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DARREL DAVENPORT
Cecil Darrell Davenport was born August 21, 1916 at home in Monroe township, north of Kellerton, Iowa. He was the youngest of 11 children born to Leander and Martha (Shockley) Davenport.
Darrel assumed the responsibilities of the farm at the age of 15 when his father died. On November 20, 1937, he was united in marriage with Opal Lucille Millsap in Creston, Iowa.
Darrel had a love for the land. The straightness of the rows showed the kind of farmer he was. He started out in the lean years of the Depression and he never backed down from a job. Darrel operated a thrashing machine and after he had completed his thrashing and the machine was working at its best, he would do thrashing for area farmers.
Darrel and Opal enjoyed the nieces and nephews who would come to visit or stay on their farm. Although he did not go to church, Darrel was a living testimony to the Golden Rule; he always treated other people like he wanted to be treated himself. He will always be remembered for being a kind, fair, and gentle man.
In December of 1973, Darrel and Opal moved into Mount Ayr and he started as the greenskeeper at the Mount Ayr Golf & Country Club. He worked there until 1990 as well as being a jack-of-all-trades person. Darrel could do carpenter work; he was great at fixing small electrical items such as clocks, lamps and hairdryers and his love for the land carried into town with his garden. His favorite pastimes were playing pool and cards with friends and neighbors.
Darrel passed away on June 12, 2001.
Darrel was preceded in death by his parents; a son-in-law Bill Monaghan; brothers, Roy, Lloyd, Alvin and a set of twins in infancy; sisters, Florence Culver, Lucille Holloway, Doris Axtell, Marie McKechan and Goldie as a young girl.
Left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 63 years Opal; a daughter Marilyn Graham and her husband Bud, all of Mount Ayr; three stepgrand-children, six stepgreat-grandchildren and one stepgreat-great-granddaughter; three sisters, Leona Minnick of Mount Ayr, Cora Spencer of Waukee, Iowa, and Dorothy Saltzman and husband Lial of Amana, Iowa; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Thursday, June 14, 2001 at Wilson-Watson & Armstrong Funeral Home of Mount Ayr with Reverend Charles Hawkins officiating. Musicians were Nancy Sackett, Mary Trullinger and Margaret Bickers. Casket bearers were R. B. Davenport, Don Spencer, Lyle Minnick, Cecil Davenport, Art Spencer and Steve Worthington.
Darrel was laid to rest in the Rose Hill Cemetery , Mount Ayr.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Central Iowa, Ringgold County Chapter.
MERLYN LEE MATHANY
Merlyn L. Mathany was born September 15, 1933, near Beaconsfield, Iowa, to Francis and Lula (Ellison) Mathany and departed this life on June 11, 2001 at his home in Des Moines, Iowa.
He attended schools at Zwick, Beaconsfield and Mount Ayr. Mr. Mathany was in the U.S. Army for nine and one-half years, part of that time with the 11th Airborne and was stationed in Germany for two and one-half years. He has lived in the Des Moines and Carlisle areas and he retired from Bridgestone/Firestone.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis of Des Moines; sons, Stephen Mathany of Carlisle and Chris Powell of Pleasantville, Iowa; daughters, Sandra Lockhart of Dallas Center, Iowa, Penny Freeman of Carlisle and Laura Haworth of Indianola, Iowa; and nine grandchildren.
Mr. Mathany is also survived by brothers, Jerry of Beaconsfield, Dave of Indianola and Richard of Dedham, Iowa; sisters, Dorris Dailey of Bayard, Iowa, Merna Laird of Spencer, Iowa, Loretta Kelly of Afton, Iowa, Lenore Newton of Ankeny, Iowa, Sue Montufar of Fort Dodge, Iowa and Donna Hinderks of Osage, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by a brother Deane.
Funeral services were held Friday, June 15, 2001 at Wilson-Watson & Armstrong Funeral Home of Mount Ayr with Pastor Frank Mueller, Jr. officiating. Casket bearers were Richard Elmer, Bill Quick, Ron Newton, James Elmer, Vance Briner and Ron Kelly.
Mr. Mathany was laid to rest in the Oliver Cemetery , Kellerton, Iowa.
Memorials may be made to Beaconsfield United Methodist Church.
HAZEL KATHLEEN MCVEY
Hazel Kathleen McVey, age 93, formerly of Van Wert, Iowa, died June 16, 2001, at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa where she had lived for four years.
Mrs. McVey was born August 29, 1907 in Lena, Illinois, the daughter of John W. Gordon and Anna Mary Weaver. She attended the Clarke County schools. On June 17, 1926 she was married to Clyde Earl McVey in Osceola, Iowa. Seven children were born to this union.
Mrs. McVey worked as a housewife. She lived in Van Wert for 27 years. She was a very active member of the Assembly of God Church in Van Wert.
Survivors include a daughter JoAnn Williams of Weldon, Iowa; son Jerry McVey and wife Dorothy of Davenport, Iowa; daughter Judy McVey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; daughter-in-law Mary Ann McVey of Mount Ayr; 16 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Charles McVey of Osceola; and sister-in-law Violet McVey of Osceola.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Clyde in 1990; sons, Rex, Tom and Lyle McVey; daughter Shirley McVey, son-in-law Wayne Williams; and great-granddaughter Susan.
Services were held Tuesday, June 19, 2001 at Kale Funeral Home, Osceola, with pastor Larry Long of the Madrid Assembly of God Church officiating.
Mrs. McVey was laid to rest in the Maple Hill Cemetery , Osceola.
DON O'HARA
Funeral services for Don O'Hara, age 66, of Bedford, Iowa, who died Thursday, June 14, 2001, were held Monday, June 18, 2001 at the United Christian Presbyterian Church in Bedford with Pastor Randy Allman officiating.
Interment was held in the Fairview Cemetery , Bedford.
Donald Dean O'Hara was born April 10, 1935 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the son of Jack O'Hara and Gladys Miller O'Hara. Don grew up in Council Bluffs graduating from the Thomas Jefferson high school in 1953. After his marriage to Kathleen Collings in 1953 he went to the Union Pacific Railroad as a switchman.
He then worked for Beatrice Foods as a district supervisor. In 1964 he went to work for the Elk's Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska and soon was promoted to manager. In 1974 he purchased a restaurant in Irwin, Iowa.
Don moved to Bedford in 1981 where he operated the Bedford Country Club. On March 17, 1983 he was united in marriage to Hope McMahon in Bedford and together they would continue to operate the Bedford Country Club. In 1989 Don and Hope opened O'Hara's Steakhouse, retiring from the restaurant business in 1999.
Don was an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed golfing, hunting and firearm sports. He was an avid landscaper and was involved in the Bedford Trees Forever program. Don was very proud of his involvement in the restoration of the Mohler Cemetery . He loved to cook and entertain and thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant business and being around people. Don was a member of the United Christian Presbyterian Church in Bedford, had been president of the Eagles, Elks and State Managers Association.
Don is survived by his wife Hope of Bedford; two daughters, Donella O'Hara of Omaha, Nebraska and Annette Condon of Lincoln, Nebraska; three sons, Raymond O'Hara of Austin, Texas, Kelly O'Hara of Syracuse, New York and Stuart O'Hara and wife Michelle of Baxter, Iowa; a sister Betty Foutch and husband Ron of Fremont, Nebraska; a brother Gene O'Hara and wife Jeanne of Hemet, California; an uncle Cliff Miller of Council Bluffs; fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Preceding Don in death are his parents, Jack and Gladys O'Hara.
Memorials can be given in Don's name.
Services were conducted by the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.
RITA SHAY
Rita Catherine Shay was born April 19, 1915 on a farm near Maloy, Iowa, to Robert Emmett and Margaret Hart Shay. She graduated from Maloy high school, Ottumwa Heights Junior College and Northwest Missouri State University. Rita was an elementary teacher for the Maloy school district and the Mount Ayr school district for many years.
In 1986, Rita moved to Atlantic, Iowa where she bought a condominium and lived for 11 enjoyable years. While living in Atlantic, Rita belonged to Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church, The Altar Society, Right to Life, and the church sewing circle. She also belonged to the Iowa State Education Association and the National Education Association. For the past two years, Rita had lived at Clearview Nursing Home in Mount Ayr. She enjoyed living at Clearview with her new friends and friends of many years. She truly enjoyed when her former students stopped for a visit.
Rita died on June 15, 2001 while a resident at Clearview Home.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Mary Warin and a brother-in-law John Warin.
Survivors include her sister Sr. Rosemary Shay, brother Robert T. Shay and wife Norma, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Friday, June 22 after 9:00 a.m. at Wilson-Watson & Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr with the family present from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The rosary will be recited at 8:00 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 23, 2001 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mount Ayr with Reverend Thomas Dooley officiating. Musicians are Nancy Sackett and Mary Pat Reasoner. Casket bearers are Kenton Reasoner, Keith Leonard, Thomas Roets, Robert E. Shay, Jim Sheldon and Dave Lindemoen.
Rita will be laid to rest in St. Mary Cemetery , Maloy.
Memorials may be made to Our Lady of the Snow, St. Joseph Catholic Church or Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Wilson-Watson & Armstrong Funeral Home of Mount Ayr was in charge of the arrangements.
KATHERINE LOUISE WILLIAMS
Katherine Louise Williams was born July 6, 1921 to Harley L. and Suzie Swift Combs in Allendale, Missouri. She graduated from high school in Redding, Iowa. She then attended Trinity Lutheran School of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri, graduating with a diploma in nursing on August 22, 1943.
She practiced nursing as a registered nurse for 25 years in numerous clinical settings. Most of her working life was spent in Storm Lake and Des Moines, Iowa.
On October 20, 1950, she married James Rowley Williams at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Her life's journey was filled with many adventures and challenges. Katie enjoyed camping, traveling and fishing. She loved cooking and was an excellent cook. She collected cookbooks from here, there and everywhere.
Her hobbies included tending her orchids and roses, ceramics, as well as riding her three-wheeler around Paradise Park in Harlingen, Texas, her retirement home.
Her life's journey ended at her home in the care of her companion on May 3, 2001.
She is survived by her husband James R. Williams of Harlingen, Texas; her son James L. Williams and daughter-in-law Bonnie Williams; granddaughter Amanda Williams of Anchorage, Alaska; brother Vance Combs and sister Sue Cole, both of Cape Girardeau, Missouri; stepmother Vera Combs of Redding; brother Ed Combs of Des Moines; sisters, Lillie Ann Rinehart of Mount Ayr, Helen Combs of Redding and Jean Boeckman of Albemarle, North Carolina.
A memorial service was held in Lamoni, Iowa, May 12, 2001.
CHARLES BLAINE ADAMS, SR.
Charles Blaine Adams was born September 11, 1912 at the family farm west of Worth, Missouri. He was the second of seven children born to Edson Victor and Daisee Orrie (Long) Adams. His siblings included Doyle Vernon, Austin Wilson, Elbert Verlin, Bonnie Jean and two sisters, Eva Pauline and Bernice Faye who died in infancy.
C.B., or Blaine as he was better known, called Worth home all his life. He graduated from the Worth high school in 1931 and enjoyed attending the school reunions every year.
As a young man he worked several fall campaigns in Torrington, Wyoming at the Holly Sugar Factory where he helped harvest the sugar beets and would then sew, fill and load sugar sacks. He also worked for his future father-in-law Ed Holmes driving trucks and that was to set the course for his life's work.
Blaine was inducted into his country's service at Leavenworth, Kansas June 10, 1942. His driving abilities earned him a position with the 8th Army/Air Force Composite Command spending almost four years in the Rhineland and Central Europe. Until the last week of his life, Blaine frequently recalled stories in vivid detail of his experiences and enjoyed sharing his many pictures and souvenirs. He drove staff cars for such notables as General Patton, went to Hitler's hide-out in the mountains, witnessed the horrors of the concentration camps and hauled Nazi war criminals to prison. He received two Bronze Stars and a Good Conduct Medal.
Blaine forever after felt a strong affiliation to his service years and became a lifetime member of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, as well as the American Legion. He greatly enjoyed a reunion at Whitman Air Force Base outside of Warrensburg, Missouri where he marveled at the then-new stealth fighter. His health needs throughout the years were administered by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Health Center for veterans in Leavenworth, Kansas where he felt a special kinship to all who were there.
He was later exceptionally proud of his two sons - C.B., Jr. and Richard's - service to the country in the Marines and the Navy.
Upon return from service Blaine married Mabel Marie Holmes on December 20, 1945 in Atchison, Kansas. He started Adams Feed and Trucking in Worth where he owned and operated a feed store, gas station, mechanic shop, grain and livestock trucking, as well as a fuel oil trucking business. He and his brother, Elbert, hauled livestock and grain all over the country and many stories have been told about their trucking experiences, like the time they had boars fighting in their trucks and they broke off the tusks to keep them from hurting each other. The store also served as the town's local hangout where people stopped in for storytelling, a game or two of dominoes, checkers or cards, and gathered on Saturday nights to watch wrestling on TV.
Through the store, Blaine helped many community members and was especially helpful to children working on cars, lawn mowers, bicycles and whatever else they brought in to him. He had a way of imparting advice and common sense while he worked that made you learn things when you weren't expecting it.
When he retired, the cash register drawer was full of bills that he was still unwilling to collect, saying that people would pay him when they could.
Blaine was a member of the Church of Christ in Worth, Missouri. He was serving as mayor of Worth when the tornado of April, 1947 hit. He and Mabel lost the grocery store she had owned and operated for many years as well as their apartment home in the back of the bank building. He also served as a member of the Worth County School Board for over eight years believing that education was important. The superintendent at the time said it was good to have someone like Blaine on the board because he was careful with spending the school's money and wanted to be sure they got their money's worth.
Blaine and Mabel were blessed with children. C.B., Jr. was born in 1946, Richard Wayne in 1948, Janis Elaine in 1953 who died shortly after birth, Christine Marie in 1954, Lisa Diane in 1957 and Dennis Duaine in 1959. They led active and busy lives with their children. Blaine drove the town kids to Saturday night skating in Grant City, hauled horses for the local saddle club and Mabel led the 4-H group for many years. The children helped man the store and the boys later helped with driving the trucks.
Blaine never knew a stranger - but did know people from everywhere. He could tell you how almost anyone was related to someone else and was always explaining how he and thus his children were related to some far-distant relative. Blaine was a good ole boy from home who was a good friend to all and one who greatly valued his friendships.
He and his friends had great times going wherever there was something going on. He greatly enjoyed going to sales and auctions to catch up and visit with whoever might be there. He usually came home with a box of "goodies" - his donation for the fun he had while there. He was quick-witted and constantly amused others with his quips, poems and storytelling. He is surely responsible for half the nicknames of children who grew up in Worth - most of whom are still good friends as adults.
Blaine had many pets over the years. Smoky was a cocker spaniel that kept watch at the store; Frosty was a Shetland pony that would somehow get out of the pasture and come walking in the store for M&Ms; Rascal was a mutt adopted from his grandson Chip who rode with Blaine everywhere and wouldn't get out of the car if the ride wasn't long enough; Speck and Rowdy were a pulling team of black and white spotted Appaloosa ponies; and the latest was a wild cat that Blaine called Tom and eventually won over only to learn Tom had kittens. He took care of them too.
Family was a lifelong priority for Blaine. He held a special bond with each child and proudly told anyone who would listen about their lives and their accomplishments. He was thrilled with all of his grandchildren and especially delighted to finally have two granddaughters in a field of 11 grandsons. He was proud and honored to have a C.B. the III named after him. Family gatherings at Worth were an event of food and fun and he liked to be in the thick of things. He usually was at the center of attention. Grandchildren had great fun sitting on his bed dickering and trading "goodies" with him. He loved to have the grandchildren come and stay and they would take off for the day to meet all his friends and go exploring for fun.
When his son Dennis started the Grant City Auto Parts store, grandson Cody thought the GCAP embroidered on the new blue cap stood for Grandpa's CAP. Grandpa was so proud he wore that cap until it was threadbare.
Blaine was exceptionally skilled at arguing and taught his children well. About the time they thought they were winning an argument, he would start arguing for the other side and while they were catching on to what he was up to, he'd declare himself the winner.
Blaine always felt a special closeness to his brothers and sister. They had a wonderful time all together in Kennewick, Washington several years back. He deeply felt the loss of his two brothers, Doyle and Elbert. He recently had a great phone conversation with his sister Bonnie talking over old times together. One of the last times he spoke, it was to his brother Austin who was so good to visit him.
Blaine had surgery for an abdominal aneurysm in 1997 and his health was never quite the same. This last fall and winter became difficult for him and he finally entered the Ringgold County Hospital the last of May with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. He and Mabel moved to Clearview Home in Mount Ayr in June, 2001 where they received exceptionally loving care and compassion. Even at the end he was so glad to see family and special friends who came to visit.
Surrounded by the family he loved, Blaine peacefully left us on June 19, 2001 at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr.
Those who preceded Blaine in death include his infant daughter Janis Elaine, an infant grandson Joseph Bradley Adams, his parents, Edson Victor and Daisee Orrie (Long) Adams, brother Doyle and sister-in-law Edith Adams, brother-in-law Clifford Cassel, his brother Elbert Adams, his brother-in-law Eugene (Shad) and sister-in-law Shirley Holmes, his sister-in-law Bethel Holmes and his father and mother-in-law, Ed and Vesta Holmes.
Blaine is survived by his wife of over 55 years, Mabel of the home and five of his children and their families: C.B., Jr. and wife Jo of Lenox, Iowa and their family: Brook Garden of Austin, Texas, Spencer Garden of Tulsa, Oklahoma, C.B. III (Chip) of Omaha, Nebraska, Cody and wife Brook of Afton, Iowa, and Jordan of Lenox; Richard and wife Margaret of Elmo, Missouri; Christine and husband Randy Bishop of Mount Ayr and their family: Shane, Mekenze and Kegan; Lisa and husband Roger Ridge of St. Joseph, Missouri and their family: Caleb and Taylor; and Dennis and wife Ann of Grant City, Missouri and their family: Mitchell and Brooke.
He is also survived by his brother Austin and wife Mary Alice of Grant City, Missouri; his sister Bonnie Jean Cassel of Westminister, Colorado; his sister-in-law Faye Adams of Grant City, Missouri; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Ethel and Emory Pickering of Worth, Missouri; many nieces, nephews, and other family members both close and distant in relation as well as many, many good friends.
There is a saying that goes something like "When someone special becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure." Blaine was someone special in so many ways to his family, his friends, his community and his country. Our wealth of memories and the many stories of Charles Blaine Adams, Sr. are indeed a treasure that will keep him close to us always.
Services were conducted by Dale Maudlin on Friday, June 22, 2001 at the Andrews Funeral Home in Grant City, Missouri. Paulbearers included his grandchildren, Brook Garden, Spencer Garden, C.B. III (Chip) Adams, Cody Adams, Jordan Adams, Shane Bishop, Mekenze Bishop, Kegan Bishop, Caleb Ridge, Taylor Ridge, Mitchell Adams, and Brooke Adams.
Military rites were performed by American Legion Post 250 Color Guard of Lenox.
Charles Blaine Adams, Sr. was laid to rest alongside his infant daughter Janis Elaine at the Barnes Cemetery
west of Worth, Missouri.
A memorial in Blaine's honor has been established for the Barnes Cemetery . Memorials may be made to: Barnes Cemetery
in care of Richard Adams, 14337 Dragonfly Road, Elmo, MO 64445.
