Excelsior Springs Standard, Excelsior Springs, Missouri

The Excelsior Springs Standard publishes death notices free of charge as a public service. They are edited for length, clarity and conformity to style. An expanded obituary (indicated by an asterisk below) is available for a fee. Contact your funeral home for more information.)

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Jeremy Williams
Jeremy Thomas Williams, 24, Kansas City, Mo., passed away on Aug. 31, 2010, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Jeremy was born on Nov. 5, 1985, in Kansas City, Mo., to Thomas and Denise (Rash) Williams. Jeremy married Angelia Renee Wallace on Dec. 13, 2003, in Cameron, Mo. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lester and Connie Williams. Survivors include his wife, Angelia, of the home; parents, Tom and Denise Williams, Excelsior Springs, Mo.; brother and sister, Andrew and Amanda Williams, Excelsior Springs; grandparents, Roy and Barbara Rash, Kansas City, Mo.; parents-in-law, Doug and Denise Wallace, Cameron; sisters-in-law, Tara Wallace, Cameron, and DaLana Kelley, Independence, Mo.; and nieces and nephew, Megan, Tyler and Miranda. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, at Cameron Harvester Church. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, at Poland-Thompson Funeral Home in Cameron. Burial in Alta Vista Cemetery, Weatherby, Mo. Online condolences may be expressed at www.polandthompson.com. Memorial donations may be made to the family for funeral expenses.

Bonnie Arrowood
Bonnie Lou Arrowood, 65, Kansas City, Mo., died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010. Ms. Arrowood was born in Vibbard and was a member of the Latter Day Saints Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Henry Estel Arrowood and Maudie May Arrowood; her brothers, Charles, Harold Deyawn, Baby Boy, Delbert Ray, and Kenneth Lee Arrowood; her sister, Carol Sue Husley; and a granddaughter, Hannah Chronister. Survivors include two daughters, Karen Burditt, Kansas City, and Roxie Chronister, Jefferson City; a son, Richard Arrowood, Lathrop; sisters, Sandy Bruce and Mildred Thomas, both of Mississippi; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters. A memorial service is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 5600 N. Jackson Ave., Kansas City. Arrangements are through D.W. Newcomer's Sons Church-Archer-Pasley Funeral Home in Liberty. Memorial contributions may be made to Richard Arrowood or Karen Burditt, in care of any Community America Credit Union.

Marjorie Cox
Marjorie Cox, 90, Excelsior Springs, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 30, 2010, at the Excelsior Springs Convalescent Center. Ms. Cox was born Dec. 13, 1919, in Orrick, the daughter of Homer S. and Addie May (Tarwater) Hicks. She was married to George L. Cox on Sept. 5, 1940; he preceded her in death on Sept. 15, 2005. She worked in the catalog department for J.C. Penney, retiring after more than 30 years of employment. She was a member of Flack Memorial Christian Union Church in Excelsior Springs. She had also been church organist in Mosby for many years. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by one daughter, Judith K. Hammond, in 2002; one brother, Marcus L. Hicks; one sister, Zella Campbell; and two grandsons, Brian Olinger and Bruce McMillan. Survivors include one son, James Cox, Chillicothe; one sister, Eleanor McQuery, Liberty; three grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, at Flack Memorial Christian Union Church in Excelsior Springs. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery in Excelsior Springs. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Polley Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

*Cody Holtsclaw
Cody Allen Holtsclaw, age 17, of East Ridge Drive, Excelsior Springs, Mo., will always be remembered by all who loved him and everyone he loved. He was born Sept. 18, 1992, in Salinas, Calif. He made us laugh, smile and always want to be around him. There will never be someone like him in our lives again and until we meet again in heaven, he will always be on our minds and in our hearts. He is survived by his mother, Lisa Spehar; stepfather, Craig Spehar; one sister, Cara Spehar; grandparents, John and Kathy Spehar, Joy and Steve Graves, Richard and Frances Raines and Mike Hartman; and many loving uncles, aunts, cousins and hordes of friends. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, at Victory Free Will Baptist Church, 4041 NE Antioch Rd., Kansas City. A remembrance dinner for family will immediately follow the memorial services.

Tom Brown
Thomas Robert “Dog” Brown, 64, Excelsior Springs, Mo., died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010, at his home. Mr. Brown was born Jan. 6, 1946, in Independence, the son of Wendell and Vivian (Laughlin) Brown. He was married to Maria (Monaco) Brown on Feb. 6, 1971; she survives of the home. For the past several years Tom worked as an electrician. He was a Past Commander of both the American Legion and VFW in Excelsior Springs. In addition to his wife, Maria, survivors include two daughters, Heather Zapata, Gladstone, and Tamra Brown, Hollywood, Calif.; one brother: Landon “Lanny” Pummill, Sweet Springs; and two grandsons. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Polley Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs. Cremation, with inurnment with full military honors at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville.

Lyle “Chip” Taylor
Lyle Carl “Chip” Taylor, 50, Norborne, Mo., died Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, in Camden, Mo. Mr. Taylor was born Oct. 21, 1959, in Neosho, the son of Gerald Dean ad Wilma Lorene (Wills) Taylor. He had worked at various jobs including Banquet Foods in Carrollton and Rooney Trucking in Polo. He was preceded in death by his father on June 14, 1995; and two brothers, Donald Ward and Johnny Ward. Survivors include three children, Shannon Dillon and Donald Taylor, both of Carrolton, and Sherri Beaton, Kansas City, Kan.; his mother, Wilma Taylor, Rolla; three sisters, Sue Wise, Rolla, Darlene Miller, Lexington, and Jeanie Wise, Camden; and one brother, Jerry Taylor, Rayville. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Polley Funeral Home in Richmond. Burial in Southpoint Cemetery near Orrick. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

*Mattie Dempsay
12/18/1928-8/28/2010
Mattie M. Dempsay was born Dec. 18, 1928, in Clinton, Mo., to Frank and Gladis Harding into a family of three sisters and two brothers. Mattie is survived by two sisters, Dotie Kirby of Lexington and Sue Alivas; two sisters-in-law, Deloris Harding and Wilma Harding; two children, a son, Dennis Gwin and his wife, Candy, and a daughter, Shirly Cravens; her loving grandchildren, Baron Cravens, Melanie Smith, Matthew Gwin, Kimberly Cravens and Benjamin Gwin; one great-grandchild, Raliyah McAdams; and many nieces and nephews. Mattie was a member of the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and enjoyed their warm friendship. The service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, New Garden Road and 10 Highway East. Friends may call from 2 to 3 p.m., prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are through Bross & Spidle Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs.

*Dorothy Kennell
Dorothy F. Kennell, 90, Excelsior Springs, Mo., passed away Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010, at Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Mo. Dorothy was born on Nov. 30, 1919, in Excelsior Springs, Mo., the daughter of Joseph Lee and Mary Ellen Agnes (Blann) VanBebber. She attended Excelsior Springs Public Schools. On Oct. 21, 1938, she married Howard Kennell, who preceded her in death in 1999. She was a homemaker. She enjoyed dancing, music and playing bingo. She was a wonderful seamstress and had worked in a tailor shop while Howard was in the service. She was a member of the Siloam Spring Chapel in Excelsior Springs, Mo. Besides her parents and husband, Dorothy was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Betty Lou Kennell; one brother, William Wilbert VanBebber; and two sisters, Iva Lee VanBebber and Lida May Wennerstrom. Survivors include one daughter, Kim Hightower and her husband, Aaron, of Excelsior Springs, Mo.; one brother, Harold J. VanBebber and his wife, Neta, of Excelsior Springs, Mo.; one sister, Peggy Grace and her husband, Joe, of Excelsior Springs, Mo.; three grandchildren, Timothy Scott Hightower, Daron Ray Hightower and Sierra Lynn Hightower; and several nieces and nephews.Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Excelsior Springs, Mo., with Rev. Earl McElwee officiating. Arrangements are through Polley Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

Donna Smith
Donna Jean Smith, 54, Smithville, Mo., died Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Fry-Bross & Spidle Funeral Home in Kearney. Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Cremation.

Bernice Rushton
Bernice Rushton, 89, Holt, Mo., died Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010, at her home. Ms. Rushton was born Aug. 24, 1921, in St. Thomas, Mo., the daughter of Conrad and Agnes (Kraus) Fennewald. She was married to Don Rushton, who preceded her in death on March 24, 1994. She had worked as a seamstress for a dry cleaner. She was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Excelsior Springs. Survivors include two daughters, Donna Niemeyer, Lawson, and Ronda Mitler, Holt; two granddaughters; and six great-grandchildren. Cremation. Arrangements are through Polley Funeral Home in Lawson.

Connie Murray
Connie Sue Murray, 61, Excelsior Springs, Mo., died Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010, at her home.
Ms. Murray was born Feb. 14, 1949, in Excelsior Springs, the daughter of Earl Gene and Betty Mae (Teegarden) McCrary. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her father, Earl Gene McCrary; and one brother, Ronald Gene McCrary. Survivors include her mother, Betty Mae McCrary, Excelsior Springs; two daughters, Sunday Alexander, Lincoln, Neb., and Stacey Mandl, Lawson; one son, Ray Armstrong, Cameron; one sister, Stephanie Perry, Excelsior Springs; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Cremation. The family will hold memorial services at a later date. Arrangements are through Polley Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs. Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society.

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