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Nellie Rosella Watson
GLEN CARBON, Ill. -- Nellie Rosella Watson, 81, of Glen Carbon died Jan. 7, 2006, at Oliver Anderson Hospital in Maryville, Ill.
She was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief.
She is survived by her sons, E. Frank Watson and Gary Watson of Glen Carbon; two sisters, Irene Noblin of St. Charles, Mo., and Opal Medsker of Warrenton, Mo.; two grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today at Heath Colonial Chapel with the Rev. Leonard Lingenfelter officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Zion Cemetery
in Walcott.
The family will receive friends before the service from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will include Joe Watson, Johnie Crawford, Doyle Somers and Carey Somers.
Memorials may be made to the Watson Flower Fund, c/o Sharon Somers, 11233 Highway 49 North, Brookland 72417.
Charlotte Marie Wondra
HORSESHOE BEND -- Charlotte Marie Wondra, 73, of Horseshoe Bend passed away peacefully Jan. 9 at Horseshoe Bend.
She was born Jan. 25, 1932, at Milwaukee, the daughter of Charles and Marie Meiers Romayko. She was united in marriage to James Wondra on Apr. 11, 1953, at St. Matthews Church in Campbellsport, Wis. They moved to Horseshoe Bend on Aug. 1, 1986. He preceded her in death on June 8, 1990.
She worked in insurance claims as a workers' compensation claim examiner. She was past president of Turkey Mountain Ladies Golf and a former Welcome Lady.
Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Patricia Ann and Patrick Crombie of Dixon, Ill., and Theresa Marie and Randy Nickel of Fond Du Lac, Wis.; two sisters, Diane Renee of Neillsville, Wis., and her husband Tom, and Sharon Krueger of Beloit, Wis., and her fiance Russ Gile; four grandchildren, Eric and his wife Janette Crombie of Machesney Park, Ill., Ryan Crombie of Rockford, Ill., Valerie and her husband Josh Bodden of New Ulm, Minn., and Angie Nickel of Oshkosh, Wis.; two great-grandchildren, Jordan Crombie and Hannah Bodden; and many nieces and nephews and her very special friend, Wayne Seegers of Horseshoe Bend.
A service will be held in Campbellsport, Wis.
Arrangements are under the direction of Horseshoe Bend Memorial Chapel of Horseshoe Bend.
Eunice Elizabeth Alexander
WYNNE -- Eunice Elizabeth Fikes Alexander, 81, of Wynne died Tuesday, Jan. 10. Born at Vanndale, she was the daughter of Robert Lee and Delela Palmer Fikes.
She is preceded in death by her husband, David "Chester" Alexander, parents, six brothers, one sister and one grandson.
Survivors include four sons, four daughters, two sisters, 17 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services are at 10 a.m. Friday at Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home Wynne Chapel. Interment is at Memorial Park Cemetery
in Jonesboro.
Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. today at Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home Wynne Chapel.
Lavanda Joan Colbert Booth
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- Lavanda Joan Colbert Booth died Friday, Jan. 6, in Independence, after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. Born on Sept. 17, 1932, in Monette, she was the youngest child of Clyde Colbert and Mary Lois Davis Colbert.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother; her brothers, John L. Colbert and Doyle Colbert; and her sister, Jewel Colbert Darr.
Lavanda graduated from Caraway High School in 1949 and on Dec. 29, 1949, at the age of 17, married Paul W. Booth, with whom she shared a journey of love, laughter, adventure, and intense devotion for 56 years. She graduated from the University of Louisville, Ky., in 1965 with a bachelor of arts degree in history and education, and her husband and three children cheered as she received her diploma. She was awarded a master of arts degree in U.S. history from the University of Colorado in 1968, and after postgraduate work, received a specialist degree in educational counseling from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1972.
She began a career in teaching in 1965 and retired in 1993 after 26 years as a guidance counselor at Ruskin High School in Kansas City, Mo. She was an active member of the National Education Association, holding numerous local, state, and national offices. She was a past president of the Greater Kansas City Retired Teachers Association and was an elder in the Community of Christ Church.
Lavanda traveled the world with her husband, Paul, and loved being with and sharing ideas with the people she met in Africa, Europe, Scandinavia, China, Australia, Canada and Central America. She was a gentle person of great strength.
She is survived by her loving husband, Paul; sons and daughters-in-law, Dennis and Anne Booth, and Donald and Sharon Booth; daughter and son-in-law, Karen Booth Jewell and David Jewell; sister, Imogene Colbert King; aunts, Stella Wilson, Geneva Herron, and Louada Kendrick; grandchildren, Gabriel Jewell, Zachary Jewell, Matthew Booth, Andrew Booth, and James Tidey and his wife, Lori; great-grandchildren, James Tidey Jr. and Jaelyn Tidey; and numerous in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren, and many cherished friends.
Family and friends may visit from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, at Gregg Funeral Home, 300 West Matthews, in Jonesboro.
Funeral services and a celebration of Lavanda's life will be held at the Community of Christ Church in Caraway at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, with Gary Earnhart officiating.
Interment will follow at the Oaklawn Cemetery
in Jonesboro.
Honored to serve as pallbearers are David Jewell, Gabriel Jewell, Zachary Jewell, Matthew Booth, Andrew Booth and James Tidey.
A memorial service will also be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, in the Community of Christ Stone Church at Independence, Mo.
Memorials may be sent to the Community of Christ Seminary, 1401 West Truman Road, Independence, Mo., 64050.
Lavanda, Mom, Grandma -- go with God. We will hold you in our hearts forever.
Mary Ellen Evans Davis
ASH FLAT -- Mary Ellen Evans Davis, 70, of Ash Flat died Tuesday, Jan. 10, at White River Medical Center in Batesville.
Born in Eccles, W.Va., she lived in Ash Flat for five years, and was formerly of Keiser. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief.
Survivors include her husband, Jesse Franklin Davis of the home; five sons, David Wayne Davis of Osceola, Darrell Lane Davis of Ash Flat, Lane Edward Davis of Las Vegas, Michael Ray Cantrell of West Chicago, Ill., and Robert Edward Cantrell of Platzburg, N.Y.; two daughters, Shirley Ann Mayer of Hoffman Estates, Ill., and Carolyn Lynn Rasco of Glendale Heights, Ill.; two sisters, Audrey Weinel of Lake City and Mildred Wardia of Kentucky; one brother, Edward Evans of Cooksville, Tenn.; 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Mae Ruth Dover Evans; and a sister, Janette Zennith.
A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in Gregg Funeral Home Chapel at Monette with the Rev. Terry Miller officiating. Burial will follow in Monette Memorial Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Charles Donnelly
JONESBORO -- Charles Donnelly, 82, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, Jan. 11, at his residence.
Services are incomplete and will be announced by Roller-Farmers Union Funeral Home.
Jack Ray Higginbotham
JOINER -- Jack Ray Higginbotham, 75, of Joiner died Jan. 9 of brain disease at his home in Joiner.
Born May 23, 1930, at Joiner, he was a retired manager of Home Oil and was a veteran of the Army. He was a member of Joiner Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen Hill and Loys Blaine Higginbotham.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo Higginbotham of Joiner; two sons, Loys Blaine Higginbotham of Monette and Joe Ray Higginbotham of Fort Smith; four granchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Wednesday in Wilson Funeral Home at Osceola. The Rev. Joe Sparks officiated. Burial followed in Ashburn Musick Cemetery
at Bards Town.
Wilson Funeral Home of Osceola was in charge of arrangements.
Elwood Martin
CARAWAY -- Elwood Martin, age 63, of Caraway, formerly of Manila, died Monday at his home in Caraway. Born in Manila, he was the son of the late Robert and Elsie Baggett Martin and had been a longtime Manila area resident before making his home in Caraway. He was a retired truck driver.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two infant sons, Eddie and Freddie Martin; four brothers, Bud Martin, Charles Martin, Bobby Martin, and Billy Joe Martin; and four sisters, Bessie Tyler, Flora Martin, Tolice Decker, and Voncell Martin.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Martin of Manila; two daughters, Connie Morgan of Steele, Ala., and Carrie Brasher of Odenville, Ala.; two brothers, Jack Martin of Kiln, Miss., and Carl Dean Martin of Kane Hill; one sister, Marveline Weatherford of Caraway; and five grandchildren, Ashlyn Martin, Nick Day, Joshua Gryder, Nathan Gryder, and Steven Gryder.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in the Howard Funeral Chapel in Manila with the Rev. Rick Stevens officiating. Burial will be in the Manila Cemetery. The family will receive visitors this evening from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home in Manila.
Sally Laird Mernissi
Education and civil rights advocate
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Sally Laird Mernissi of Alexandria, Va., died Monday, Jan. 2, from renal cancer. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Asia; her friend and former husband, Hamid Mernissi; her sister, Kathleen Caldwell of Memphis; and two brothers, Lyle Laird of Denver and Burgess Laird of Vienna, Va.
Sally has lived and worked in the Washington area since 1972.
Over the past three decades, Sally was an effective and influential voice on Capitol Hill on many crucial national issues, including Affirmative Action, Title IX, Fair Housing and Education. Sally is acknowledged by her colleagues as having played leadership roles in the development and passage of landmark civil rights legislation, including the 1982 reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act (1965) and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. She was a passionate and energetic lifelong advocate of civil rights for all Americans. In November 1984, Sally was recognized by the NAACP for her "Exceptional Achievement for Advancing the Rights of Minorities and Women."
For the past 15 years, Sally served as vice president for government relations and corporate secretary for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, an educational organization she helped establish with North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt to improve teaching standards across the country. She was devoted to the board and its primary mission of fostering excellence in teaching, and was a highly effective advocate both in Congress and nationally for improving education for all students.
Before working for the board, she served from 1983 to 1990 as special assistant to the majority leader, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., on the Democratic Policy Committee. Her focus was in the areas of labor, health, education, civil rights, and women's issues. Prior to her work for Sen. Byrd, Sally was a lobbyist for the League of Women Voters of the United States and went on to become its director of governmental affairs. Before the League, she was a staff assistant to Sen. J. William Fulbright, D-Ark., on the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare.
Born in Jonesboro on Sept. 5, 1950, Sally completed her B.A. at the University of Wisconsin (1972) and her M.A. at George Washington University (1979).
The family is planning a private memorial service to be held in Washington, D.C., in the next few weeks. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial donations in Sally's name to the Capital Hospice Inpatient Center, 4715 North 15th Street, Arlington, Va. 22205, or to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 1525 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington, Va. 22209.
