Tony Farina

(From Simpson Funeral Home)

August 14, 1984 - August 31, 2026

Anthony “Tony” Farina left this world unexpectedly on August 31, 2026, at his home in Carthage, Missouri. His passing was accidental, sudden, and devastating, and while the world lost a vibrant, complicated, hilarious soul, I, his wife, Amber, lost the person who made life feel lighter just by being in it. 

Tony lived in a way that made you pay attention. He was brilliant in ways that didn’t always show up on paper, but showed up everywhere else, in the way he could fix anything, build anything, or explain the Tartarian time period with the passion of a man who truly believed he had cracked the code of the universe.

He was the guy who would save turtles on the side of the road, cheat at Mortal Kombat, listen to tin‑foil‑hat podcasts, and lie in the grass talking about conspiracies that made me roll my eyes and laugh at the same time. His mind was wild, creative, restless, and I loved him for it. But behind all the jokes and chaos, Tony was my safe place. He didn’t always talk about his emotions, but he showed them, in the way he protected our family, in the way he worked hard at Pomp’s Tire, in the way he tried every single day to be better than the day before. He was proud of graduating parole, and I was proud of him too, proud of the way he fought for his life, for his future, for us. And what I miss most about him isn’t the big moments, it’s the small ones.

I miss the way he’d look at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.

I miss the way he’d make me laugh when I was trying not to.

I miss the way he’d come up behind me and wrap his arms around me like he was grounding both of us.

I miss the sound of his voice, the warmth of his presence, the way he made even the ordinary days feel like they mattered.

I miss the version of myself that existed only with him, the one who felt understood, protected, and loved in a way no one else could replicate.

Tony was preceded in death by his parents, Kevin and Karyn Farina, and his grandparents, Georgia and Robert McHugh. He leaves behind his wife Amber Farina, daughter, Rylee Farina; his two handsome sons; sister, Jessica Johnson, and her husband, Jon. Each person loved him through every version of himself and will carry him in their hearts for the rest of their lives. I like to imagine him now, somewhere beyond all of this, still arguing with angels about whether the earth is flat or whether Tartaria was real. And I hope, wherever he is, he knows how deeply he was loved, and how deeply he is missed.

A celebration of Tony’s life will be held on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Simpson Funeral Home, 400 West Daugherty Street, Webb City, Missouri. This isn’t a goodbye — it’s a “see you later.” Services are under the personal care and direction of Simpson Funeral Home. Friends and family are encouraged to visit www.simpsonfh.com to share photos and memories of Tony. For a man who kept so much inside, your stories will help keep his spirit alive.

Emma Hopper

(From Simpson Funeral Home)

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved daughter, Emma Reign Hopper, affectionately known as Em or Emma Bean, who left us peacefully on September 1, 2026, at her home in Carl Junction, Missouri. Born on August 18, 2012, in Joplin, Missouri, Emma was a vibrant, compassionate, and courageous soul who brought joy and laughter to everyone she met. She was a beacon of light and love who lit up every room she entered. As someone once said, "There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor," and this was certainly true for Emma.

Emma's creative spirit manifested in her various hobbies, which included art, crafts, music, and her beloved animals. A member of the band at Carl Junction Middle School, she loved to express herself through music and art. She was funny, outgoing, and fun to be around, with a great sense of humor that always put a smile on everyone's face. 

Emma was also known for her love of shopping and her fondness for the water. Her courage was reflected in her actions as she always put everyone else first, a trait that made her the wonderful person that she was. Emma loved her parents and was fiercely loyal to her friends, family, and animals, which mattered most to her.

Emma was preceded in passing by her brother Trenton Hopper; uncle, Theodore "lil T" Lane III; aunts, Debbie Sheridan & Jacque Mclean; great aunt Lynn Miller and Great Grandparents, Jerry (Teresa) Jenkins.

She is survived by her loving parents Marty Hopper and Shawna (Theodore II) Lane; siblings, Erica Meyer, Luke Tummons, Lexi Williams, Porsche Gering, Zach Hopper, Kayla Eden-Hopper; aunts, Brandi Rowley & Dina McKinley; uncles, Mike Freeman, Thaddeus Hignite, Mike Hopper, Doug Hopper and Darren Hopper; grandparents Greg Tatum, Dave (Sandy) Hopper, Tracy Austin, Mike Smith and her well loved dogs, Xylophone and Kai.

Emma's services will be held at Simpson Funeral Home, located at 400 West Daugherty Street, Webb City, Missouri, 64870. Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 5:00pm. The funeral service will take place on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 10:00 am, and the graveside will follow at Osborne Cemetery of Joplin, Missouri.

As we remember Emma, let us remember this quote by Aesop: "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." This perfectly encapsulates the essence of Emma, who lived her life with such kindness and compassion. Emma's last act of kindness was to donate her organs to the benefit of many others. Services are under the direction of Simpson Funeral Home. The family encourages relatives and friends to visit www.simpsonfh.com to share photos and memories of Emma. Let her spirit live on through these cherished moments as we celebrate the remarkable life she led.

Helen Potts

(From Ozark Memorial Park Crematory)

Helen Louise Potts was born on March 12, 1939 in Clarinda, Iowa. She passed away at her home at the age of 87 in the late hours of Friday, September 4, 2026. She is survived by her three daughters, Donna Potts (Chuck), Laura Potts (Tom) and Lydia Kirkham (Mike). She had 6 grandchildren Richard, Cecilia, Isabella, Addison, Miles and Rowan and 2 great grandchildren Zeke and Colette. She is also survived by a brother, Lee Mascher.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Floyd Potts.

Her family would like to thank the Joplin Phoenix Home Care & Hospice for the amazing love and kindness they showed to Helen in her last days. Their assistance was greatly appreciated.

A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction of Ozark Memorial Park of Joplin, MO.

Chuck Roderick

(From Ulmer Funeral Home)

Charles “Chuck” Marvin Roderick, 84, of Carthage, Missouri, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2026. He was born February 27, 1942, in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Chuck lived a life defined by faith, family, hard work, service, and love. He met the love of his life, Vonda, and they married on August 18, 1962. Together, they shared 56 years of marriage, building a life centered on faith, family, and devotion to one another. They raised their two children, Anita and Timothy, in Leetonia, Ohio, before making Carthage their home in 1984.

Chuck proudly served two years in the United States Marine Corps, carrying the values of dedication and service throughout his life. He had a natural talent for working with his hands and a lifelong passion for automobiles and mechanics. After building his first car as a young man and teaching himself to drive, he went on to become an ASE-certified mechanic and semi-truck mechanic. He worked at several garages, including Parker Chevrolet in Salem, Ohio, and Howard’s Buick in Carthage, and became the first diesel mechanic in the Carthage area. He was known for his skill, determination, and willingness to help others.

Chuck’s faith was a cornerstone of his life. Raised Catholic, he later joined the Presbyterian faith and became an ordained minister. He was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church in Carthage, where he and Vonda quietly served behind the scenes. He loved studying the Bible and living according to his faith.

Above all, Chuck cherished his family. He was a devoted husband, loving father, and proud grandfather who treasured time with those he loved. In his later years, he stayed with his daughter, Anita, and her husband, Jerry, in Joplin. Anita became his caregiver, and together they lovingly cared for him and helped make his final years comfortable and meaningful.

Chuck was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Vonda Roderick; son, Timothy Roderick; mother, Pauline Roderick; sister, Christine; and grandson, Seth Dallies.

He is survived by his daughter, Anita Dallies (Jerry); sister, Ebie Carlisle; grandchildren Courtney (Chris) Ruport, Cody Dallies (Malonna), Jeremy (Jessica) Dallies, Kyle (Angelica) Dallies, and Brittani Dallies, who survives her husband, Seth; as well as extended family and dear friends.

Chuck was a man who loved deeply, worked hard, kept his word, and quietly served others. The work of his hands may have been repairing machines, but the work of his heart was loving his family, serving his faith, and helping others. His love, faith, kindness, and example will live on in all who were blessed to know him.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”

— Isaiah 40:31

Graveside services will be held at 10 am Monday September 14, 2026 at Fasken Cemetery, Carthage, Missouri. Visitation will be held from 9 am until leaving for the graveside. Online condolences may be expressed through www.knellmortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction of and personal care of Knell Mortuary.

Betty Farrington

(From Ulmer Funeral Home)

Betty Rose Farrington entered her heavenly home on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at Windsor House Skilled Nursing Facility in Huntsville, Alabama. She was born near Maple Grove, Missouri, on January 13, 1930, to Henry Clay and Elton (Kirksey) Youngblood. Betty graduated from Carthage High School with the Class of 1948. 

On March 17, 1957, she married Johnny E. “Bud” Farrington Jr. in Carthage, Missouri. He preceded her in death on September 30, 1996, after 39 years of marriage. 

Betty lived in the Carthage area until her marriage to Bud. As Bud worked in construction, she embraced the life of a traveling construction family. Over the next 25 years, they moved throughout the United States, living in more than 15 states while raising their two children. She was naturally adventurous and spunky and was not daunted by the many moves she and Bud had pursuing his career. 

In 1982, they returned to Carthage for retirement, where they were members of Fairview Christian Church. Betty was known for her servant’s heart, her kind and generous spirit, and for never meeting a stranger—a Youngblood trait. In her youth she was a member of the Maple Grove 4-H Club, Jasper County Rural Young Group, and Carthage Saddle Club. She was a longtime volunteer with Carthage Crosslines Ministry and an active participant in the Fairview Quilters. A lifelong homemaker, Betty poured love into her family and friends. 

Known to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as Grandma B, and as GMB on Facebook, she traveled to Huntsville, Alabama, several times a year to watch them participate in sports, dance recitals, performances, and other activities. She often said that God granted her wish to see all of her grandchildren graduate from high school, and He further blessed her by allowing her to witness college graduations and marriages. 

Betty is survived by two children, Phillip (Karen) Farrington of Huntsville, Alabama, and Beth Farrington of Kelso, Washington; five grandchildren, Seth (Susan Harmon) Farrington of Huntsville, Alabama, Samantha (Anthony) Webb of Huntsville, Alabama, Caleb (Samantha) Farrington of Huntsville, Alabama, Joshua (Sarah) Farrington of Austin, Texas, and Rose (Ben) Ewing of Atlanta, Georgia; and 10 great-grandchildren, Judah Webb, Brista Webb, Theo Webb, Piper Webb, Iris Webb, Hazel Webb, Remy Farrington, Emery Farrington, Winston Farrington, and Margaret Farrington. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews, Debbie Youngblood of Carthage, Missouri, Mary Jane (Doug) Marshall of Indianapolis, Indiana, Gary (Susan) Youngblood of Cassville, Missouri, Susan Wendleton of Carthage, Missouri, Linda (Michael) Hawkins of Oakland, Illinois, and David (Sheryl) Wright of Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clay and Elton Youngblood; her brother and sister-in-law, Floyd and Dorothy Youngblood; and her nephew, Charles Youngblood. 

Visitation will be held from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Ulmer’s Funeral Home, followed by a graveside service at Hackney Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to Cookson Hills or the Christian Campus House in Columbia, Missouri. Online condolences may be expressed at https://www.ulmerfh.com/. Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of Ulmer’s Funeral Home.

Sally Hartman

(From Hedge-Lewis Funeral Home)

Sally Sue Hartman of Webb City, Missouri, passed away on September 4, 2026.

Following a short illness, Sally entered the gates of Heaven from Springfield, Missouri.

Sally was born on May 28, 1938, in Carthage, Missouri, to the late Leslie and Edith (Jones) Tappana.

She is survived by her son Greg Grosse (Kammi), Grandchildren Jaclynne Renea Grosse, Katelyn Michelle Layton (Alex) and 2 great grandchildren Langston Zane Grosse and Parker Lynn Layton.

Her sister, Judy Burke (Dannie), Nephew Dan (Bridget), Neice Missy Taylor (Steve).

Grandchildren from her deceased son, Jeff Grosse: Kasey, Kyle, Tyler and Brady.

Sally was blessed with a blended family of three children with Tom Hartman, Scott (Leighann), Kent (Tammie), Lisa Robinson (Danny). 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.

Along with her parents, Sally is preceded in death by her husband Tom Hartman and son Jeff Grosse.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, September 14,2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Hedge Lewis-Goodwin Funeral home in Webb City, Missouri, officiated by Pastor Ben Johnson.

The family invites friends for a time of visitation prior to the service at 10:00 a.m. Her final resting place will be the Webb City Cemetery.

A celebration of life lunch will be served at Servants church in Webb City, all are welcome to come and share their memories and stories with the family.

Arrangements are under the direct care of Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home in Webb City, Missouri

Don McCaskill

(From Fohn Funeral Home)

Don Ray McCaskill was born at the family home in Howard County, Arkansas, near Dierks, on January 28, 1947. Don died on August 29, 2026, surrounded by his family, at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Don was raised in the country and nurtured by his parents Hubert and Gladys (Westbrook) McCaskill. Additionally, he had the love and guidance of two sets of grandparents, Olan and May (Wynn) Westbrook and Matt and Effie (Justus) McCaskill, and great-grandmother Lucy (Watson) Wynn, all of whom lived nearby. During his growing up years, he loved to explore the Piney Woods surrounding his home, where he fished in the creeks and picked up arrowheads from his grandfather’s freshly plowed field. He was active in 4-H and was chosen to represent his county on a trip to Washington, DC, where they toured government buildings, met with their Arkansas congressman, and visited monuments and museums. It was a trip that opened Don’s eyes to the big world outside of Dierks. 

Don graduated from Dierks High School in 1965, earning the title of salutatorian for his senior class. He then chose to attend the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to continue his education. While there, he majored in Agronomy, joined Alpha Gamma Rho social fraternity, and was elected president of the Agri Students Association. He was also selected for membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, an exclusive American National Leadership Honor Society that recognizes superior scholarship and exemplary character in collegiate and community life. After receiving his B.S. in Agronomy in 1969, Don joined the burgeoning Department of Food Science at the U of A. In 1972, he earned an M.S. in Food Science from that department under the guidance of Dr. Justin Morris. While at the U of A, Don met his future wife Linda Jane King. They were married in Cassville, Missouri, on September 6, 1969.

After completing his education, Don accepted a job with Steele Canning Company in Springdale, Arkansas. A few years later, he took a job with Kane Miller Corporation and moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The family, which by this time had grown to include daughters Wynne and Ashlee, settled in the small, historic town of Hillsboro (est. circa 1784) on the Tuckahoe River. Remembering his excitement visiting Washington, DC, as a member of 4-H, Don ensured that he and Linda made frequent trips with their girls to visit all of the monuments, museums, and government buildings at the nation’s capital. Especially exciting for the girls was a trip to Pennsylvania Avenue to watch the Inaugural Parade for President Ronald Regan in 1980.

The family relocated back to Arkansas when Don accepted a position with Riceland Foods in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Learning about rice growing and processing was an exciting challenge for Don, and by the time of his retirement he had become an expert in the field of rice processing and was known around the country as “Mr. Rice.” He traveled across the country and around the world representing Riceland Foods and promoting their rice products. During his tenure at Riceland Foods, Don also served the state and national food science industry. He was an active member of the Ozark Food Processors Association and served as its president for a period. In 2006, Don was selected as Outstanding Alumnus for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Don retired from Riceland Foods in 2012, at this point holding the position of Vice-President for Research and Development and having several U.S. patents under his belt.

Throughout his life, Don continued to be active in his local community, harkening back to the ODK honor he received in college. He served as editor for the Museum of the Grand Prairie newsletter, a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and member of the Mustard Seed Group. Membership in Mustard Seed was especially important to him, as in addition to fellowship, the group was dedicated to combating hunger both locally and abroad. In retirement, he continued to fight hunger locally by supporting the food bank associated with the First Presbyterian Church in Bentonville, Arkansas, where he and Linda were members.

Personally, Don was a quiet and gentle man, much like his father. He never bragged or boasted about his accomplishments. He never disparaged others. He stood up for the rights and recognition of the employees that reported to him. He was a generous financial supporter of the Presbyterian Church, food banks, animal welfare organizations, and other groups that aligned with his ideology of protecting and assisting the less fortunate. He treated all people with respect and believed in equality for everyone regardless of gender, race, religion, or nationality. He was non-confrontational and chose to support his beliefs quietly, letting his actions speak for him. He found ostentatious displays of wealth and power troubling, especially considering so many people in our world cannot meet their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter.

During retirement in Southwest Missouri, Don enjoyed working in his garden, growing flowers, shrubs, and trees on the small acreage he and Linda named Laurel Ridge. He fed the birds and delighted in watching the visiting wildlife. He walked his land with his canine companions Sassy Wiggles, JJ, and Lucy, observing and appreciating the natural world around him, much as he did as a child in the Ouachita Mountains of Southern Arkansas. 

Don will be forever missed by Linda, his wife of 57 years, and his daughters, Wynne Waddell (of Centerton, Arkansas) and Ashlee McCaskill (of Dahlonega, Georgia). He is also survived by his granddaughter, Emma Waddell, son-in-law, Lloyd Waddell, and niece, Krista Cannon Coats and her husband Jason. His extended family by marriage includes sisters-in-law, Janice Benson and Linda King, and nieces and nephews, Melinda Giardi and her husband Guy, Shannon King and her wife Kate, Travis King and his wife Kelli, Jeff Rude and his wife Jill, and Chris Rudd and his wife Kelly. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Gladys, mother-in-law, Edna King, sister, Joan (McCaskill) Cannon and her husband Wesley, nephew, Eric Cannon, brothers-in-law, Charles King and Stanley King, and son-in-law, Christopher Lins.

A private family memorial will be held at a later date, and Don’s ashes will be interred at Spring River Cemetery in Verona, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in his memory to your local food bank.

Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.