ST. JOSEPH – Phyllis Dean Ahrens, 75, passed away Saturday January 4, 2014 at her home in ST. Joseph. She was born February 27, 1938 in St. Joseph and is the daughter of James and Derotha “Dodie” (Glenn) Emery. She married her husband and love, Kent Ahrens, on September 22, 1982. They shared 31 years together.
She graduated from Benton high school and attended Missouri Western State College. She retired from banking as a Vice-President working at Farmers State Bank & the Heritage Bank. Her greatest interest was buying, selling and collecting antiques of all sorts. She lived with her husband in a 150 year old home filled with her many collections. They enjoyed traveling and visited nearly every part of the United States, as well as Hawaii, St. Thomas and Europe several times. She filled their empty nest with many pets over the years (currently two cats), and was a member of Wyatt Park Christian Church. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Sondra Smith, and Barbara Harrison.
She is survived by husband, Kent Ahrens of the home; step-son, Jeff Ahrens and wife Gail of Ferguson, Mo.; step-daughter, Darcy Ahrens and her partner Robyn Walter of Kansas City, Mo.; three grandchildren, Chris, Amy and Emily Ahrens; two brothers, Jim Emery and wife Bonnie of St. Joseph; and Mike Emery and wife Carol of Atchison, Kan.; and a sister, Dodie Emery of St. Joseph; many nieces and nephews; and friends.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 11, 2014 at 11 a.m., at the Rupp Funeral Home with Dr. Scott Kilgore officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., on Friday at the Rupp Funeral Home. She has been cremated under the direction of the Rupp Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to the Wyatt Park Christian Church, Interserve or Friends of the Animal Shelter. Online condolence and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com

ST. JOSEPH – Etta Jane Silcott, 80, passed away Sunday, January 5, 2014 at Heartland Regional Medical Center. Etta Jane was born on December 22, 1933, in St. Joseph to Reasor Eldon and Mary Jane (Burch) Mason.
She was a 1951 graduate of Lafayette High School and a member of Maxwell Heights Presbyterian Church. She served as editor of the school newspaper “Light” and the school yearbook “Oak”. She was also chairman for the Lafayette High School class reunions.
Etta Jane was self-employed as administrator/owner of a residential care facility. She enjoyed bowling and playing cards with family. She participated as a St. Joe Saints host family, enjoyed traveling, trips to the Casino and also watching Royals Baseball. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Donald Mason; daughter, Lee Ann Silcott; and granddaughter, Jennifer Pistole.
She married George Richard Silcott on November 4, 1950. He survives of the home.
Additional survivors include her children, Maribeth (Tom) McKee, Callahan, Fla., Ross (Carol) Silcott, Chris (Diana) Silcott, Dawn Hickman and her fiancé Rob Campbell, all of St. Joseph; brother, Robert E. Mason, Leawood, Kan.; sister, Dorothy Simonson, N.C.; 12 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Services 12 noon Thursday at Heaton-Bowman-Smith and Sidenfaden Chapel. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will begin after 12 noon Wednesday at our Chapel, where the family will receive friends 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and also one hour prior to the service on Thursday.

ST. JOSEPH – Melissa Marie Lawrence, 34, passed away Saturday, January 4, 2014 in St. Joseph. She was born November 24, 1979 in St. Joseph. She graduated from Excelsior Springs High School.
Melissa was the Manager at Tucks Bar, and formerly worked at 54th Street Bar and Grill. She enjoyed playing with her kids and reading the bible, she was a Christian.
Melissa was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, William and Annette Lawrence. Survivors include, mother, Debbie Lawson of St. Joseph; fathers, seconnd father, Mark Lawson, and Alan L. Mace; son, Boston Lawrence; daughter, Haylee Bird; two brothers, Brandon Vogel of San Francisco, Calif., and Alan C. Mace of St. Joseph; two nephews, Hayden Mace, and Alan C. Mace Jr.; her companion, Jared Bird of St. Joseph; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m., on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at Rupp Funeral Home, with Rev. Mary Clark officiating, The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., on Wednesday at the Rupp Funeral Home. The Interment will be at the Sugar Creek Cemetery Rushville, Mo. Memorials are requested to the Melissa Lawrence memorial fund in care of the Rupp Funeral Home.
Online condolence and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com

SAVANNAH, Mo. – Arda N. Thornton, 89, died Sunday, January 5, 2014 at her home.
She was born August 4, 1924 to Charles and Blanche (Livingston) Kessler in Buchanan County, Mo.
She married Billy Thornton on August 14, 1942. He preceded her in death on May 5, 1990.
Arda was a lifetime member of the Christian faith and served on the Andrew County Election Board for many years.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Charles Kessler and William Kessler; and son, Charles Thornton.
Survivors: son, John Thornton (Sheri), Savannah; grandson, John Thornton, Jr., Savannah; sisters, Dean Byrd and Iva Rittman (Richard); numerous nieces and nephews; and many excellent neighbors.
Services: 1 p.m., Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory, where friends may call after 5:30 p.m., Tuesday. Flowers are appreciated and for those wishing to make a contribution, the family requests they be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com

ST. JOSEPH – Shirley Marie Brown, 82, passed away Saturday, January 4, 2014 in North Kansas City, Mo. She was born July 9, 1931 in Detroit, Mich., daughter of Nancy and Homer Catron.
She married Robert James Brown on July 28, 1950 in St. Joseph. She was a Homemaker. Shirley was a member of VFW # 6760 Ladies Auxiliary. Shirley was an active volunteer at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cameron, Mo., and Saxton Nursing Home in St. Joseph, with the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and was a Christian. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Charles L. Catron, James H. Catron, John Joseph Catron, Lloyd Lester Catron; two sisters, Bonnie Murnett Miller and Doris Ann Kernes; son-in-law, Ron Snyder; and grandsons, Curtis & Corey Snyder.
Survivors include, husband, Robert James Brown of St. Joseph; two daughters, Theresa (Rick) Aldridge of Oregon, Mo., and Sharon Snyder of St. Joseph; son, Rodney (Lorretta) Brown of St. Joseph; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers, Bill Lee Catron and Roger Catron, both of St. Joseph; and a sister, Martha Viola Marriott of St. Joseph.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at Rupp Funeral Home, with Dr. Darrell Jones officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., on Monday at the Rupp Funeral Home. The Interment will be at the King Hill Cemetery.
Online condolence and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com

ST. JOSEPH – Michael William “Bill” Massengale, 66, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer.
He was born October 28, 1947 in Graham, Mo., son of Pauline Ruth and Johnnie Massengale. He graduated from Nodaway/Holt high school and joined the Navy serving two tours of duty during the Vietnam era. He served in the Traffic Department of the St. Joseph Police Department and joined the Missouri Air National Guard 139th Airlift Wing.
While in the Air Guard he was the First NCO to receive the Col. John B. Logan Award. He also served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-91. He retired as a Master Sergeant from the Guard in 2002. He worked part-time as a driver for the Medicine Center and retired in 2008. He was a member of the VFW, Wesley United Methodist Church, and Missouri Air National Guard Retiree Association. He also served as a scout leader for Boy Scout Troop 215.
He loved to travel with his wife, reading and fishing with his children and grandchildren. He married Terry McKay in 1990 and they shared 23 years together she survives of the home. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Donald Gray; and son-in-law, Dillard Marshoff.
Survivors include, his wife, Terry Massengale of the home; son, Michael (Zoe) Massengale of Riverview, Fla.; daughter, Yvette Marshoff of St. Joseph; step-daughters, Laura Smedley, and Cheryl Johnson; step-son, Michael Johnson of St. Joseph; 11 grandchildren Bryon and Calen Wilcoxson, Amber Massengale, Amanda Smedley (William Unzicker), Joshua Massey, Amber and Katie Johnson, Emma Green, Makenize, Isabella and Samantha Massengale; great-grandsons, Brayden, and Kamdyn; sisters, Kay Dolph and Eleanor Gray of Savannah, Mo.; brothers-in-laws Eugene (Annette) McKay, St. Joseph and John (Karen) McKay, Easton, Mo.; several cousins; nieces; nephew; and a host of friends.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at the Rupp Funeral Home. Memorial services will be conducted at 10 a.m., Wednesday, January 8, at the Rupp Chapel. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery Graham. Military Honors under the direction of the Missouri Air National Guard 139th Airlift Wing. Flowers are appreciated and for those wishing to make a contribution, the family request they be made to the Wesley United Methodist Church or the Hands of Hope Hospice.

BOLCKOW, Mo. – Mrs. Janet Onalea Rosenbaum, 78, Bolckow, Mo., went to be with the Lord on December 28, 2013. She was born November 28, 1935 in Larnard, Kan., to Frederick and Pauline Meyer. Janet was raised in Simla and Monument, Colo. She was a member of the Little Log Church in Palmer Lake, Colo. She graduated from Lewis-Palmer High School and went on to attend Blair Business College in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Janet married Montie L. Rosenbaum on July 4, 1954 in Colorado Springs. After their marriage they moved to the Plattsburg, Mo., area where she worked for the Clinton County Extension Office. They also lived in the Osborn, Mo., area. Later they moved to Kansas City, Mo., where Janet was a homemaker and a Brownie Scout Leader. In 1973 they made their home on a farm outside of Bolckow, where she lived until her death. She was an employee of Midway Shop and Hop until her retirement.
Janet was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years; parents; and two brothers in law.
Survivors: three daughters, Paula (Rick) Dorrel, Willard, Mo., Marilyn (Roger) Wilmes, Bolckow, and Betty Tinker, Savannah, Mo.; eight grandchildren, Elizabeth (Nathan) Lampe, Willard, Sarah Dorrel, McKinleyville, Calif., Rachel (Malisa) Mahon, Citrus Heights, Calif., Timothy (Heather) Wilmes, Rosendale, Mo., Tristen (Leigh) Wilmes, Oregon, Mo., Tyler Wilmes, Bolckow, Brook Edwards, St. Joseph, and Bryson Tinker, Savannah.; 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Judy (Harvey) Murphy, Sterling, Colo.; sister-in-law, Bonnie (Frank) Shipers, Bolckow; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Celebration of her life: 1 p.m., Friday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory where friends may call 5 p.m., Thursday. The family request memorials to Three Rivers Hospice, St. Joseph, in the name of Janet.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com

ST. JOSEPH – Orville “Ike” Merle Weisenburger, 94, passed away Wednesday, January 1, 2014 in Kansas City, Mo., Veterans hospital. He was born July 4, 1919 in Pulaski County, Ind., son of Mathias and Zella Weisenburger.
He served in the Army Air Corp and is a veteran of the World War II. He worked as a Maintenance Supervisor for the St. Joseph Stockyards and retired after 36 years of service. He enjoyed dancing, at the Eagles Lodge and playing any musical instrument that was handed to him, his hard working spirit, friendly smile, simplicity and great sense of humor will be sincerely missed by all who know him.
He was a member of Eagles Lodge #49 and a Baptist. Ike was preceded in death by his parents; eight brothers and sisters; and by Floyd McConnell, son of Annabell McConnell.
Survivors include, son, Dennis Weisenburger; daughter, Karen (Ed) Kirschner; daughter, Debbie Saliger (Don Howell); son, Dan Weisenburger all of St. Joseph; ten grandchildren: Matt (Courtney) Weisenburger, Angela (Corey) Buskey, Shelly (Randy) Schank, Rhonda (Douglas) Duncan, Wayne (Sabrena) Weisenburger, Larry (Tina) Weisenburger, Doug (Delissa) Saliger, Brian (Laura) Weisenburger, Denise (Rob) Williams, and Jeff (Ashley) Weisenburger; 23 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his long time companion Annabell McConnell; her children, Evelyn Jungk (Skip Grace), Terry (Stormy) McConnell and Luella Reilly; her 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., on Friday, January 3, at Rupp Funeral Home, with Beau Walker officiating. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m., on Thursday at the Rupp Funeral Home. The Interment will be at the Memorial Park Cemetery . Memorials are requested to the Interserve Wesley House.
Online condolence and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com

ARLINGTON, Texas – Phyllis Mae Kramer, 84, formerly of St. Joseph, passed away Sunday, December 29, 2013 at a healthcare facility in Arlington, Texas.
She was born September 7, 1929 to Clayton and Violet (Bettis) Fuston in St. Joseph. Excelling in academics, she graduated high school early at the age of 16, and then went on to earn an Associate’s degree in Business.
She married Claude Edward Kramer in 1951. The union produced two children, Brad and Claudia. She was a devoted wife and mother. During their 33 year marriage, they lived in other states such as Kansas, New York, and Mississippi, finally settling in Texas in 1973.
Phyllis worked in clothing retail for thirty years. She was employed by Watson’s and Dillard’s Department Stores in Arlington, where she received many sales awards.
An avid bowler during the 1960’s, she was proud of being a member of the 200 Club. She also bred Boxer puppies for show and was associated with the American Kennel Club. The consummate Dallas Cowboys fan, she was always prepared with her official Cowboys jersey, ear rings and necklace, while clutching her Cowboys sock monkey “Starla”
Mrs. Kramer was preceded in death by her husband Claude in 1984; her parents; and her sisters and brother-in-laws Jim and Margaret Cobb, Gordon and Charlotte Lemar.
Survivors: beloved long-time companion, John Hix; daughter, Claudia Kramer (Terry Samford), Sachse, Texas; son, Brad Kramer (Lisa), Overland Park, Kan.; grandson, Daniel Samford; two granddaughters, Missy Tomkiewicz (Mike), Shawnee, Kan.; and Shanna Beltz (Shawn), Kansas City, Mo.; brothers, Ron Fuston (Judy) and Garold Fuston (Doris); four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends.
Services: 12 noon Saturday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, followed by a chapel service. For those wishing to make a contribution in lieu of flowers, the family requests they be made to American Cancer Society or American Heart Association.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com

ST. JOSEPH – Kerr H. Breckenridge, 70, died Monday, December 23, 2013 at a local healthcare facility.
He was born October 19, 1943 to Kerr Jr. and Georgia (McClellan) Breckenridge in St. Joseph. He was a graduate of Central High School and proudly served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He also owned his own Janitorial business for many years.
Kerr enjoyed farming, gardening, woodworking and was an animal lover. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Jerry Breckenridge.
Survivors: daughters, Tammie Wright (Mark), Wendie Fugate (Charles) and Kristie Breckenridge (T. Chase Sybert); and five grandchildren, Jacob Hughes, Jordan McMillen, Jada McMillen, Trinity Turner and Nick Inman.
Memorial Service: 3 p.m., Saturday, January 4, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, January 3, Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. Flowers are appreciated and for those wishing to make a contribution, the family requests they be made to the Disabled American Veterans.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com

BROOKFIELD, Mo. – August Sheen Cattey, died from natural causes, Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph,after a fall earlier in the week.
She was born August 11, 1923 South of Brookfield,to Clarence and Theresa (Tillman) Sheen. She graduated from Brookfield High School. She began her career as a bookkeeper for the former Brookfield Chickeries.
On June 11, 1954 she married Nelson L. Cattey in Brookfield. Together they owned and operated Cattey Feed & Seed until 1993. They also raised Certified Black Angus Cattle on their farm, N & A Angus until 2003. Nelson died December 27, 2010 in Brookfield.
Augusta was a lifelong member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Brookfield. She was active with her family in county 4-H activities where she was the Happy-Go-Lucky Club Leader. She was active in County Fairs and State Fairs. In the Fall of 2005, she and Nelson were inducted into the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame. She was a member of the Missouri Angus Association; a former member of the Missouri Cow Bells; Life Member American Angus Association; Gamma Omicron Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Social Sorority and the Catholic Units Bridge Club.
Augusta was an amazing mother, grandmother and mother-in-law. She greatly enjoyed feeding those around her table with the produce from her garden. She remained independent and enjoyed discussing current events with those she visited.
She was also preceded in death by her brothers, infant Bernard Sheen and Robert Sheen and her sister, Dorothy Jones.
Augusta is survived by her son, James B. Cattey and his wife, Joan of Olathe, Kan.; her daughter, Doris L. Montegna and her husband, Eric of St. Joseph; three grandsons, Samuel D. Cattey, Aaron M. Cattey and Arthur B. Cattey all of Kansas City; her brother, Edwin Sheen and his wife Shirley of West Richland, Wash.; her brother, John Sheen and his wife, Zelda of Downs, Ill.; and her sister, JoAnn Witte of Yorkville, Ill.; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.
Mass of Christian Burial 10 a.m. Monday at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 313 North Livingston, Brookfield, Missouri. Interment St. Michael’s Cemetery, Brookfield. Prayer Service 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Rhodes Funeral Home, 216 Linn Street, Brookfield. The Family will receive friends6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, where friends may call after 12 Noon Saturday. The Family suggests memorial gifts to the Immaculate Conception Church Window Fund or Linn County 4-H.
Online condolences and guestbook available at www.rhodesfh.com