Mildred West, 92, Baxter Springs

Mildred “Millie” L. West, 92, Baxter Springs, died peacefully at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Mo., May 27, 2025.Born May 2, 1933 in Greenwood, Mo., Millie was the daughter of Audie and Martha (Tash) Mc-Donald. She later moved to Joplin, Mo. where she married her husband, Jerry West, March 10, 1951.

Namon Hawthorne, 85, Miami, Okla.

Namon A. Hawthorne, 85, Miami, Okla., died May 21, 2025, at his home.Born August 27, 1939, in Missouri, Namon was the son of Naman and Georgetta (Hatten) Hawthorne. Namon graduated from Havannah High School in Havannah in 1957.Shortly after graduation, Namon joined the United States Air Force.

Martin Oakley, 63, Fairland, Okla.

Martin “Marty” Wayne Oakley, 63, Fairland, Okla., died Friday, May 23, 2025, at Freeman Hospital surrounded by his family.Born July 19, 1961, in Carthage, Mo., Marty was the son of Carl Oakley and Lula Belle Mahurin.Marty lived in the Fairland, Okla., area his entire life.

Virgil Lempenau, 101, St. Paul

Virgil Lempenau, 101, St. Paul, died Thursday, May 22, 2025 at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul.Born August 13, 1923, on their farm near Alta Vista, Virgil was the son of William and Mamie (Kahle) Lempenau.

Ethel Melton, 74, Baxter Springs

Ethel “Amy” Nelsiemay (Palmer) Melton, 74, Baxter Springs, died at her home at 1:54 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, 2025.Born May 13, 1951, in Tulsa, Okla., Amy was the daughter of Charles Ray Palmer, Sr. and Juanita Marie (Erskin) Palmer. Her early years were spent living in Diamond, Mo.

Dorothy Hale, 93, Joplin, Mo.

Dorothy Joan Hale, 93, Joplin, Mo., died May 18, 2025. She was surrounded by loved ones during her time in Freeman Hospital.Born September 12, 1931, in St. Louis, Mo., Dorothy was the daughter of Walter C. Olney and Esther Victoria Heath Olney. The family moved to Columbus when she was four.

Tammy Leivan, 64, Lamar, Mo.

Tammy Leivan, 64, Lamar, Mo., died Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at her home. Born February 14, 1961, in Columbus, Tammy was the daughter of Charlie Johnson and Patricia (Sparling) Johnson. Tammy was a long-time resident of Jasper County, Mo. and had lived in Barton County, Mo. for the past five years.

Brenda Buckner, 68, Pittsburg

Brenda Sue Buckner, 68, Pittsburg, died peacefully at 2:50 a.m. Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Via Christi Village in Pittsburg, after struggling with multiple health complications for several years.Brenda loved her family, friends, and her cat Chica very much.

Betty Karnes, 80, Baxter Springs

Betty Marie Karnes, 80, Baxter Springs, died May 20, 2025.Born October 31, 1944, Betty was the daughter of Chuck and Maude VerSoy on. Betty graduated from Baxter Springs High School with the Class of 1962 and soon after married the love of her life, Donald Wayne Karnes, from Picher, Oklahoma.

Thomas Moore, 80, Baxter Springs

Thomas Lee “Tom” Moore, 80, rural Baxter Springs, died peacefully May 15, 2025, at the Quaker Hill Nursing Home in Lowell, Born November 19, 1944, in Baxter Springs, Tom was the son of John Byron and Geraldine “Jerry” (Moyer) Moore.