Area Obituaries

Kenneth Woodrow Swaringim, age 83, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2026, at his home surrounded by family in Licking, Missouri. Ken was born on December 7, 1942, in Ironton, Missouri, to Henry and Luetta Swaringim. Ken served in the U.S. Army in the Engineering Battalion as a young man. He spent this time at Fort…

Virginia (Cook) Meshell, of Licking, Missouri, was born on May 31, 1951, and passed away on February 28, 2026. Virginia’s husband is Andrew Meshell. Her daughter is Lisa (Ray) Overbey; her grandchildren are Dalton Henry and Paige Ray; and she has three great-grandchildren. Virginia was a loving mother and friend. She will truly be missed.

Opal Lodowsky Myres, age 86, was born Opal Elliott and was also known as Opal Bays. She was born to Samuel and Olive “Ollie” Elliott on the family farm in Roby, Mo. She passed away on March 7, 2026, at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston, Mo. Opal was preceded in death by her parents; one…

Lanny Verl Wallis, 69, of Edgar Springs, Missouri, passed away Friday, March 6, 2026, in Rolla, Missouri. Lanny is survived by his fiancée, Vaunda Richardson, of Edgar Springs, Mo.; future stepson, Louis Richardson and fiancée Sara, of Bentonville, Ark.; future granddaughter, Jolie Richardson; sister, Pamela Wallis; nephew, Issac Wallis; as well as one aunt, numerous…

Richard Leo Brown, 82, of Lenox, Missouri, passed away on February 24, 2026. He was born January 30, 1944, in Newburg, Missouri, to Robert Lee Brown and Lula Mae (King) Brown. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Richard Brown Jr.; his daughter and son-in-law, Loretta and Daniel Bridges; and three sisters,…

David Scott Donley was born on July 16, 1965, in Columbia, Mo., to David and Martha (Gladine) Donley. He went to be with the Lord on February 26, 2026, in Houston, Mo., at the age of 60. Scott grew up in Licking, Mo. He attended Licking school and graduated from Houston, in 1983. He is…

Daniel Leo Curtis, age 69, was the son of Orval Leo Curtis and Shelby Jean Williams Curtis. He was born March 26, 1956, at the Dr. Myers Clinic in Licking, Mo. He passed away February 26, 2026, at Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla, Mo. Danny went to church at Calvary Fellowship in Duke, Mo., back…

Gloria Jeanne Spurgeon, of Licking, passed away on February 19, 2025, at the age of 91. She was born on January 1, 1935, in Pueblo, Colorado, to Cora and Richard Snow. Gloria loved knitting and sewing. She had a passion for making things for people. Gloria also liked watching NASCAR, baseball, and had a special…

Clarence Ralph Rinne, age 84, of Trenton, Tenn., passed away on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born May 3, 1941, to Clarence and Maxine (Maxey) Rinne. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Maxine (Maxey) Rinne, stepdaughter Dawn Willen, wife Rebecca (Jarvis) Rinne,…

Jerry Albert Dodson, affectionately known as “Big Jerry,” passed away on Monday, February 23, 2026, in Wichita, Kansas, at the age of 73. Born on January 7, 1953, in Wellington, Kansas, to William A. and Veda R. Dodson, Jerry lived a life of compassionate strength, humility, and dedication to his faith in Christ and his…