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Lorena W. “Rene” Prince
Lorena W. “Rene” Prince, 58, of Holden, Mo., died Thursday, July 25, 2013 at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City, Mo.
There will be a visitation at Ben Cast & Son – Wood Funeral Home in Holden from 6-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 31 at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Pleasant Hill, Mo.
She was born Aug. 27, 1954 in Holden, the daughter of Johnnie Isaac and Mary Elizabeth (Gray) York. She graduated from Warrensburg High School in 1972 and lived in Holden for 35 years. Rene was a cook at the University of Central Missouri for many years.
She leaves her companion of 30 years, Walen Meyrand, of the home, and one brother, Lonnie York, of Lee’s Summit, Mo. A sister, Lois Root, preceded her in death in 2007.
David Eugene Tate
David Eugene Tate, 61, of Warrensburg, died Sunday, July 21, 2013 at his home.
A “Celebration of Life” will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at the Warrensburg American Legion Post 131 with the Rev. Michael Miller officiating.
He is survived by his wife, Trudy; children, Kevin Tate, Scott Baker and Tricia Hancock; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the David Tate Memorial Fund with checks made payable to Trudy Tate and can be left in care of Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg.
Moira J. Gowland “Judy” Short
Moira J. Gowland “Judy” Short, 88, of Warrensburg, died Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at the Warrensburg Manor Care Center.
A funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg. Pallbearers will be Mark Juhl, Chris Juhl, Matthew Gortney, Steven Juhl, Kevin Juhl and Doug Short.
Interment will follow at Sunset Hill Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home.
She was born July 19, 1925, in Brisbane, Australia, the daughter of George and Mona (Cameron) Gowland.
At age 19, Judy moved to the USA with her husband George F. Juhl, who was in the U.S. Air Force. Since then she has lived in Texas, Washington, Philippine Islands, Georgia, England and eventually Warrensburg. Of all the places she lived, she said often that she considered Warrensburg her home. “I’ve loved Warrensburg from day one, ” she said. “People have given me chances here, I feel at home.”
Moira came to Warrensburg in 1960. She worked at Highland Gifts & Jewelry in downtown on Holden Street from 1962 to 1965. She worked on the news staff at the Daily-Star Journal from 1965 to 1970. Judy began working with the American Red Cross in April 1970. When she took over the then part-time position, the chapter occupied one room at 103 Grover St. It sponsored only two community service programs and had only a handful of volunteers.
When Judy retired, the Johnson County Chapter of the American Red Cross resided in its own two-story building at 208 Emerson. In addition to its disaster relief program, which started in 1974, the chapter sponsored classes in first aid, CPR, swimming, AIDS education and parenting. And it boasted a roster of more than 100 volunteers.
She married her second husband, Augustus L. “Jack” Foster, on Aug. 25, 1973, a retired professor from Central Missouri State University. Jack Foster died Oct. 3, 1993.
In 1996, Judy married Norman Short, retired basketball and golf coach from the University of Central Missouri. Norm and Judy traveled the USA playing golf, visiting their children, and during the winter months enjoying the beaches of Mexico Beach, Fla.
During her life, Judy enjoyed sewing and knitting for herself and family, as well as fishing and camping. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Warrensburg and attended the First Presbyterian Church of Warrensburg.
Judy is survived by her husband, Norman, of the home; three daughters, Dianne Juhl Livengood, of Pleasant Valley, Mo.; Vicki Juhl Guier and husband, Ken, of Warrensburg; and Jodi Juhl Guth and husband, Tim, of Saint Marys, Pa.; two sons, Christopher R. Juhl of Tucson, Ariz.; and Mark J. Juhl, of Bendena, Kan.; one step-daughter, Pamela D. Short, of Columbia, Mo.; and one step-son, Douglas P. Short and wife, Kim, of Warrensburg; one brother, Donald Gowland, of Brisbane, Australia; 18 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Robert Gowland, one daughter-in-law, Sharon Juhl, in 1997, and one son-in-law, Daniel J. Lehane in 2002.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Red Cross, the Alzheimer’s Association or Crossroads Hospice and all three can be left in care of the funeral home.
Walter Lewis Elwell
Walter Lewis Elwell, 78, of Harrisonville, Mo., died Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Crown Care Center in Harrisonville.
Following cremation, the family will receive friends from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20 at Ben Cast & Son – Wood Funeral Home in Holden, Mo.
He was born March 5, 1935, in LaTour, Mo., the son of Clyde Henry and Viola (Lewis) Elwell. He lived in Montrose 35 years before moving to Harrisonville two years ago. He was a painter and carpenter.
Surviving his passing are a son, Robert Elwell, of Kansas City, Mo.; a daughter, Kimberly Nichols, of Harrisonville; and three grandchildren.
Paul Swezy
Paul Swezy, 91, of Holden, Mo., died Thursday, June 27, 2013 at home.
Visitation will be 10-11 a.m. Monday, July 1 at Lone Jack Baptist Church, in Lone Jack, Mo. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. Interment with Military Honors will be in Salem Cemetery in Grain Valley under the direction of Ben Cast & Son – Wood Funeral Home, Holden.
Mr. Swezy was born in Bates City, Mo., on March 3, 1922, a son of Walter F. and Clara (Hegnaur) Swezy. He had lived in Grain Valley, Mo., and Lee’s Summit, Mo., before moving to Holden 10 years ago. He was a builder of custom homes and a member of Lone Jack Baptist Church.
Following service with the U.S. Army 5th Engineers in Europe during World War II, he married Eleanor Jane Bupte on Oct. 17, 1946, in Kansas City, Mo.
He leaves his wife, Eleanor Swezy, of the home; one son, Ronald Dean Swezy, of Lake Lotawana, Mo.; three daughters, Vernie Jo Tenant, of Cheyene, Wyo.; Vera Jean Swezy-Feeler, of Ft. Worth, Texas; and Velta Joy Menke, of Seattle, Wash.; one brother, Homer Swezy, of Adrian, Mo.; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, David, Clyde and Elmer Swezy, and by one sister, Ethel Stamnitz.
Frances “Taylor” Ewing
Frances “Taylor” Ewing, 90, of Independence, Mo., died Friday, July 12, 2013 at her home.
Graveside service will be held at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at Sunset Hill Cemetery with Brother Charles Brant officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg.
She was born Oct. 26, 1922, in rural Johnson County, Mo., the daughter of Otis and Rhoda Mae (Sivils) Peery.
She was united in marriage to Lawrence Gordon Taylor on Jan. 6, 1939, in Clinton, Mo. He preceded her in death on Dec. 7, 1969. She later was united in marriage to Elmer Dale Ewing in Warrensburg. He preceded her in death in April 2003.
Frances worked as a seamstress for the Unitog Manufacturing Plant in Warrensburg for many years until her retirement. She was a member of the Warrensburg Saddle and Bridle Club and attended the Assembly of God Church in Warrensburg. Frances loved traveling, going to bingo, and spending quality time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Frances is survived by her three daughters, Janey Myslivy, Kathleen Foster and husband, Jerry, all of Independence; and Nancy Espitia and husband, John, of Versailles, Mo.; one brother, Harvey Peery, and wife, Gerry, of Montserrat, Mo.; five grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; one infant daughter, Louise Peery; one brother, William Peery; and two sisters, Gladys McMurphy and Georgia Tygart; one granddaughter, Tammy Medrano, and one son, Lawrence Lee Taylor.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society and can be left in care of the funeral home.
Sandy Russell
Sandy Russell, 71, of Warrensburg, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm July 5, 2013 in Colorado.
Memorial services will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 at the First Christian Church of Warrensburg, with Pastor Jerry Basye officiating. A celebration and reception will follow at the Russell Farm, 255 S.E. 600 Road in Warrensburg.
She was born Dec. 15, 1941, in Liberty, Mo., to Arthur “Bud” and Henrietta Morris. A graduate of the University of Missouri, she and Bob, her husband of nearly 50 years, resided in Warrensburg for the past 45 years.
A model in Kansas City, she was princess of the 1957 Kansas City Auto Show and, as a Tri Delta at the University of Missouri, she was named one of Glamour Magazine’s “Top Ten Best Dressed Women” in 1962.
Much more than just a pretty face, Sandy had a fine mind and believed that women could achieve anything. After marrying Bob, Sandy taught first grade in Kansas City before having children. She then taught art in the Knob Noster public schools before becoming a successful and real estate agent and developer. She sat on the board of First Central Bank. In the last several years, she pursued a lifelong dream of owning cattle and created the Bucket List Cattle Company.
Always one to make the world around her a better place, Sandy was an active member of the Warrensburg community. Sandy was a member of the school board in the 1970s, a board member of the UCM Foundation, a board member of the Chamber of Commerce, chairman of Military Affairs and past president of the Whiteman Air Force Base Community Council and civilian air boss of the air show at Whiteman for the past 25 years.
Highly artistic and musically inclined, Sandy was a sculptor and stained glass artist and enjoyed knitting, needlepoint and crochet. In the 1970s, she and five of her friends formed a band called “The Girls” and played many gigs around Warrensburg with Sandy as guitarist and back-up singer. She decided at 50 to learn to play the piano and though not a virtuoso, could still play well enough for others to sing along.
Sandy was known for a keen sense of humor and an incredible sense of adventure that likely was sparked by her participation in 1962 in the first People-to-People program to Berlin. Not only did she get her pilot’s license and run a marathon, she jumped out of a plane, whitewater rafted through Ecuador, traveled solo through China and caught a 300-pound-marlin while deep-sea fishing to name a few of her many accomplishments. Always up for a thrill, she was hot-air ballooning and hiking Fish Creek Falls in Steamboat Springs, Colo., the day before she collapsed.
Sandy was best known, however, as a wonderful cook and entertainer. Her cinnamon rolls will be remembered by all that tasted them. Her favorite activities were baking cookies with her four beloved grandchildren, the horse and livestock shows at the American Royal, her annual trip with the Ladies of the Lake, anything Native American, cheering on the Mules and Jennies sports teams and attending to her cows.
Her greatest love was undoubtedly her family. The most devoted wife, mother and grandmother, her family always came first. In addition to her husband, Bob, she leaves behind her son, Rob, and wife, Kelly, of Sedalia, Mo.; her son, Randy, and companion, Ann Bailey, of Warrensburg; and her daughter, Beth, of Jupiter, Fla. Additionally, she leaves behind four grandchildren, Carly, Ryan, Andrew and Nick; a daughter-in-law, Kelly; and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death are her mother, Henrietta Morris; her father, Arthur Allen Morris; her brother, Arthur Allen Morris Jr.; her son-in-law, Geoffrey Neuhoff; and her niece, Becky.
In lieu of flowers, send donations to: Show Me Christian Youth Home, PO Box 6, Lamonte, MO 65337 or The Harvesters, www.harvesters.org or by calling 816-929-3000. Donations may be left in care of the Sweeney-Phillips and Holdren Funeral Home.
