Paul Heisten

(From Ulmer Funeral Home)

Paul L. Heisten Jr. 69, passed away February 17, 2016, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Paul was born September 4, 1946 in Carthage, Missouri to Paul “Ike” Leonard Heisten Sr. and Ruth Heisten. Paul was born and raised in Carthage. Paul served in the Missouri National Guard, and attended Mizzou where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. He co-owned First Class Limousine Service in Tulsa, OK. 

Paul is survived by his lifetime friend and former wife Sydna Sue Heisten. Paul is survived by one daughter Kimberly Stephens of Little Elm, Texas and two sons Michael Heisten and Brian Carrico both of Tulsa, Oklahoma. One granddaughter Ashley Pounds, two grandsons Hunter Goodnight and Eli Phemister one great grandchild Presley Pounds, One brother Tom Heisten, one niece Kathryn Junk and one nephew Jake Heisten. 

Services will be held 10:00 a.m. Tuesday February 23, 2016 at Ulmer Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday February 22, 2016 at Ulmer Funeral Home. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. Online condolences can be made at www.ulmerfh.com. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.

Marvin Dowler

(From Parker Mortuary)

Marvin Lester Dowler, age 87 of Joplin, passed away Sunday, February 14, 2016 after an automobile accident in Joplin.

Born March 8, 1928 in Broken Arrow, OK to the late Cyrus Arthur Dowler and Della Daisy Jones. After his parents passing, he was raised in an orphanage since the age of three. Marvin served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He had previously worked as a licensed barber, a patrolman, in school maintenance and managed a Travelodge motel. He was a member of Liberty Baptist Church in Webb City.

On June 4, 1960, he married Doris Jane Coffey at Camp Pendleton, CA. She survives.

Two sons, Gregory Dowler and Garry Dowler, preceded him in death.

Additional survivors include a daughter, Leita Teague and husband Charles of Dinuba, CA; seven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 26th at Liberty Baptist Church in Webb City with Pastor Gary Balfour officiating. Graveside services with military honors will follow at Osborne Memorial Cemetery. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.

Larry Hickey

(From Parker Mortuary)

Lawrence (Larry) Hickey Jr., age 93 of Joplin, passed away at 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17, 2016.

Born to Lawrence and Jennie Palmer Hickey in Coffeyville, KS on March 2, 1922, Larry was very proud of his parents and their accomplishments on a limited income. His father had polio at the age of two and had to learn to walk again. Larry enjoyed his schooling through the Coffeyville school system and was president of his senior class. In 1943, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Upon graduation he attended Midshipman School at Northwestern University's Chicago campus, graduating as a commissioned Ensign on December 22, 1943. He was assigned to a ship on anti-submarine patrol in the Atlantic and then to the APD 121 Herndon for the Pacific Campaign from 1944 until his discharge in 1946. He served in the last of the Philippine conflict including all of the Okinawa Campaign. His ship was then ordered to Manila, where an Admiral and staff came aboard to help plan the invasion of the Japanese Islands in November of 1945. It was there that he learned the Herndon was on a suicide mission to blow up a tunnel between the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. The Atom Bomb deployment saved his ship, many others and countless lives. Larry was privileged to meet six U.S. Presidents and personally thanked President Truman for saving his life.

One week after leaving the Navy, Larry began working for Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville, OK. There he met Marygene Underwood and they married in March of 1947. He was transferred with Phillips to the sales department in Kansas City and then to Aurora, MO for a district job in Southwest Missouri. He then moved back to Kansas City as Manager of sales, remaining there until 1955, when he moved to Joplin to purchase a distributorship of Phillips products. Marygene preceded him in death on May 1, 1962.

On December 9, 1962 Larry married Virginia Scruggs. She preceded him in death December 15, 2003. They had a wonderful life. His two daughters, Marla Hickey and Malarie Hickey Jaccaud also preceded him. Both were flawless marriages for Larry.

Survivors include a son-in-law, Steven Jaccaud; grandsons, Steven Jaccaud II and Tyler Jaccaud with his wife, Ginny; a granddaughter, Lawren Jaccaud Patterson with husband Mike; a stepson, William Scruggs, Ph.D. with wife Linda; grandson, Will Scruggs with wife Denée; granddaughters, Susan Scruggs Virgilio with husband Al, Sally Scruggs Buller with husband Jeremy; and 12 great-grandchildren in all.

Upon coming to Joplin in 1955, Larry was introduced to many people by his mentor, Bill B. Lee, a local banker and businessman. Bill was kind to introduce Larry to the Chamber of Commerce, churches and other affiliation including Rotary Club and Twin Hills Golf and Country Club, where he first played golf with Bill and others.

During this time, Larry operated Hickey Oil Co. and several other enterprises which included helping Channel 16's startup, later owned and operated Larry Hickey Distributing Co., a Budweiser wholesaler.

Larry's attraction to golf allowed him to play in 20 sanctioned PGA Pro-Am tournaments all over the United States, winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd out of the 20. His highlight was playing in the King Hassan II Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Rabat, Morocco, where he enjoyed entertainment provided by the King. Virginia also played in a single-day tournament in Rabat. They were invited back, but declined to allow someone else the opportunity. They enjoyed attending major golf tournaments including two Ryder Cups, one stateside and one overseas. In addition to Twin Hills, Larry was also a member of Southern Hills Country Club, Southern Seniors Golf Association, Missouri Seniors Golf Association and the World Seniors Association at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO.

While not a music major, Larry was also talented musically, playing some professionally under the auspices of Kansas City Conservatory of Music and with the French horn. He played in three Branson concerts while living in Aurora and while in Kansas City, became very active in music.

Larry was very fond of his home town of Coffeyville and of Joplin, his adopted home. He was thankful for the treatment he and his family received in Joplin. Larry was still in contact with seven of his friends who started first grade together in Coffeyville, with whom he had many reunions, two of which were hosted in his home with students, friends and spouses, numbering 150 each time.

Larry was proud of the three Jaccaud children and their accomplishments and was thankful to Steve for raising three children under unusual circumstances due to Malarie's early passing. All three graduated from K.U., some with advanced degrees. Lawren holds a degree in Architecture, Tyler holds a degree in History and two law degrees from University of Denver. Steve holds a degree in Business Administration. The grandchildren live in Denver and Los Angeles and are well established in their communities. Tyler is married with two children and his wife, Ginny, is also a lawyer. Lawren Patterson is married to Mike, also an Architect. Steve is happy in his job with Anheuser-Busch's Western Division. The three Scruggs children are also scholars, Will is an engineer from M.I.T. and wife, Denee' holds a pharmacy degree from UMKC, Susan and husband, Alex also hold degrees from M.I.T. with Alex holding a Ph.D. and MBA from Cal Berkeley and Michigan, respectively, and Sally graduated from MSSU and husband, Jeremy is an engineer from Ferris State. All six of Larry's grandchildren are very good at a variety of sports.

So very proud of his family and friends, Larry ended his daily prayer with "Thank you God for all my yesterdays, and thank you for my today, and if I have a tomorrow let me use it to help someone, In Jesus name, Amen". He obviously held his faith in God very dearly.

Mr. Hickey and his family give thanks to Mrs. Jerry Hayes, Mrs. Kelly Nelson and Mr. David Cross for the special care given to him in his home.

A special thanks, from Mr. Hickey and his family to Mrs. Karen Gilstrap for her many years of loving care and friendship to all of us.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 23rd at 11:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Joplin with Dr. Dave Burgess officiating. Entombment with military honors will be at Mount Hope Cemetery under the direction of Parker Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to any of the following, First Presbyterian Church; Malarie Hickey Jaccaud Birthing Center at Freeman Hospital or Friends of Joplin High School Scholarship Fund at Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri.

Denny Stark

(From Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary)

Mr. Dennison Austin “Denny” Stark, 75, of Joplin, Missouri, departed this life on Sunday, February 14, 2016, at the National Health Care Center in Joplin, Missouri, after a lengthy illness.

Denny entered this life on June 1, 1940, in Ludington, Michigan, one of three children born to the late George A. and Thora E. (Hansen) Stark. He was raised in Fountain, Michigan and was a 1958 graduate of Mason County Central High School in Scottville, Michigan. In 1959 he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving his country faithfully for over twenty-three years, retiring in 1983. On March 3, 1973 in Joplin, Missouri, he was united in marriage to Mary Lynn Bryan and together they have shared the last forty-two years. He and Lynn have made Joplin, Missouri their home since 1995. He enjoyed old westerns and John Wayne, playing chess, traveling and spending countless hours with his grandchildren, who affectionately called him “Gramper”. Denny attended worship services at Joplin Heights Baptist Church.

Denny is survived by his wife, Lynn Stark of the home; three children, Scott Stark and wife, Dani, of Ava, Missouri and Heather Lowe also of Ava, Missouri and Kirsten Bledsoe and husband, Matt, of Mexico, Missouri; eight grandchildren, Marissa, Derek, Aren, Jacob, Payton, River, Colony and Cooper; two siblings, Dan Stark and wife, Liz, of Fountain, Michigan and Sharon Stark of Muskegon, Michigan; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other family and friends.


Funeral services for US Air Force Retiree, Dennison A. Stark are 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 18, 2016, in the Chapel of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin, Missouri, with Pastor Keith Brumfield officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery in Joplin. The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening from 6-7:00 p.m. in the mortuary chapel. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through our websitewww.thornhilldillon.com. Memorials are being directed to Joplin Heights Baptist Church and contributions may be left at the mortuary. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin, Missouri.

Dorothy Adkins

(From Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home)

Dorothy Wideman Adkins, age 96 of Webb City, Missouri passed away Wednesday February 17, 2016.

She was born October 4, 1919 in Joplin, Missouri to Jerry E. Mayfield and Ora Huddleston Mayfield.

Dorothy was a lifetime area resident. She was a graduate of Webb City High School where she was a member of the Drum and Bugle Corp. Dorothy worked for Eagle Picher Industries as a payroll clerk for 26 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Webb City, Missouri.

She married Harry E. Wideman Jr. in June 1940, and he preceded her in death in 1960. She married Roy Adkins in September 1971 and he preceded her in death in May 1998. he was also preceded in death by one son, Gary Wideman; one daughter, Susan Smith; two brothers, Jerry Mayfield, Gene Mayfield; two sisters Jacquelyn Fisher, and Helen Melugin.

Dorothy is survived by six grandchildren, Garry Wideman and wife Dusti, Brian Wideman, Jodi Kai Wideman, Stacey Rodgers, and husband Stephen, Kristie Shields, Chad Shields; four great grandchildren, Trevor Shields and wife Falon, Ivy Cameron, Brady Shields, and Logan Shields.

Those gentlemen honoring her life by serving as pallbearers will be, Dewayne Melugin, Marion Fisher, Bob Fisher, Jerry Fisher, Chad Shields, and Garry Wideman.

Funeral services will be 11:00 am Monday February 22, 2016 at the Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home with Jerry Mayfield, minister officiating. Interment will follow at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 10:00 am prior to the service.

Dorothy Hofmann

(From Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home)

Dorothy Dean Hofmann, age 67 of Webb City, Missouri passed away Saturday February 13, 2016 at her home following an illness.

She was born February 27, 1948 in San Gabriel, California to Charles and Blanche Hilton.

Dorothy was united in marriage to Bruce Hofmann on June 15, 1973.

She was an Ozark Christian College alumni and was deeply devoted in her faith. She was a thirty year member of College Heights Christian Church. Dorothy loved her country and volunteered numerous hours to send care packages to military servicemen and women.

Dorothy will be dearly missed by her husband, Bruce; daughter, April; grandchildren, Reebekah, Sierra, and Christian; sister, Janice; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be 2:30 pm Monday February 22, 2016 at College Heights Christian Church with Randy Gariss and B.A. Austin ministers officiating.

Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home Webb City, Missouri.

Kent Jones

(From Parker Mortuary)

Kent E. Jones, age 89 of Joplin, passed away at his home on Tuesday, February 16, 2016 after a one-year battle with cancer.

Born October 3, 1926 in Joplin, he was the only child of Fred O. Jones and Lillian Ellison Jones and lived in Joplin most of his lifetime. He was a 1944 graduate of Joplin High School. Kent owned and operated Acousticon Hearing Aids of Joplin, where he first worked alongside his parents and later on, Virginia joined him in the business where they worked happily together. He had previously worked at Vickers and Eagle-Picher. While living a short time in Chicago, he worked at the Field Museum. He enlisted in the Army during World War II and later served in the National Guard. He was a member of Byers Avenue United Methodist Church and the Challengers Sunday School Class, Fellowship Lodge No. 345, A.F. & A.M. and Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Joplin and Club 44. He was a real character, always cracking jokes and no one loved a good bargain like him.

On February 10, 1955, he married Virginia A. Tucker in Joplin. They had just celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. She survives.

Additional survivors include two daughters, Kathy Denham and husband Kyle of Joplin with their children, Ryan, Kyla and Emily Denham, Elaine Ross and husband Bob of Tampa, FL with their children, Erin (Andy) Ross Tucker and Kira Ross; one great-grandson, Lincoln Tucker.

A son, Mark W. Jones, preceded him in death.

Memorial services with Masonic rites will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Parker Mortuary. Rev. Bruce Jacobs will officiate. Interment will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Byers Avenue United Methodist Church.