Stories from Friday, May 6, 2011

Louis T. Crowe Jr., 85, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada. He was born April 14, 1926, in Pittsburg, Kan., to Louis Turner Crowe Sr. and Margaret Frasco Crowe. He married Lois Curless on Feb. 14, 1951, in Liberal, Mo., and she survives of the home...

Lois Mae Cooper, 87, Nevada, Mo., passed away at Christian Healthcare in Nevada and went home to Jesus on Thursday, May 5, 2011. She was born May 1, 1924, in Rinehart, Mo., to Andrew Jackson Houston and Ida May Snelling Houston. She married William "Jay" Cooper on April 6, 1947, in Fort Scott, Kan., and he preceded her in death on July 17, 2005...

Brenda Kay (Pilcher) Cramer, 53, of Brunswick, Mo., passed away Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at St. John's Hospital, Springfield, Mo. Brenda was born June 21, 1957, the daughter of Donald Wray Pilcher and Lois Mason Pilcher. Brenda attended Nevada grade schools and graduated from Nevada High School, Nevada, Mo...

Georgia Lucille Miller Farrell passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at the Bates County Memorial Hospital, Butler, Mo. Lucille was born July 11, 1921, in Fort Scott, Kan., to Arnold and Eunice White Miller. Her parents moved to the vicinity of the Underwood Church near Stotesbury, Mo., when Lucille was six months old...

James Steven Allen, 54, Nevada, Mo., died Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at his residence. He was born Oct. 30, 1956, in Duluth, Ga., to James Cornelius Allen and Eleanor Ann Clark Allen. Private family services will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada...

Millions of people around the nation, including Vernon County, gathered Thursday to take part in the National Day of Prayer. Vernon Countians gathered in Nevada for the event and joined thousands across the country praying for such things as community, government and more...

"There was no one right story," Terry Ramsey, Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area board of trustee's member, said about the Civil War. There were not just two sides to this story. There were dozens of sides and a multitude of stories, and to understand what was going on you have to get all the viewpoints, she said...

Michael Wheeler, Pittsburg, Kan., stopped at the Meek's store in Nevada Monday afternoon, where they installed a set of wheels on the cross he is carrying to all 50 state capitals. His goal is to finish his trip by Veterans Day, 11-11-11. He said his goal is to give people hope along the way...

Cottey College hosted Susan Bulkeley Butler, an author, educator, mentor and CEO of the Susan Bulkeley Butler Institute for the Development of Women Leaders, as a Leader in Residence as part of their Center for Women's Leadership program on April 27-28...

Editor's note: This is the first of a series of accounts about Civil War history as it relates to Vernon County, Mo., and the surrounding area, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the historic conflict. Next week, look for a story about the Battle of Carthage and related upcoming events...