Arbra Hilderbrand

(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)

Mrs. Arbra C. Hilderbrand, age 80, of Joplin, formerly of Columbus, KS, passed away on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Mrs. Hilderbrand, daughter of the late Roy and Viola Mildred (Deweese) Amos, was born on September 26, 1939 in Columbus.

On June 15, 1957 she was united in marriage to Harvey Dean Hilderbrand in Columbus. He preceded her in death on November 21, 1980.

Mrs. Hilderbrand was a devoted mother and homemaker. She was later employed until her retirement with ACE Electric. She was a member of the Faulkner Christian Church and later attended the Center Christian Church. She enjoyed scrapbooking, garage sales, and flea markets, and attending her grandchildren’s sporting events. She was a 4-H Leader for several years and enjoyed cooking and teaching cooking for the Busy Bee’s 4-H Club. She was very proud of her Native American heritage and was a member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Wyandotte, OK.

Survivors include two daughters, Linda Zimmerman, and her husband, Ron, of Joplin, and Deann Graham, also of Joplin; one brother, Norman Leroy Amos, and his wife, Patti, of Chetopa, KS; four grandchildren, Amber Graham, Justin Graham, and his wife, Holly, Ashley Aviles, and her husband, Alfredo, and J. Alexander Graham; and four great grandchildren, Ethan Graham, Jocelyn Graham, Codi Graham, and Tyler Edwards.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 1:00 pm at the Greenlawn Cemetery, south of Columbus, KS with Albert Amos officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Miracle Network and may be entrusted to the mortuary.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Mason-Woodard Mortuary & Crematory, Joplin.

Jim Nelson

(From Stumpff Funeral Home)

James W Nelson, Kimberling City, MO, was born on October 1, 1930 in Ironwood, MI and departed this life on January 29, 2020, at the age of 89.

Following high school, Jim served his country in the US Navy from 1949 to 1953. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Moorhead State in 1957 and would later earn a Master’s degree in Industrial Arts from Colorado State College in 1967.

On October 11, 1958, Jim married Avis Jenson in Pelican Rapids, MN and soon after added children to their family. In addition to raising their own children, Jim and Avis also hosted exchange students from Finland, Japan, Denmark and Mexico as well as supported a family from Sudan, Africa.

Jim taught high school shop in Glenwood, MN until 1967 when he started teaching computer classes at Univac Corp. in Eagan, MN. In 1971 Jim began a 21 year career working at 3M Corp. in various capacities including human resources manager and purchasing agent. Jim worked at 3M in various locations, living in Nevada, MO, Staples, MN and Center City, MN.

After retiring in 1992, Jim and Avis moved to Kimberling City, MO. Jim was an excellent woodworker and spent much of retirement making cabinets and furniture including 22 grandfather clocks. He enjoyed traveling, including trips to Mexico, Denmark and Norway, and two trips to Haiti with the Water For Life mission. Jim also loved to spend time with family and friends. Jim was a member of Life Song United Methodist Church, Reeds Spring, MO.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Jennie Nelson and biological parents Milton and Mildred Dahlin; one son, John Nelson and two sisters, Marion Cain and Phyllis Morgando.

Survivors include: his wife, Avis Nelson of Kimberling City, MO; three sons, Chuck Nelson and fiancée, Kathy of Neosho, MO, Tom Nelson and wife, Linda of Flower Mound, TX and Steve Nelson and wife, Marlene of Stillwater, MN; one daughter, Karen Petersin and husband, Greg of Eau Claire, WI; one sister, Judy Anderson and husband, Bob of Florida; eleven grandchildren; several nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held Saturday, February 8, 2020 10:00-11:00 a.m. at Life Song Church in Reeds Spring, MO with Memorial service following at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Harold Long. Burial will be in Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery in Glenwood, MN at a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction Stumpff Funeral Home in Kimberling City, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to, Honor Flight of the Ozarks, P.O. Box 3964, Springfield, MO 65808-3964 or Life Song Church, 360 Emerson Rd., Reeds Spring, MO 65737.

Jan Johnson

(From Weng Funeral Chapel)

Janet (“Jan”) Lee Johnson, of Jasper, MO, passed away on February 2, 2020 in her home at the age of 54 after a 5 1/2 year battle with breast cancer. Jan was born to Sue (Phillips) Johnson and Leland Johnson on November 5, 1965 in Carthage, MO.

She is survived by her daughter Ellie Dawn Johnson-Lucas and Doug Lucas both of the home, mother Sue Johnson and sister Terry (Chub) Rives of Jasper, sister Pam (Rick) Oeltjen of Carthage, MO, a special aunt Jewell Elliott of Webb City, MO,and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her father Leland Johnson in 2017, her brother Randy Johnson in 1976, her maternal grandparents Everett and Jessie (Dallas) Phillips and her paternal grandparents Frank and Cora (Sunderland) Johnson.

Jan graduated from Jasper High School in 1984 and was a lifetime resident of Jasper, having worked many years at O’Sullivan Industries and more recently at MFA Propane and then Midwest Fertilizer. 

She enjoyed spending time riding and caring for her horses with her daughter Ellie. She found special pleasure in spending time with all of her family, especially playing cards and going fishing.

The family will receive friends at a visitation at Weng Funeral Chapel in Jasper on Wednesday, February 5th from 6:00-7:30. Graveside services will be on Thursday, February 6th at 11:00 at Mitchell Cemetery east of Jasper.

The family suggests donations be made to Mitchell Cemetery in care of Weng Funeral Chapel, 605 S. Main, Jasper, MO 64755, or Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, 620 W. Republic Rd., Ste. 107, Springfield, MO 65807.

Arrangements are under the direction of Weng Funeral Chapel. Online condolences can be made at wengfuneralchapel.com.

Phyllis Baronner

(From Konantz Warden Funeral Home)

Phyllis W. Baronner, 73, of Daytona Beach, FL passed away on February 2, 2020. She was born July 23, 1946 in Savannah, GA to Geraldine (Brown) and Lillian “Earl” Wolfe.

Phyllis grew up in Pembroke, GA. She served in the military in the WAC (Women's Army Corps) from 1966 to 1967. She lived in Germany, Japan and many states in the US, including North Carolina, Michigan, and Nevada, during her life. Phyllis went to school and became a medical assistant but spent most of her life working as a waitress and as a bartender. 

Phyllis is survived by her daughters Elizabeth (Jeffrey Scott) Moss of Daytona Beach, FL, Barbara (Greg) Hadley of Lakeland, FL, and Margaret (CK) Warden of Lamar, 9 grandchildren, her sister Gwen (Alvin) Futch of Pembroke, GA, a brother William (Jane) Wolfe of Saint Simons Island, GA, a sister-in-law, Mary Wolfe and many nieces and nephews. 

She is preceded in death by her parents and brother Nathan Wolfe. 

Memorial contributions can be made to Halifax Health Hospice. She spent her final days be lovingly cared for at the Port Orange, Florida facility. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Dorothy Mustain

(From Ozark Funeral Home)

Mrs. Dorothy Caroline Mustain, 72, a thirty-five year resident of Powell, Missouri, departed this life on Thursday morning, January 30, 2020, after a courageous twenty-seven month battle with cancer.

Dorothy entered this life on October 7, 1947, in Larned, Kansas, one of seven children born to the late Woodrow Wilson and Marcella Mae (Welsch) Wampler. At the age of sixteen she moved with her family to Granby, Missouri. She resided several years in the Granby and Neosho area.

 On November 9, 1989, she was united in marriage to William Junior Mustain and together they have shared the last thirty years. Dorothy was a seamstress throughout her life. She worked at the Granby Garment Factory prior to her twenty-eight year career with La-Z-Boy in Neosho. She also assisted her husband in the operation of Mustain Camp Ground in Powell. She enjoyed sewing, softball, bowling and being outdoors hunting and fishing. She was a member of Living Word Mission Church in Simco, Missouri.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Rosemary Bettes.

Dorothy is survived by her husband, Junior Mustain of the home; six children, Tom Ward and wife, Sabrina, of Granby, Karen Connell and husband, Bruce, of Neosho, Frank Ward and wife, Lori, of Neosho, Rebecca Mustain of Joplin, Lisa Mustain and Rick Ballard of Duenweg, Missouri and Tammie Hansen and husband, Curtis, of Neosho; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-four great grandchildren; two brothers, Woodrow “Woody” Wampler of Dewey, Arizona and Eddie Wampler of Mesa, Arizona; three sisters, Sonia Sittingdown of Bonner Springs, Kansas, Ella Cook of Valparaiso, Indiana and Sharon Morones of Mesa, Arizona; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other family and friends.

Funeral services are 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2020 in the Anderson Chapel of the Ozark Funeral Homes with Bro. Billy Joe Gentry officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery. Those honoring her life by serving as pallbearers are Tommy Ward, Bryce Connell, Bryan Connell, Samuel Ward, Randy Mustain and Andrew Mustain with Dallas Botelho, D-Andrae Botelho and Randy Armstrong serving as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 5-7:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Memorials are being directed to Living Word Mission Church c/o the funeral home. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through our website www.ozarkfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Missouri.

Amy Adsit

(From Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary)

Amy Louise Yarrington-Adsit, 75, of Labette City, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, January 29, 2020.

Amy was born on October 12, 1944, in Parsons, Kansas, one of 11 children born to the union of the late William and Mary (Riley) Paynter. She attended grade school in Labette City and high school in Altamont, Kansas.

On August 6, 1960, Amy was united in marriage to Roy Yarrington and together they had one daughter, Jane. They were married until Roy’s passing on July 13, 1977.

On October 8, 1990, Amy married Jerry Adsit and he preceded her in death on December 4, 2019.

Amy last worked as a cook for Parsons School District, retiring in 2007. She loved animals, especially cats, and also enjoyed spending time with her grandkids. In her earlier years, Amy attended Labette Baptist Church and taught the Sunday school class. She was most recently a member of the First Baptist Church in Altamont and also a member of their church choir.

Amy is survived by her daughter, Jane Henderson, and husband, Rick, of Carthage, Missouri; two grandchildren, Ryan Morgan of Oswego, Kansas, and Melissa Gann of Joplin, Missouri; three great-granddaughters, Trinity, Kaitlynn and Elizabeth; and three sisters, Mary Margaret Stewart of Clinton, Missouri, Norma Rooks of Council Grove, Kansas, and Nola Ross of Amarillo, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 3, 2020, at the First Baptist Church in Altamont, Kansas, with Pastor Greg Garrett officiating. Burial will follow at Labette Cemetery. The family will receive friends for visitation at 10:00 a.m. Monday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society in care of the mortuary.

Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary, Joplin, Missouri.

Eva Loftin

(From Parker Mortuary)

Eva Jean Loftin, age 84, Joplin, passed away at 9:26 p.m. Thursday, January 30, 2020 at Webb City Health and Rehabilitation Center from Alzheimer's disease.

She was born May 14, 1935 in Joplin to the late Ruben Wren and Beulah Arretta Fleming Wren and had lived in Joplin all of her life.

A homemaker, she was active with Senior Saints at Spring City Baptist Church, where she was a long time member. Eva enjoyed reading and spending time with her family. She will be missed by all who knew her.

She married Larry Loftin on August 6, 1983 in Joplin. He survives at the home.

Additional survivors include her daughter, Trena Wolfe and husband, Michael, Joplin; three grandchildren, Angela Downes and husband, Farron, Matthew Howard and wife, Michele, Brent Howard and wife LauRae; eleven great grandchildren, Madison, Brookelyn, Elijah, Audrey, Adi, Conner, Elijah, Easton, Isaac, Emma, Clay; and siblings, Ruben Wren, Jesse Wren, Mike Wren and Kenneth Wren.

In addition to her parents, Eva was preceded in death by a brother, Robert; and two sisters, Alberta and Aretta.

Graveside services are planned for Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. at Osborne Cemetery. Rev. Joe Morris will officiate. Pallbearers will be Michael Wolfe, Matthew Howard, Brent Howard, Farron Downes, Jerry Howard and Larry Bilke.

Memorial contributions may be made to Avalon Hospice, in care of Parker Mortuary.

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.