Updated Obituary -Joseph "Joe" Leon Rodier

Joseph "Joe" Leon Rodier, Sr, 95, of Freeman, Missouri, passed away peacefully in his home on August 3, 2020 from Pneumonia and respiratory complications. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at Freeman Cemetery in Freeman, Missouri.

Joseph was born on March 27, 1925 the only son of Albert and Elizabeth Rodier of Kansas City, Missouri. Joe attended school in Kansas City and was a graduate of North Kansas City High where he worked and performed at the Rodier School of Music, playing Bass Fiddle in the Jazz Orchestra. Joe was a lifelong fan of entertainment, jazz music and the arts. Joe loved getting dressed up with Dorothy, hand in hand heading out on the town. There were many a Kansas City night that you could see Joe walk the walk and talk the talk, his beloved family always by his side.

Joseph ran a farm just outside of Freeman where he enjoyed helping youth in the community by jump starting their careers in the surrounding hay fields. One day while picking up a worker, he fell in love with a beautiful young lady named Dorothy May Lalicker.

The first day Joseph saw Dorothy outside hanging the family laundry. His eyes a glaze and his heart nearly out of his chest he said to himself, “I am going to marry that beautiful girl one day.” Dorothy’s father, Guy, on the other hand tried to tell Joe that women were trouble and whiskey was cheaper, but Joseph had found his one true love and succeeded in marrying Dorothy on October 29, 1955. From that day forward, they were together, raising a family, building their farm, side by side out in the country off Rodier Road.

Along with the farm, Joe worked at the GMC plant in Kansas City for 30 years and after retirement he joined the line-up of the Cass Midway School Bus Drivers. Joe loved to be youthful and joke around with the kids at school. Joe would tell the story of one cold winter day when the boys in Freeman from his bus route ambushed him with a snowball fight of epic proportions while he plowed the snow from the streets he stopped to join in the fun. That was Joe, always up for a good clean laugh inviting others to laugh with him.

Joseph is survived by his children: Joseph Rodier, Jr, and wife, Joyce; Theresa Rodier, Angela Rodier and Jennifer Bartusek; 3 grandchildren: JT Rodier, Justin Rodier and Jaren Rodier; and one brother-in-law, Edward Lalicker (the worker who he had picked up when he spied the love of his life, Dorothy).

Joseph was one of a kind, a unique gem, a man in this world who never met a stranger who couldn’t soon become a friend.

Joe was a storyteller he could hold your attention with an epic tale filled with incredible characters, insightful messages and inevitably a happy ending. His family and friends will have fond memories of the story of Joseph Leon Rodier, Sr. to share and remember.

You gotta love livin; baby, ‘cause dyin’ is a pain in the ass. -Joseph Leon Rodier, Sr

We will never forget you fallen hero!

Today we remember an officer whose sacrifice changed our community and the culture of this department forever. Every Clinton Police Officer will forever carry Officer Gary Michael Jr.'s legacy.

We strive every day to live up to the expectation he set for all of us- selfless duty, unwavering honor and fearless service. "Service Above Self" is the height of the bar set before us by 321.

On August 6, 2017, Clinton Police Officer Gary Michael Jr., radio number 321, stopped a vehicle in the 100 Block of East Green Street for operating without headlights. Officer Michael was ambushed on his initial approach and was shot. 

Despite being mortally wounded, Officer Michael returned fire and in turn wounded the suspect, effectively stopping the assault and rendering the suspect incapable of any possible further assault on other responding officers.

- Courtesy of the Clinton Police Department 

Butler Youth Center will not open this fall

The Butler Youth Center will not open this fall. According the Kris Jenkins, president of the BCYAC , "We feel it would be irresponsible to open the Center in light of the current health conditions. It was not a decision that was made lightly.

The Center, operated by the Bates County Youth Advocacy Council, provides recreation, food and adult and peer mentoring for area children and is located on the Butler R-V high school campus.

Kelly Stark, manager of the Center, added, "We hope to return as soon as it possible. We miss our kids and worry about them."

Covid-19 update from the Archie School District

This release is to notify our community that a student of the Archie R-V School District has tested positive for COVID-19. 

We have been in communication with the Cass County Health Department, and have determined that the student was not on campus or at any District-related event while ill or contagious. 

We thank the community for continued support as we work to keep all students and staff safe.

Arkansas semi driver injured after striking cow on I-49 in Bates County

On 8/5/20 around 2:30am the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Bates County along with Bates County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a one vehicle accident in the northbound lanes of I-49 near mile marker 145 in rural Bates County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred when the 2019 Peterbilt driven by 47 year old Johnnie L. Beck of Mountain Home, Arkansas struck a cow in the roadway.

Mr. Beck sustained minor injuries in this accident and he was treated on scene by Bates County EMS and then released.

The truck was totaled and towed from the scene of this accident by J's Southland Tow.


Copyright Mid America Live News 

Obituary - Roscoe Walker Jr.

Roscoe Walker Jr., 95, passed away Monday, August 3, 2020 at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital. A private family service will be held at First Baptist Church of Deepwater Thursday, August 6, 2020. Interment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery. 

Services will be live streamed on the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home Facebook page. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Henry County Memory Fund and may be left in care of the funeral home. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.

Roscoe was born on April 19, 1925 in Astoria, MO to Beulah (Neal) Skirdis and Roscoe Walker. He was raised in rural Texas County, Mo near Plato. He attended Licking High School in Licking, MO. After high school Roscoe joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1943 where he was in the 711th Bomb Squadron of the 447th Bomb Group.

Roscoe was united in marriage to Gladys Irene (Mansfield) on November 24, 1951 in Licking, MO. They lived in Borwnington, MO for a few years before moving to Lawson, MO, then to Polo, MO where, together, they raised their family of five children in a loving Christian home on a 60-acre farm.

Roscoe retired from the Ford Motor Company in Claycomo, MO in 1982.

He was a member of the Canaan Hill Church of the Nazarene in Lawson, MO for 30 years where he served as Sunday School Superintendent for 16 years. After retirement, Roscoe and Gladys moved to Brownington, MO and later joined the Deepwater Baptist Church where Roscoe served as a Deacon. Shortly thereafter, the relocated to Lowry City, MO.

Roscoe was also an avid fox hunter and enjoyed many years of listening to his hounds run fox and coyotes with his fox hunting buddies. He would playfully share that he cut his first tooth on a dog collar. Roscoe won many field trials and the Missouri Open twice. He also served one term as President of the Missouri Fox Hunter's Association.

Roscoe is preceded in death by his mother Beulah (Neal) Skirdis, and his father Roscoe Walker.

Roscoe is survived by his loving wife, Gladys (Mansfield) Walker, five children, Patricia Walker of Liberty, MO, Michael (Debbie) Walker of Licking, MO, Paula Blough of Lenexa, KS, Phyllis (Paul) O'Neill of Lowry City, MO, and Beth (Rick) Neth of Courtland, MS, 17 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren; one brother, Billy (Jeannie) Walker of Sioux City, IA, two sisters, Joretta Sawyers of Ava, MO, and Jeannine Yocum of Mountain Grove, MO; and two daughters Judy (Leon) Tollison of Rolla, MO and Rita Hobbs of Malvern, AR.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton.

Anyone missing a dog in rural Butler?

Found this little girl by our house by the Butler City Lake. Only has one eye. Very sweet dog. Please share we would love to find the owner! She’s been on her own for a while.

If this is your dog message us at Mid America Live News and we will get you in contact with the person who shared this :-)

Henry County Health Center confirms 3 new positive cases of COVID-19

The Henry County Health Center (HCHC) has received confirmation of three more positive cases of COVID-19 and all reside in the town of Clinton. The three new cases have very mild symptoms. This brings the total number of confirmed positive cases in Henry County to 74.

**Please note that the state and federal numbers of positive cases listed for Henry County may be different than the numbers listed on the HCHC Facebook page. This is due to discrepancies in the State computer system which often can take several days to be corrected or updated.**

All contact tracing has commenced and all parties that have had close contact are being notified. HCHC continues to encourage residents to practice social distancing, washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or more, and to remain home if you are sick.

The CDC continues to recommend that individuals to wear a face covering when you are in public, and are unable to social distance, to assist in preventing the spread of COVID-19.