Obituaries from April 2023

Gordon Stephen Buttorff, aged 58, went to be with the Lord on March 31, 2023. He was a long-time resident of the Walker, Mo., area. He was often referred to as the “Big-Tall-White-Guy." His parents predeceased him and were Gordon Stephen Buttorff Jr. ...

Wendall W. Mayfield, 91, of Nevada, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. He was born in Sheldon, Mo., on July 15, 1931, to Edna Mae (Vangilder) and Alva Mayfield. Wendall went to Liberal High School for two years before moving to California where he finished High School and went to trade school to be a machinist...

Eunice May Lukenbill, 85, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Nathan Richards Health Care Center, in Nevada. Eunice was born Jan. 26, 1938, in Nevada, Mo., to Sam and Blanche L. (Leer) Adkins. She was united in marriage to Roger Lukenbill Sr. on Aug. 30, 1955, in Nevada, Mo.,and he preceded her in death on Sept. 29, 1997...

James William “Bill” Phillips, 74, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Sunday, April 9, 2023, at Nevada Regional Medical Center, in Nevada. Bill was born Aug. 15, 1948, in Prescott, Kan., to Melvin L. and Mary J. (Self) Phillips. He married Carol Cording and to this union two children were born. He later married Susan Richards on Oct. 24, 1997, and she preceded him in death in 2014...

Kathy Jean (Prough) Richardson, age 63, was born Feb. 25, 1959, in Nevada, Mo. She passed away peacefully at her home on Jan. 30, 2023. She was the eldest daughter of Everett and Patricia (Goble) Prough. Kathy graduated with the Walker Class of 1977. ...

Esther Laura Jackson, 76, fondly known by many as Laura, passed away March 30, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. She was born Jan. 22, 1947, in Mount Orab, Ohio, to John Pierce and Ocie Rebecca (Howlett) Jackson. Laura is survived by her daughter, Charlese Denee Shelly Bedford (Deeikee Williams), Flagstaff; grandsons, Lewis and Vincent Williams; brothers, Hank Jackson, Holt's Summit, Mo.; and Jimmy Jackson, Urbana, Mo.; sisters, Etta Sue Bobbett, Humboldt, Neb.; and Elma Lou Lucy Burke, Houston, Texas; and her pet chihuahua, Poppy Reddog.. ...

Loretta Jo (“Jo” or “Jopey”) Erwin, 83, passed away on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Meadow View Health, in Harrisonville, following a lengthy illness. Jo was born Aug. 24, 1939, in a farmhouse near Richards, Mo., to Ross and Alvaretta (Richmond) Rowland. She was married on Aug. 24, 2001, in Nevada, Mo., to Bill Erwin Sr. and he preceded her in death on Oct. 6, 2020...

Betty Sue Sheehy, age 97, of Independence, Mo., formerly of Nevada, Mo., passed away peacefully on April 15, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. Betty was born on Oct. 6, 1925, in Sprague, Mo., to Robert Hugh and Mary Elizabeth (Goodwin) Rutherford. She married Thomas Rex Sheehy in 1940 and worked as a surgical nurse at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott for 33 years...

Ronald Lee Attebury, 61, Sheldon, Mo., died on Friday, April 14, 2023, at his home in Sheldon. Ron was born March 19, 1962, in Kansas City, Mo., to James A. and Maxine (Friedli) Attebury. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, April 21, at Ferry Funeral Home, in Nevada. Friends may call now and until the hour of service at the funeral home...

Susan Diane McKenzie, 78, of Nevada, Mo., died on Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Kansas City Hospice House, Kansas City, Mo. Susan was born on Jan. 21, 1945, in Kansas City, Mo., to Roderick Dew and Marjorie Evelyn (Sutherland) Friend. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 22, at Ferry Funeral Home, in Nevada, with Pastor Roger Beach officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m., prior to the funeral...

Rhonda Elouise McCartney, aged 69 years, Nevada, Mo., passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023, surrounded by her family at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Mo. She was born in Sedalia, Mo., on July 6, 1953, to Charles E. Holman and Patricia S. Holman. She met Glenn Henry McCartney at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and was united in marriage on Oct. 22, 1971...

Wayne Thomas Blunt, age 64, of Nevada, Mo., passed away Sunday, April 16, 2023, at Medicalodge in Nevada. Wayne was born February 10, 1959, in Modesto, Calif., to John Wayne and Orva Lynne (Bayne) Blunt. After high school, he married Rebecca Sue Compton and together they raised three children. ...

John Seldon Johnson, 94, of Kansas City, passed away April 17, 2023. Masonic and funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 22, at the Park Lawn Chapel, Hillcrest Road at 83rd Street, Kansas City, Mo. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services. Burial with military honors will follow in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Boy Scouts of America Heart of America Council or to the Ararat Shrine Hospital Transportation Fund...

Arlinda Kay Johnson, age 49, the daughter of Clarence Wilson Blakely Jr., and Donna Kay (Schlotzhauer) Waterhouse was born Thursday, May 17, 1973, in El Dorado Springs, Mo., and passed from this life at 10:45 a.m., Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan...

Essa Helen Armstrong passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, after a brief illness. She was born on Jan. 3, 1939, to Thomas Markham LaDue Sr. and Corinne Helen Craig LaDue in Wright County, Mo. The family moved to Nevada while Helen was in first grade. She graduated from Nevada High School in 1957 at the Fox Theatre due to the burning of the high school in November of 1956. Helen married Keith Armstrong on June 13, 1957 in Miami, Oklahoma and he preceded her in death on Aug. 8, 2005...

Henry J. Austin, 83, Nevada, Mo., died on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Rock Springs, Wyo. He was born Sept. 6, 1935, in El Dorado Springs, Mo., to Tommy C. and Hattie E. (Horning) Austin. A graveside committal will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 29, at Mt. Vernon Cemetery in Walker, Mo., with Brother Dick Harris officiating...

Dennis Charles Hyder, 74, Nevada, Mo., died on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Kansas University Medical Center, in Kansas City, Kan. Dennis was born May 21, 1948, in Petaluma, Calif., the son of Virgil Lee and Retta Mae (Rowland) Hyder. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 29, at Antioch Cemetery, in Nevada. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m., Friday, at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada...

Steven Wayne Wheeler, 59, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, following a lengthy illness. Steve was born April 21, 1964, in Kansas City, Mo., to John and Jean Marie (Todd) Wheeler. He married Linda L. Fenton on July 3, 1996, and she survives of the home...

Dennis Charles Hyder, 74, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. Dennis was born May 21, 1948, in Petaluma, Calif., the son of Virgil Lee and Retta Mae (Rowland) Hyder. He married Elizabeth Nadine Clawson on May 20, 1967, in Nevada...

Donald “Soaky” James Soukup, age 71, of Nevada, Mo., died Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Truman Lake Manor, in Lowry City, Mo. Donald was born Nov. 5, 1951, to Adolph James and Gracie Laverne (Howard) Soukup. He was a high school graduate and worked in building and concrete construction...