.jpg)
(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)Wanda Marie (Dunaway) Austin, 96, of Webb City, MO passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 after a brief stay at Joplin Gardens, under the compassionate care of Gentiva Hospice (formerly Avalon).
Born on August 5, 1927 in Neosho, MO to the late George Willie and Olga (Nutt) Stout. Wanda was a graduate of Neosho High School and a lifelong resident of the area.
Growing up on a small farm in Neosho, Wanda always spoke of her “wonderful childhood”. They grew or raised most everything they needed. Even during the depression, she “never knew we were poor by the world’s standards.” God had provided all this tight knit family of seven needed. One of her favorite memories was “Daddy coming home from town, knowing he might have penny candy hidden on him and we had to find it!”
During the war years they would help their mother set up a picnic table of fried chicken, tomatoes as “big as a dinner plate,” watermelon from the garden, and home canned fruit from the cellar, a generous offering to soldiers coming to and from nearby Camp Crowder. As a teen, she loved going to the skating rink. Once, she bragged that she and her partners could “clear a floor to jitterbug on roller skates”!
She married John Dunaway and raised three children. Wanda was a homemaker in the truest sense. In later years, she put her sewing talent to work, making custom draperies for Bruce Benson at the Contemporary Shop, Webb City, MO and Fenton L. Huff Interiors, Joplin, MO. John and Wanda enjoyed vacationing with her sister and brother-in-law, working on John’s “Bucket List”. They also enjoyed weekends at their Grand Lake property. After John’s passing in 1987, she married W. Dale Austin in 1990. HE proclaimed she was the prettiest one at the Senior Center. SHE, after doing a little “background check” on Dale, often heard the words, “he is a true gentleman.” She often joked, “He’s a keeper!” They enjoyed 23 years together, making their home in Webb City, MO before Dale’s passing in 2012. Having never had children of his own, Dale embraced her kids, grands, and great-grands, as his own.
Being fiercely independent, Wanda remained in the house “Grandpa Dale '' built in the early 60’s until one week before her passing. Being homebound for several years, she was especially grateful for the abundance of care and shrimp scampi her granddaughter, Kristen provided. She had been in declining health since a stroke 3 years prior. Her family (and dear friend, Evelyn) banded together to serve her changing needs. Her “Local Boys' ' became Property Managers, she joked. Grandpa Dale would have approved. Everyone doing everything to keep her safely in the home she loved. Her daughter and granddaughter became her personal “meals on wheels”; which they often announced when delivering. Wanda was only one week shy of remaining in her home until the address changed to Heaven, Wednesday evening.
During the war years they would help their mother set up a picnic table of fried chicken, tomatoes as “big as a dinner plate,” watermelon from the garden, and home canned fruit from the cellar, a generous offering to soldiers coming to and from nearby Camp Crowder. As a teen, she loved going to the skating rink. Once, she bragged that she and her partners could “clear a floor to jitterbug on roller skates”!
She married John Dunaway and raised three children. Wanda was a homemaker in the truest sense. In later years, she put her sewing talent to work, making custom draperies for Bruce Benson at the Contemporary Shop, Webb City, MO and Fenton L. Huff Interiors, Joplin, MO. John and Wanda enjoyed vacationing with her sister and brother-in-law, working on John’s “Bucket List”. They also enjoyed weekends at their Grand Lake property. After John’s passing in 1987, she married W. Dale Austin in 1990. HE proclaimed she was the prettiest one at the Senior Center. SHE, after doing a little “background check” on Dale, often heard the words, “he is a true gentleman.” She often joked, “He’s a keeper!” They enjoyed 23 years together, making their home in Webb City, MO before Dale’s passing in 2012. Having never had children of his own, Dale embraced her kids, grands, and great-grands, as his own.
Being fiercely independent, Wanda remained in the house “Grandpa Dale '' built in the early 60’s until one week before her passing. Being homebound for several years, she was especially grateful for the abundance of care and shrimp scampi her granddaughter, Kristen provided. She had been in declining health since a stroke 3 years prior. Her family (and dear friend, Evelyn) banded together to serve her changing needs. Her “Local Boys' ' became Property Managers, she joked. Grandpa Dale would have approved. Everyone doing everything to keep her safely in the home she loved. Her daughter and granddaughter became her personal “meals on wheels”; which they often announced when delivering. Wanda was only one week shy of remaining in her home until the address changed to Heaven, Wednesday evening.
She was preceded in death by both John Dunaway and Dale Austin, as well as her father and mother. Wanda was the baby of the family and was preceded in death by her sisters, Loubelle Bogle, Eloise Frizzell, Clariece Griffith and Ortena Howard.
She is survived by her children, Mike Dunaway and wife Stephanie of Leawood, KS, Susan Peterson and husband Dale of Webb City, MO, Steve Dunaway and wife Janice of Joplin. Five grandchildren, Angela Thomas, Lees Summit, MO, Kristen Phillips, Webb City, MO, Eric Peterson, Crestwood, KY, Clay Dunaway of Bentonville, AR, and Aaron Dunaway, Bismarck, ND. Six great-grandchildren Xavier Thomas, Lees Summit, MO, Cayden Phillips and Addison Phillips of Webb City, MO, Alexa Peterson, Carl Junction, MO, Kiera Peterson and Avery Peterson, Crestwood, KY.
Wanda gifted a great legacy of faith, strength, and resilience, all of which finds its way to each generation that honors her now. Visitation at 10:00 on Monday, January 24, 2024 with Funeral Service to follow at 11:00 at Mason-Woodard Mortuary, 3701 East Seventh Street, Joplin, MO. Interment will be at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, 415 North St. Louis, Joplin, MO.
No comments:
Post a Comment