Warden Funeral Home)

Clay Michael Charlton, 25, passed away on October 13, 2026. He was born on June 6, 2001, in Joplin, Missouri, to Daniel and Magarah (Ross) Charlton.

Clay attended Southeast Cherokee Schools in Kansas and Liberal, Missouri, schools before graduating from Liberal High School in 2019. During his school years, he enjoyed wrestling and playing football.

Following high school, Clay worked several jobs, including driving a grain truck for Roberds Farm. At the time of his passing, he was employed by Owens Corning, where he worked as a forklift driver.

One of Clay’s greatest joys was becoming a father in July 2024. He was devoted to his son, who held a special place in his heart and was an important part of his life.

Clay enjoyed hunting, fishing, and spending time outdoors. He especially loved working on the farm, where he was happy doing just about anything involving the cows or operating farm equipment. He also had a passion for collecting guns and knives and enjoyed working with leather. Using hand-carving, punching, and stamping techniques, he created a variety of handmade items, including belts, wallets, keychains, and other leather goods. He took pride in working with his hands and creating things of his own.

Survivors include his son, Lane Charlton, and Lane’s mother, Haley Thomas; his parents, Daniel and Magarah Charlton; his brother, Colton Charlton (Annie Tarter); paternal grandparents, Gary and Kaye Charlton; maternal grandparents, Gary and Delma Ross; maternal great-grandfather, Bill Higgins; paternal uncles, Gary Wayne (Gayla) Charlton and Mike (Becky) Charlton; maternal uncles, Mitchell (Amy) Ross and Chris Pennington; and several cousins.

He was preceded in death by his uncle, Phil Charlton; his aunt, Micah Pennington; his paternal great-grandparents, Archie and Blossom Charlton and Hollis and Dorothy Walker; and his maternal great-grandparents, Floyd and Isabell Ross and Blanche Higgins.

Clay will be remembered for his love of the outdoors, his enjoyment of farm life, and his dedication to his son. His life touched those who knew and loved him, and the memories he leaves behind will be cherished by his family and friends.

If you would like to make a memorial contribution in lieu of flowers, the family will be setting up a fund for Clay’s son Lane. Specific information will be updated once it is available.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday October 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Hannon Free Will Baptist Church.

Lawrence Thomas

(From Ulmer Funeral Home)

Lawrence Thomas, 89, passed away Tuesday, October 13, 2026, in Columbia, Missouri. Lawrence was born in Lawrence County (near LaRussell, Missouri), on May 8, 1937, to William Dudley Thomas and Moriece Hopton. He graduated in Miller, Missouri with the “Class of 1954."

Lawrence joined the U.S. Navy and worked as an MP (military policeman) while serving his country. He retired from Schreiber Foods after 36 years. Lawrence operated the Jasper County Courthouse historical elevator from January 2008 to October 2019. He also served on the Carthage City Council and as mayor protem. Lawrence loved his family and his grandchildren very much. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, dancing, and singing. Lawrence was part of the Wrinkled Roosters and played at Bob Hayses “The Hootenanny”. He was of the Baptist faith. 

Lawrence was united in marriage to Florence Peterson on February 8, 1958, at a little church in Plew, Missouri; she survives. 

Lawrence is survived by his loving wife of 68 years; son, Brent Thomas of Carthage, Missouri; daughter, Lisa Perry and her husband, Jon, of Carthage, Missouri; grandchildren, Joe Thomas and wife, Heather, Jared Thomas and wife, Candy, Chris Perry and wife, Casey, Stacy Sanchez and husband, Cruz, Eric Perry and wife, Amy, Blaine Perry and his wife, Chloe, and Marli Perry; and great grandchildren, Justin Thomas, Savana Hill, Samantha Thomas, Jakob Thomas, Ty Perry, Cael Perry, Trey Perry, Braiden Sanchez, Lucy Sanchez, Mason Sanchez, Cole Perry, Allie Perry, Paige Perry, Berkli Perry, and one on-the-way in May 2027. Lawrence leaves a beautiful, loving legacy of extended family and friends that will miss him greatly. 

Lawrence is preceded in death by his parents and stepparents, William and Della Thomas, and Garlin and Moriece Whitmire; brothers, James and Jess Thomas (twins), and Lloyd, George, and William Thomas; and sisters, Juanita Cockrin and Bonnie Zuback. 

A funeral service for Lawrence will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026, at Ulmer Funeral Home in Carthage. His family will receive friends beginning at 1:00 p.m. prior to service. Lawrence’s pallbearers will be Joe and Jared Thomas, Chris, Eric, and Blaine Perry, and Cruz Sanchez. 

Online condolences may be made at www.ulmerfh.com. 

Contributions may be made to the Missouri Veterans Home or Fellowship Cemetery in care of Ulmer Funeral Home. 

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.

Dorothy Young

(From Fohn Funeral Home)

Dorothy May “Dot” Young, age 91, of Mt. Vernon, Missouri passed away Monday, October 12, 2026, at Cox Monett Hospital in Monett, Missouri.

She was born in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Ralph and Mildred (Winslow) Freedline. On May 2, 1970, in Dearborn, Michigan she was united in marriage to David Eldon Young, who survives. Also surviving are her sons, David Young and wife Christina of Mt. Vernon, Missouri and Jeff Young and wife Brooke of Union, Missouri; daughter Ruth Anderson and husband Dave Hathcox of South Gate, Michigan; 12 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her parents; daughters, Martha and Patricia; two sisters; one brother and two grandsons.

Dorothy attended school in Redford, Michigan, and worked as a waitress for several years. She and her husband, David, had made their home in Mt. Vernon for the last six years after moving from Pendleton, Kentucky.

Dorothy enjoyed cooking, tending to her plants, and spending time watching the birds from her back window. She loved spending time going to the farm and interacting with the horses. Above all, she cherished her family and treasured the time they spent together. Dorothy was a member of the Church of Christ. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at Church of Christ in Mt. Vernon, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Jonathan Zerby will conduct the services. Burial will be at I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Missouri.

The family will receive friends from 12:30 P.M. until service time Tuesday at Church of Christ in Mt. Vernon.

Cindy Cassidy

(From Fohn Funeral Home)

Cynthia Germaine “Cindy” Cassidy, age 65, of Seligman, Missouri passed away Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

She was born July 20, 1961 in Plainfield, New Jersey, the daughter of Gordan and Alice (Cernik) Cassidy. On July 23, 2021 in Stanhope, New Jersey she was united in marriage to Victor Joyner, who survives, Also surviving are her son, William Joyner of Budd Lake, New Jersey; daughters, Kasandra Joyner of Piscataway, New Jersey and Lacie Joyner of Stanhope, New Jersey; brother, Daniel Cassidy of Seligman, Missouri; sisters, Lisa Powlison and husband Lawrence of Piscataway, New Jersey and Karen Maisano and husband Joseph of Piscataway, New Jersey, and grandchildren Stella and Morgan.

Cindy attended and graduated from school in Piscataway, New Jersey. She was employed in the Human Resources Department at Cintas for several years. Cindy and her husband, Victor, made their home in Seligman in 2024 after moving from Stanhope, New Jersey. She loved being near the water, especially spending time at the beach. Cindy enjoyed being outdoors, loved animals, crafting, and visiting craft fairs. She was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Piscataway, New Jersey. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Services will be held at a later date with time and date to be announced. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Dee Kassab

(From Parker Mortuary)

Dolores "Dee" Bove Kassab passed away peacefully on October 11th, 2026. She was surrounded by loved ones in her favorite place: her Joplin, Missouri home.

Dee was born in Brooklyn, NY on July 15, 1933 to Antionette and Anthony Bove, immigrants from Naples, Italy. Dee was a true New Yorker, and brought that zeal to Joplin in 1953 when she married the love of her life, Leon Kassab. She and Leon met while he was at market in New York buying for his family clothing store "Kassab's." Between his Syrian heritage and her Italian one, their kitchen became a legendary gathering place.

While settling into Joplin life, Dee made many friends and loved spending time with them. She was a member of Twin Hills Country Club and Millennium Family Fitness where she spent time as an avid golf and tennis player. She was a founding member and past president of The Board Investment Club, and a member and past president of Wednesday Study Club. She especially enjoyed her annual fall trips to New York City for the Pi Phi Theater Tour where she would spend the week seeing the latest Broadway shows and restaurant hopping with friends and family.

Dee received high honors with her Masters of Music from Pittsburg State University and was a notable coloratura soprano. Classical music was an important part of Dee's life, and she spent many hours teaching her students, children and grandchildren all about the arts. She was an original board member of the Heartland Opera Theater and was thrilled to help bring it to the Four States area.

She built her career in the second half of her life when she became an owner of Pro 100 Realtors with her partners in 1983. Dee took the Joplin real estate market by storm. She loved people and had an unstoppable talent when it came to sales. Dee was an active member of the National Association of Realtors, a member of Realtors PAC, a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Club, spent several years as the Chairwoman of Missouri Business Week and served on its board.

Dee was a member of St. Philips Episcopal Church and St. Peter's Church. Her faith in Jesus was her great treasure, and she carried a unique spirit of generosity. She especially loved the children at the Ozark Center for Autism and served on its board, along with serving on the Brushstroke Board for the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army and the March of Dimes boards. She was Chairperson for the American Heart Association, was a member of P.E.O., and a Century Member of the United Way.

Dee's greatest source of joy was her role as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her advice was always to have a great attitude, and that with God's help you can draw upon the love you have for your family and get through any dire situation.

Dee was preceded in death by her husband Leon Kassab, her daughter Reneé Kassab, and her granddaughter Reneé Blanchard. She is survived by her daughter Karolee (Kent Blanchard); her son Ralph Kassab (Patti); her granddaughter Kristen (Brant Ansley); her grandson Leon Kassab (Laura); her granddaughter Lillian Kassab; her grandson Will Blanchard; and her great-grandchildren Mercer and Blanchard Ansley, Guy and Isaac Kassab, and Ariana and Lanaia Kassab.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MSSU Foundation, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Joplin Humane Society, or Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO P.O. Box 8960, Springfield, MO 65801) in Memory of Dee Kassab.

Interment will be Monday, October 19, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery, Webb City, MO. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 p.m. at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Joplin, MO. Visitation will be held immediately following the funeral services.

Richard Moss

(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)

Richard “Dick” Moss, 81, of Joplin, MO died Monday, October 12th, 2026. He passed in the hospital after a short illness.

Richard was born on February 4th, 1945 to Katherine and Chester Moss in Inglewood, CA. At age 6, he took on his first paper route for the L.A. Examiner and started making his way in the world.

When he was 8, his family moved to a small farm in Carthage, MO and Richard attended a one-room schoolhouse. His father put him to work handling much of the farm work: tending the beef cattle, milking the cows, harvesting the oats, and raising the chickens. In 1957, his dairy cow won the Grand Champion Ayrshire at the Jasper County Fair.

In 1962, he graduated from Sarcoxie High. In 1966, he was part of the National Guard and was named the Outstanding Trainee of his company. At the behest of his brother Winston, he finished his education at Missouri Southern State University. He graduated in the first class of its new four-year program in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Living in Kansas City, MO, he met Margie Graves. They dated for a year and were married on October 25th, 1975. They had two children: Katherine (now DeGraff), born in 1981, and Cole, born in 1987. He and Margie were married for 50 years until his death.

He taught science at Sarcoxie High School for one year in 1970 before working as a salesperson at Eagle-Picher. In 1980, he left Eagle-Picher, took out a loan, and founded RAMCO Insulation, a company he would run until his death. He made his first shipment on the day his daughter Katherine was born.

He spent most of his days dreaming of his next meal. There wasn’t a day that passed without him talking about his favorite meals in close and far-off places. Meals like the Animal-style burgers at In-N-Out, lamb chops at Wilder’s, the sourdough at Poilâne, or the eggs benedict at the Bruncheonette. He was even written up in The Joplin Globe for his famous rib recipe, and we can safely reveal now that his secret BBQ sauce recipe was a 3:1 mix of Kraft BBQ sauce and Pearl Milling Company syrup.

He loved traveling with his family and friends to Italy, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Israel, Cuba, Greece, and many times to France. He loved visiting museums and seeing other ways of life. He said the most beautiful thing he ever saw was the springtime waterfalls of the Lauterbrunnen valley in the Swiss Alps. And just like the Swiss, he loved being punctual.

He had a deep affection for nature. He loved the tall sequoias and redwood trees, especially in Muir Woods. From his favorite chair, he kept a daily watch of the bald eagles on the southern edge of Joplin. He loved the natural beauty of Colorado and California and spent many summers and winters there with his family and friends, most often making the journey via road trip.

He loved golfing with his buddies at Twin Hills, and enjoyed skiing and tennis with his family. In 2008, he hit a hole-in-one. Famously, he said he could sometimes beat his wife in tennis until they were married and then she started playing for real and never let him win again. (Ed. note: his wife disputes this.) He loved watching the Kansas City Chiefs, Wimbledon, the Tour de France, and golf. He had a deep affection for classical music and also loved the Moody Blues, Cat Stevens, and Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert.

He enjoyed getting active and admired ambitious people. Throughout his life, Richard was always befriending older, father-like figures. He used to have a weekly standing lunch with a small group of older gentlemen at the Butcher’s Block.

Richard helped build out the St. Peter’s Outreach House, worked at the Community Clinic of Joplin for nearly 10 years, and helped for many years with the Joplin Golf Foundation. In 2017, he was inducted into the Joplin Golf Hall of Fame for his work.

These accomplishments were important to him, but nothing meant more to him than his family. He was deeply devoted and loyal.

Richard Allen Moss is survived by Margie Louise Moss (spouse), Katherine DeGraff (daughter), Cole Moss (son), Brad DeGraff (son-in-law), Linda Moss (sister), Bradshaw DeGraff (grandson), and Richard DeGraff (grandson).

He was preceded in death by his parents Katherine (Johannes) Moss and Chester Moss, Alyce Flaherty (sister), Winston Moss (half-brother), Mary Ellen Homeier (half-sister), and Wilda (Candy) Reiersen (half-sister).

His Memorial Mass will be at St. Peter’s Church on Saturday, October 17th at 1:00 PM.

A Visitation and Memorial service will occur at Mason-Woodard Mortuary on Monday, October 19th. The visitation will start at 11:00 AM, the Memorial Service will start at 12:00 PM, and the burial will be around 1:00 PM at Osborne Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Peter’s Outreach House, LifeChoices, or a charity of your choosing.