Betty Smith

Betty Lou Glenn Smith, age 88, of Joplin, stepped before the Lord on Sunday, September 25th, 2016, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, following complications from surgery. 

Betty was born in Springfield, MO to Clarence and Flossie Taylor Glenn. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her little sister, Hazel. 

Betty married the love of her life, Marion K Smith, on July 14, 1947. To this Union, two children were born, Boyd Michael Smith in 1948, and Brenda Joyce Smith Schmid in 1950. She was preceded in death by her loving husband in 1977, and by her son, Mike, in 2001. Survivors include her daughter, Brenda Schmid and her husband, Gene, granddaughter, Courtney Burrington and her husband, Chad, and great-grandson, Ryan Hunter Burrington, all of Joplin. She is also survived by her grandson, Colten Wade Smith and his wife, Kathy, and great-grandson, Harrison Smith, all of Austin, Texas. She is also survived by four brothers, Jim Glenn and wife Clara, Gene Glenn and wife Ione, John Glenn, and Bill Glenn and wife Zelma, and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a brother-in-law, Dick Smith of Manchester, Tennessee.

Betty worked as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone for more than three decades. She was a faithful member of Servants Church of Webb City. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary, Joplin, MO. Betty was a talented seamstress, and loved to knit and crochet. She made hundreds of baby blankets for gifts over the years. She loved tending to her flowering house plants and hanging baskets, and often taught others how to lovingly care for plants. She was a loving wife, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and a faithful friend to many. She will be greatly missed. 

A memorial service in her honor will be held on Saturday, October 8th, 2016, at 2:00 PM, at Servants Church of Webb City, 1090 N. Madison. Pastor Chad DeGonia will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, her family requests that memorial contributions be made to Servants Church of Webb City. Mailing address for Servants Church is PO Box 952, Carl Junction, MO 64834. Friends may call at the home of her daughter, Brenda Schmid, at 2715 New Hampshire, Joplin. The family wishes to thank the 7th floor nurses and staff at Mercy Hospital in Joplin for their exemplary care and compassion, and Servants Church and Pastor Chad DeGonia for their unwavering support.

Ray McDowell

(From Greenfield Funeral Chapel)

On September 30th, 2016, Ray McDowell, of South Greenfield, MO, entered the gates of Heaven.

Raymond Earl McDowell III was born on July 10, 1950, at “Mom Pearl’s” in Pennsboro, MO, to Ray and Rosaline McDowell.

He spent his childhood in Joplin, MO, then moved to Raytown, MO, at age 15. Ray, a proud graduate of Raytown High School and the University of Missouri, was also an active member in Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.

At age 29, Ray found his true love Pam Blair. He and Pam (daughter of Homer and Jo Blair) married on April 28, 1979. Through their 37 years of marriage they built their lives on the premise of faith, family and friends. They raised three children and four grandchildren – Kyle (married to Kendra), Cody (married to Sara with sons Maddox and Hudson) and Brandice (married to Jay Rosander with daughters Vanessa and Brooke).

He was also a proud brother to Frances (LeRoy) Benton, Susan (Gerry) Redford and John (Mary Ann) McDowell

Ray always valued hard work and taught everyone around him the importance of a good work ethic. He worked as a market reporter for the state of Missouri and at the Joplin Regional Stockyards. He then fulfilled his dream to own and operate a grow yard at McDowell Farms.

Ray, an active member of the Pennsboro community, was a life-time member of the Pennsboro Christian Church.

Ray demonstrated his faith, positive outlook, strength and bravery through the health issues he faced over the past year. This experience reiterated to him what is truly important in life, with God being his guiding light and family being his rock.

He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 3, 2016, in Pennsboro Christian Church. Burial will follow in Pennsboro Cemetery. Memorials can be made to the Pennsboro Christian Church Building Fund. Online condolences may be shared atwww.greenfieldfuneralchapel.com. Services are under the care of Greenfield Funeral Chapel.

Lana McGinnis

(From Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary)

Lana Jo McGinnis age 62 of Joplin, Missouri passed away Thursday September 29 2016 following a short illness.

She was born June 29, 1954 in Joplin, Missouri to Reece Burl and Betty Jo (Martin) Walton.

Lana worked for B.W. Johnson Manufacturing in Joplin, Missouri.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Anna Bella Martin, Lorrie Trumble; and one brother, Michael Walton.

Lana is survived by one sister, Toni Lou Gordon, Hemet, California and one brother, James Reece Walton, Ft. Worth, Texas, as well as several nieces , nephews and close friends.

A time of sharing and remembering Lana will be held on Saturday October 8, 2016 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at her home, 2020 Grand Avenue Joplin, Missouri.

Cremation arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary.

Mike Roberts

(Note: Mike Roberts was born and grew up in Carthage)

Mike F. Roberts aka "The Voice of The Lobos", 83, longtime resident of Albuquerque, returned to his Heavenly Father on September 13, 2016. 

He is survived by his children, Scott Roberts and wife, Joy, Becky Roberts and husband, Robert Powell, Kasey Roberts and wife, Anena, and Keely Heninger and husband, Erik; 15 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister, Betty Covington; and niece, nephew and extended family members. Mike was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Justin Clayne Heninger; and his children's mother. 

Mike was best known as "The Golden Voice of The Lobos" for 41 years. He honorably served his country with the United States Air Force during the Korean War as an Airborne Radio Operator. Most importantly, he was a loving father and grandfather for 61 years and will always be remembered as a humble and just man. 

Friends may visit from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 25, 2016 at The Wise Pies Arena aka The Pit, 1111 University Blvd SE. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, September 26, 2016, 11:00 a.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 8130 Sage Road SW, 87121. Mike will be laid to rest at Santa Fe National Cemetery. 

(Albuquerque Journal photo)

Junia Hagerman

(From Simpson Funeral Home)

Mrs. Junia Lee Hagerman, age 75, of Carl Junction, MO passed away at her home Saturday, October 1, 2016.

Junia was born on November 29, 1940 in Newark, Arkansas to Russell Hagerman and Junia Donivon. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Webb City. She was preceded in death by her husband William Hageman in 2002. Junia loved her church and all of her friends

Survivors include sons Russell Hagerman of Carl Junction and James Hagerman of Rochester, Minnesota; daughter Rhonda Zeleny of Omaha, Nebraska; a brother James Cannon of Council Bluffs, Iowa; grandchildren Bryan Grauf, Allen Grauf and wife Dana , Lindsey Zeleny, Melissa Hagerman and Joshua Hagerman and 8 Great Grandchildren,

Funeral services will be held 2 PM Wednesday at the First Baptist Church of Webb City with Dr. Shaun Watson officiating with burial at the Carl Junction Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Simpson Funeral Home in Webb City on Tuesday 6PM – 7 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be made to the Joplin Humane Society or American Cancer Society in Junia's honor.

Dick Onley

(From Parker Mortuary)

Richard T. (Dick) Onley, age 90 of Joplin, passed away on September 30, 2016 at The Communities of Wildwood Ranch.

Born August 8, 1926 in Philadelphia, Pa, he was the son of the late Otho T. Onley and Marion L. Travis Onley. He moved with his family to Claymont, DE, where Dick grew up and graduated from Claymont High School in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and left for the service. After being discharged at the end of World War II in Europe, he joined the Merchant Marine and was assigned to a ship taking German prisoners of war back to Bremerhaven, Germany and returning with W.A.C.s and war brides from LaHavre, France.

In 1946, he started at the University of Delaware, receiving his Mechanical Engineering Degree in 1950. He started work at Atlantic Refining Co. in Philadelphia in a management training program, remaining with them for ten years.

He then joined Catalytic Construction Co. out of Philadelphia, which did industrial plant maintenance and engineering work on a contract basis. He traveled extensively, directing this work in plants in the U.S. and Canada. He was then assigned, during the Cold War with USSR, to the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile sites near Cheyenne, WY, working there for a year.

Dick then joined Atlas Chemical Co. in Wilmington, DE and was eventually transferred to Joplin, where he remained until retirement.

Dick served as president of American Field Service (AFS) for three years during the mid 1970’s. A volunteer at Ronald McDonald House since its opening in 1998, he and Mary were chosen Volunteers of the Year in 2001. A longtime member of the Joplin Rotary Club, he served on the Board, was Chairman of the International Committee for several years, and he and Mary were both Rotary Paul Harris Fellows.

He obtained his private pilot license and enjoyed flying. He also enjoyed trips to Colorado each winter for skiing. He was an avid racquetball player for many years.

He married his high school sweetheart in 1949, Mary Simpson Onley, whom he lost to Leukemia in 2007 after 57 years of marriage. Together, they were avid travelers and had visited all 50 state capitols as well as many foreign countries.

Dick is survived by three children, Rick Onley, Susan Onley Pickett, Mark Onley; two grandchildren, Jonathan Pickett (Jennifer Dodson), Kristen Schmidt (John); three great grandchildren, Brinleigh, Anthony, Jeran; a brother, Wendell Onley (Rosemarie) several nieces and nephews in the Wilmington, DE area; and his significant other, Ruth Chapman.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at Byers Avenue United Methodist Church with Rev. Gerald Powley and Rev. Max Raney officiating. Interment will follow in Osborne Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday from 6-8:00 p.m. at Parker Mortuary. Dick requested memorial contributions be made to Byers Avenue United Methodist Church, the Ronald McDonald House, the Noon Joplin Rotary Club, or a charity of your choice.

The family would like to thank the entire staff at Communities of Wildwood Ranch for the care and compassion they showed to Dick during his stay there.

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.

Robert Archer

(From Knell Mortuary)

Robert R. Archer, 84, Carthage, passed away Thursday, September 29, 2016 at the National Healthcare Center, Joplin, MO. Robert Richmond Archer was born December 4, 1931 in Matland, MO.; a son of the late Pearl Archer and Dorothy Post Archer. He was a graduate of the Sacramento High School, Sacramento, CA and the Ontario School for Aviation, Ontario, OR where he received his Commercial Pilot certification. He married Ruth Heater in 1953 in Sacramento; she preceded him in death on September 9, 2009.

Survivors include a daughter; Joan (Scott) Johnson, Afton, OK; a son, James R. (Vangie) Archer, Fletcher, NC; a brother, Floyd Archer, Phoenix, AZ and a sister, Phyllis Joan Boydston, Duenweg, MO; eleven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren. Robert was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, a daughter, Patricia Smith, a son, David Archer, a brother, Ralph Archer and two sisters.

Memorial services will be held 10:00 AM, Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Springfield. Online condolences may be expressed through www.knellmortuary.com. Services are under the direction and personal care of Knell Mortuary, Carthage, MO.