--- 1996 July

Nell Connolly Reece, class of 1958, died May 16, 1995, in a one-vehicle
accident near her home at Dwight, IL

Erma Helen Hill Withers, class of 1938, died May 18 1995, at Lester E. Cox
Medical Center North in Springfield. She had been living in Springfield for
the last few years.

Alan Brown, class of 1992, died May 26, 1995, in a highway mishap near
Marshfield on I-44. He was assistant manager of Harde's in Lebanon, where he
lived.

Syble Douglas Gobble, a former Houston student, died June 24, 1995, at her home
in the Solo community.

Elsie Elmore Olson, a Houston graduate, died June 27, 1995, in a hospital in
New Jersey while traveling in that area. She had been living in Springfield.

Dawn Brammer Reed, class of 1980, died August 5, 1995, at Texas County
Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness, She lived in the Houston area.

David Clark, class of 1970, died August 19, 1995, at Texas County Memorial
Hospital in Houston from complications from an automobile injury sustained
several years ago. He also developed Lou Gehrig's disease. He lived near
Houston.

Ernest Britzman, a Houston graduate, died September 30, 1995, at Missouri
Veterans Hospital at Cape Girardeau. He was a retired truck driver and lived at
Jackson.

Rufus Smallwood, a former Houston student, died October 4 1995, at his home at
Rolla. He was a retired insurance executive.

Norene Leavitt McColgin, class of 1935, died November 23, 1995, at her home in
Houston. She operated the family business, Leavitt's Department Store, until
her health forced the closing of the 120 year old business.

Dale Pursifull, a Houston graduate, died December 8, 1995, in a fire at his
home at Raymondville. He was a carpenter in St. Louis.

Maude Baker Kay, class of 1927, died December 26, 1995, at Texas County
Memorial Hospital in Houston. Mrs. Kay moved to Houston in 1968, after the
death of her husband. They had operated an antique shop at Lebanon.

Billy Joe Connolly, class of 1949, died January 12, 1996, at Texas County
Memorial Hospital in Houston after a long bout with cancer. He retired in 1984
as director of Civil Personnel Training at Pudget Sound Naval Shipyards at
Tacoma, WA, where he had worked for 27 years. After moving to Houston, he
served as president and treasurer of the Huston High School Alumni
Association.

Sampson Branson, class of 1933, died January 14, 1996, at his home at
Raymondville. He was a retired farmer and mail carrier.

Nerine Hogan Redwing, class of 1940, died January 20, 1996, at Lester E. Cox
Medical Center South in Springfield. Se was a charge nurse at Burge and Cox
hospitals in Springfield for 30 years.

Bobby Huff, class of 1960, died February 26, 1996, at Columbia Deering
Hospital at Miami, FL, from cardiac arrest. He was a major account executive
with SAVIN Corp., and received several commendations and awards.

Jewell Buckles, class of 1945, died March 9, 1996, at Conroe, Texas, from
complications following a serious illness.

Nellie Crowley Brick, class of 1938, died on November 20, 1995, from cancer.
She had lived in Rocky Ford, CO, for many years.

Mantell Walters, class of 1938, died June 23, 1995, at Jefferson Memorial
Hospital. He lived in the St. Louis area.

1996 July --- 1997 March

Jerry L. Brightman, class of 1951, died January 8, 1996, at his home in Tullahoma,
TN. He had a massive heart attack.

Goldia Ice McKinney, class of 1928, died April 3, 1996, at the home of her son at
Kalamazoo, MI. Mrs. McKinney taught in the rural schools of Texas County and
for several hears lived in the Ozark community before moving to Houston.

Warren Gobble, a former Houston student, died April7, 1996, at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston after a
battle with cancer. He was a businessman at Houston for many years, operating
Red Cap Service Station, a tire company and later Gobble Real Estate.

Opal Duff Garrision Hopkins, class of 1925, died April 13, 1996, at Regional Skilled
Nursing Center at Columbia. She operated Mountain Grove Florist until her
health failed.

Darrel Douglas Melton, class of 1937, died April 20, 1996, at Mountain Grove. He had
been in ill health for several years. He spent most of his life with Laclede
Gas Co. in St. Louis, where he was a welding instructor for many years.

Christopher Columbus Tuttle, class of 1931, died April 26, 1996, at St. John's
Regional Health Center in Springfield. He owned and operated Tuttle Utility
Gas in Houston for more than 50 years in addition to construction work around
Houston and serving on the Houston City Council.

Reva Creason Blize, class of 1941, died April 26, 1996, at Taft, CA, of cancer. She
taught school for 20 years.

Gladys Elmore Duff, class of 1933, died May 23, 1996, at Cape Girardeau. She was a
teacher for many years.

Ancil Whitehair, class of 1930, died June 14, 1996, at Lester E. Cox Medical Center
in Springfield. He was head of the secretarial department of Blackwood College
in Oklahoma City, OK, for 40 years, conducted workshops for broker and sales
license examinations and was a licensed broker for many years. He moved back
to Houston in 1985.

Wayne Smith, class of 1941, died August 14, 1996, at Texas County Memorial Hospital
at Houston. He was a retired truck driver with an award for one million miles
of safe driving.

Kermit Haney, class of 1949, died September 26, 19996, at his home near Houston. A
retired truck driver and U.S. Postal Service carrier, he owned and operated an
RV and mobile home park.

Donnie Beeler, class of 1960, died October 31, 1996, at St. John's Regional Health
Center in Springfield after suffering a stroke. He was living and working in
Springfield.

Clifford Jackson, class of 1939, died November 17, 1996, at his home at Bucyrus. He
had cancer. He was a retired farmer and had served on the Lynch Township and
Success School boards.

Vera Kirkman Douglas, class of 1929, died November 29, 1996 at Texas County Memorial
Hospital at Houston. She was employed for many years with the Texas County
office of the Missouri Division of Family Services.

Alice Jackson Hooton, class of 1943, died December 14, 1996, at Moberly Regional
Hospital at Moberly. She had cancer. She lived at Holliday.

Christine Tate Coble, class of 1952, died December 22, 1996, at St. John's
Regional Health Center in Springfield. She lived in Mountain Grove and had
been employed at The Lee Co. and Brown Shoe.

Georgia Richardson Castleman, class of 1931 died January 2, 1997, at the home of her
daughter near Denver City, TX. Mrs. Castleman and her late husband, Clay,
owned and operated the Marshall Auto Store in Houston for many years.

Ruth Watson Young, class of 1924, died January 2, 1997, at Sun City, AZ. Her husband
was an executive with Insurance Company of North America for many years. After
he retired, they lived in Monrovia Liberia, Africa, before settling in Sun
City in 1976.


1997 March --- 1997 July


Frank Aris Murphy, class of 1928, died December 27, 1996, at Texas County
Memorial Hospital in Houston following a brief illness. He spent most of his
life in the Upton community where he was a diary and beef farmer. He married
Lula Lobban July 29, 1932. They had two children.

Duane Pittman, class of 1951, died March 5, 1997, at St. John's  Regional
Health Center in Springfield following a lengthy illness. He was employed in
St. Louis for a time but spent most of his life in the Houston area.

Lowell Fleenor, class of 1931, died March 11, 1997, at St. John's  Regional
Health Center in Springfield. He was a teacher and musician, playing violin,
piano and guitar. He worked with orchestra, vocal and band students at
Houston, Ava, Salem and West Plains school systems. He was also the conductor
for the SMSU Summer Tent Theatre orchestra for 10 summers.

Richard Troutman, class of 1961 died March 10, 1997, following a heart attack
in the state of Washington while on a trucking run. He had been a truck driver
for 30 years.

Payton Hutsell, class of 1955, died March 26, 1997, at Mary Immaculate
Hospital in Yorktown VA. He retired from Civil Service at Fort Monroe in 1995
after 42 years service. After retirement, he worked for H&R Block and operated
a tax service in his home.

Nolan Hutchinson, class of 1931, died April 21, 1997, at Lester E. Cox Medical
Center South in Springfield following a long illness. He was a longtime
businessman in Houston and made many contributions to the community.

Teri Simcox Hamby, class of 1984, died May 29, 1997, at the home of her
parents at Ooltewah, TN, after suffering for several years with a brain tumor.

Joe Wolford, class of 1934, died May 24, 1997, at the Kabul Nursing Home at
Cabool. He owned and operated Wolford Monument Co. in Houston from
1932-1980.

Helen Barton McLarning, class of 1979, died suddenly June 1, 1997, at her home
at Raymondville. She had been a secretary at the Raymondville School and was
also a day care provider. She and her husband Jeff were family to foster
children.

Esther Altis Lilly, class of 1924, died June 6, 1997, at Houston House. She
and her husband, Ray, lived just south of Houston. Mrs. Lilly was well-known
for her flowers and gardening.

Mark Fockler, class of 1976, died June 26, 1997, at Texas County Memorial
Hospital in Houston. He was an artist and lived in Kansas City, Tucson and
Seattle before returning to Houston.


1997 July --- 1998 February

Vera Lila Stites Lynch, class of 1929, died July 11, 1997, at Sacramento, CA,
following a heart attack. She attended teachers college at Bolivar and taught
rural schools in Texas County. She married John "Bill" Lynch in 1930 in St.
Louis. They operated various businesses in Kentucky, Long Beach, Sacramento
and Los Angeles.

George Allison, class of 1965, died July 12, 1997, at his home at Nixa. He was
employed as a heavy equipment operator and mechanic with Schatz Underground
Cable at Nixa.

Hubert E. Lay, class of 1927, died July 20, 1997 at The Manorcare in
Springfield of acute leukemia. He graduated from Southwest Missouri State
College in Springfield and was a lawyer in this vicinity for more than 50
years. Mr. Lay maintained a law office in Houston for many years, served as
prosecuting attorney and attorney for Intercounty Electric and Frisco. 
He retired in 1983 and moved to Springfield.

Mildred Delores "Doris" Sanders Ebert, class of 1948, died August 13, 1997, at
Lester E. Cox Medical Center South in Springfield following complications of
heart surgery. She attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield
and taught 12 years in rural schools. In 1993 she retired from the Division of
Family Services after 28 years service. Mrs. Ebert was a supervisor for the
social workers for 12 years. She married Gilbert Ebert in 1954, and they had
four children.

Beulah Emaline Coats Pickett, class of 1933, died August 24, 1997, at her home
in Houston. She married Evan Pickett in 1943. She lived and worked in the
Houston and Plato area her entire life and served for some time as
postmistress at Plato.

A. Bertram Cannaday, class of 1923, died September 8, 1997, at St. Louis
Health Care Center. She graduated from Stephens College in Columbia and later
from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. She had lived in
Houston; Valley City, ND; Mankato, MN; and St. Joseph and was a teacher in the
department of communications until retiring in 1967.

Fichard Paul Forinash, class of 1931, died October 4, 19987, at Bowdle Nursing
Home at Bowdle, SC. He attended Central College at Fayette, the University of
Missouri and the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee, where he
received his doctor of medicine in June 1941. He served as a medical officer
in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1947 he established a private family
practice in Lancaster CA. In 1995 he helped found Antelope Valley Hospital
Medical Center in Lancaster and served for 15 years as chief of staff and
chief of surgery. In 1965 he married Jeanette Trefz Martin in Las Vegas. In
1976 he sold his business interest in Lancaster and moved his family to Hoven,
where he set up general practice. In 1986 he sold this practice and
semi-retired. In 1987 he moved to Tolstoy, SD.

Maxine Hobbs Patrick, class of 1935, died October 10, 1997. She attended
Southwest Missouri State College, the University of Missouri and graduated
from West Virginia University. She taught school in Texas County. In 1943 she
married Homer Patrick in Clemson, SC. They lived in Littleton, CO. She spent
19 years with Home of Neighborly Service, where she was a manager.

Lauretta Logan Gaston, longtime elementary teacher, died October 16, 1997, at
St. John's  Regional Health Center in Springfield following a serious auto
accident. She attended Southwest Teachers College in Springfield and taught
school in this area for 39 years. In 1941 she married Henry Gaston. They moved
to Houston in 1966.

Beulah Altis Thieman, class of 1933, died November 18, 1997, at Meyer Care
Facility in Higginsville. She attended Southwest Missouri State College and
taught a few terms of school in Texas County. In 1936 she married William
Thieman. They had two children and lived on the Thieman homestead and operated
the farm at Higginsville.

William F. "Bill" Carter, class of 1939, died November 28, 1997, at St. John's
Regional Health Center in Springfield. He married Imogene Krueger in 1937, and
they had 10 children. Mr. Carter served as mayor of Summersville and pastored
several churches.

Orba Lucille Bandy Benefiel, class of 1935, died November 30, 1997, at Texas
County Memorial Hospital in Houston after a long illness. In 1939 she married
Troy Benefiel, and they had one son. Her teaching career extended from 1935 to
1978. Mrs. Benefiel taught at Ozark, Nagle and Summersville. She retired after
teaching 32 years in the Houston School system. She had a bachelor's degree
from Southwest Missouri State University and several graduate hours from the
University of Missouri.

Gordon Gourley, class of 1952, died December 11, 1997 at Community Hospital in
Cook, NE. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He married Patricia
Plum in 1980 at Akron, CO. He was employed as an airplane technician.

Herbert W. Romines, class of 1931, died December 3, 1997, at his home in Green
County Village at Bartlesville, OK. He attended Southwest Missouri State
College and worked at Romines Motor Co. in Mountain Grove and Houston. Mr.
Romines married Patricia Shannon in 1940. During World War II he served with
the U.S. Merchant Marines. After returning to Mountain Grove, he acquired
Shannon and Shannon Insurance Agency and was president of Home Building and
Loan for almost 15 years.

John David Beasley, class of 1955, died December 18, 1997, at his home in
Houston after a long bout with cancer. In 1957 he married Shirley
Hebblethwaite, and they had two children. Mr. Beasley worked for Superior
Cleaners for 16 years and was a driver for United Parcel Service for 24 years,
retiring in January 1997. In 1968 he married Pat Vestal.

Billy Dean Sheets, class of 1953, died December 29, 1997, at his home in
Springfield following a long illness. In 1960 he married Bessie Cooper. Mr.
Scheets spent his lifetime on a farm south of Houston and worked at The Lee
Co. for several years until his healfh failed.

Mary Elmore Smith, class of 1946, died January 4, 1998, at St. John's
Regional Health Center in Springfield after open heart surgery and a severe
heart attack. She lived in the Oscar community near Licking and was office
manager of Texas County Mutual Insurance. She served as president of the
alumni association in 1997 and often entertained with her musical talents.


1998 February ---