Area Obituaries

Katherine Elaine (Ewing) Forrester, 79, of Memphis, Missouri, died February 25, 2026, at her home. She was born September 29, 1946, in Keokuk, Iowa, the oldest of two children born to Clark Baldwin and Katherine Madeline (Monroe) Ewing. Elaine attended elementary school (grades 1-3) at South Liberty Grade School, a country school north of Rutledge. When South Liberty Grade School closed, she attended grades 4-8 at Rutledge R-IV School in Rutledge. She was a 1964 graduate of Gorin High School in Gorin and a 1964 graduate of Gem City Business College in Quincy, where she served as president of the…

Jimmy Edward Whisenant, 78, of Edina, Missouri, formerly of Louisiana, was called home Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. He was born December 30, 1947, in New Orleans, Louisiana, on the military base, the son of Arlen Verlon and Minnie Juanita Joles Whisenant. Jimmy moved to Missouri in the late 1990’s and on March 30, 2003, he was united in marriage to Barbara Cordary Frazier. To this marriage Jimmy brought five daughters, and Barbara brought two daughters and one son to make their family. Jimmy is survived by his wife of nearly twenty-three…

Anna Lee Vanskike, 88, of Newark, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, February 27, 2026, at the Knox County Nursing Home in Edina, Missouri. Anna was born May 29, 1937, in Hurdland, Missouri, the daughter of James Andrew and Josephine May Kidd Evertson. She graduated from the Hurdland High School in the Class of 1955. On March 18, 1977, in Edina, Missouri she married James Robert “Bob” Vanskike. Anna is survived by two nieces, Elizabeth Weisinger of West Point, Iowa and Claudia Keller; two nephews, David Durham of Arbela, Missouri and Claude J. Filkins of Kirksville, Missouri; along with great nieces,…

Shelby Jean Dent, 89, of Jefferson City, Missouri, passed away Thursday, February 26, 2026, at Stonebridge Senior Living. She was born February 21, 1937, in Knox City, Missouri, the daughter of the late Stanley and Ruth (Tarpein) Miner. On February 14, 1955, she was united in marriage to Donald Dennis Dent in LaBelle, Missouri, who preceded her in death. Shelby was a woman of many talents. In her early years, she was a devoted homemaker and an avid gardener. She served as the Secretary for the LaGrange Chamber of Commerce and was the co-owner of Twins Antiques. A gifted creator,…

Carolyn Louise (Bruegenhemke) Higgins, 86, of Greentop, Missouri, passed away on Monday, February 23, 2026, at The Pines in Kirksville, MO, with her family by her side. She was born on April 15, 1939, in Edina, Missouri, to Leo and Verna Mae (Lingenfelter) Bruegenhemke. Carolyn attended Fabius Grade School and graduated from Baring High School in 1957. She attended Northeast Missouri State University Teachers College (now Truman State University) and was employed as a dental assistant in Baring, Missouri, and at Citizens Bank in Edina, Missouri. On October 4, 1958, Carolyn was married to George Higgins at the St. Aloysius…

John Wesley Bode, 78, of Edina, Missouri, passed away Monday Evening, February 9, 2026, at the LaBelle Manor Care Center in Labelle, Missouri, surrounded by family and friends. John was born February 28, 1947, in Quincy, Illinois, the son of George Glenn and Orinda Jen Hatcher Bode. He attended Shelbina Elementary and graduated from the South Shelby High School in the Class of 1965. John continued his education at the University of Missouri in Columbia graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics before pursuing a Master’s Degree in Economics. After graduating from Mizzou he moved to Phoenix, Arizona and worked…

Marilyn Kay Cardwell, 81, passed away on February 7, 2026, at the Knox County Nursing Home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on December 19, 1944, in rural Knox City. Marilyn was the daughter of Albert and Allie Kathryn Rhoades. She graduated from Knox City High School in 1962, where she participated in basketball and cheerleading. Following high school, she married her high school sweetheart, Elvin Ray Morrow. From this union, two children were born: Dena Wilt (Jimmie) and Jeff Morrow (Diane). Marilyn was a devoted farm wife, often helping Elvin Ray with farming operations—bringing meals to the…

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our mother on February 4, 2026. In five days, Mom would have been 94 years old. Lola lived on a farm outside of Colony, Missouri, for almost 70 years and then resided in Kirksville. Mom loved life. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. Her greatest joy came from her knowledge of her God Jehovah, telling others about him and serving as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Lola was born in her parent’s home in rural Scotland County on February 9, 1932, to Garland and Laura Trent, the youngest…