Obituary - Terry Lynn Irwin

Terry Lynn Irwin, age 58 of Hume, Missouri passed away at his home on September 30, 2021. Terry was born the son of Merritt Clinton and Esther Mae Bowen Irwin, on June 15, 1963 in Kansas City, Kansas. He was a union painter for seventeen years, until his health forced him to retire. 

Terry enjoyed going to car shows, swap meets, collecting coins and coca cola memorabilia and watching John Wayne movies. Terry enjoyed eating sushi and absolutely loved spicy foods, the spicier the better. He played Santa Claus every year and always made sure that each child always received a gift. 

He was a member of the Hume Baptist Church, the Monday morning coffee group, he helped out with the Hume Food Pantry, was an avid Trump supporter, but most of all he loved his grandchildren and attending all of the kids sporting events. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Terry is survived by two sons, Clinton Irwin and wife, Kaylie and Mason Irwin and spouse, Jessica Croan, four brothers, Everett, Keith, Braxton and Mark Irwin, two sisters, Renee Morales and Tina Conner, eight grandchildren, Kaysen Hill, Wesley Hays Jr, Chevie Hays, Barrett Irwin, Gemma Hays, Gunner Irwin, Sexton Croan and Jaxson Croan-Irwin.

Memorial Service will be at 11 am, Friday, October 8, 2021 at the Hume Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 10 am to service time at the church. Contributions are suggested to the Terry Irwin Memorial Fund and may be sent in care of the funeral home to Schneider Funeral Home P.O. Box 525 Pleasanton, Kansas 66075. Online condolences may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com

Police Pursuit in Kansas ends in Missouri

On September 30th, 2021 at approximately 1300hrs, the Barton County Sheriff's Office was notified that Crawford County Deputies were in pursuit of a stolen vehicle with a male subject who had felony warrants.

Deputies responded to the area as they entered Missouri and joined the pursuit at 160 Highway and NN Highway. The pursuit lasted for approximately 1hour reaching speeds in excess of 100mph at times. Several times the suspect forced motorist off the roadway. Deputies pursued the vehicle for approximately 37miles, just with in Barton County. The pursuit later ended in a bean field off O Highway in rural Barton County. Deputies were able to take one male and one female in to custody. They were identified as Justin Cochran (29) and Victoria Herring (22) both from Pittsburg Kansas.

Deputies transported both individuals to the Barton County Jail where they were placed on a 24hr hold for investigation. Barton County will be pursuing charges on the Missouri side to include Assault on LEO 2nd Degree, Resisting arrest/ detention/ stop by fleeing and Tampering 1st Degree. Kansas will also be filing charges for the charges that occurred in Kansas.

We also want to apologize to the citizens of Barton County for the reckless driving Justin Cochran demonstrated. Also, the damage he done to citizens yards and fields. There is no place for a person like Justin Cochran in our County and we will do everything within our power to keep people like him from destroying our County.

Chief Deputy
Justin Ehrsam

State Farm Student Athlete of the week

We traveled to Appleton City today and are so excited for this week’s State Farm Student Athlete of the week Senior, Ellie Bock. She is the captain of the Lady Bulldog varsity volleyball team. She lead the team last week with 43 kills, 8 blocks and 8 aces. She was nominated by her coach Jamie O’Farrell. Coach O’Farrell stated “Ellie is our team captain and leader, she has proved her strong leadership skill every practice with her work ethic and commitment to helping younger classman. Ellie excels in the classroom as well.

She is an active member of student council, FFA, Honor Society and FCA. This last week she co-lead the FCA with movie night and Wednesday morning prayer at the flagpole.” When we asked Ellie to describe what it takes to become an elite athlete she stated “you have to trust your coaches and be willing to listen to them.

You also have to work with your team and give 110% at all time.” We asked her to tell us something she has learned through playing sports that she can apply later in life and she stated “you have to trust and have faith in your team, you can’t do things alone”. Ellie hopes to attend college after graduation and major in Ag or Animal science. It was an honor to meet Ellie and we wish her and the Lady Bulldogs the best of luck!

Pictured Left to Right: Rose Bock, Ellie’s Mom; Coach Jamie O’Farrell; Ellie Bock, daughter of Jim & Rose Bock, and Kellie Davidson State Farm

Obituary - Elnora "Ann" Weeks

Elnora “Ann” Weeks, 80, Butler, MO, passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler, MO. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, October 2, 2021 at the Adrian Christian Church in Adrian, MO with visitation from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Burial to follow in Virginia Cemetery, Virginia, MO. Memorial contributions may be made to Show-Me Christian Youth Home or Adrian Christian Church.

Ann was born June 4, 1941 to John and Ruth (Lewis) Vermillion in Ft. Scott, KS. Shortly thereafter they moved to California for a few years before her family returned to Independence, MO. When young in school, Ann felt school to be a “drag” but was very involved in yearbook, student council, and several other organizations. She graduated from Blue Springs High School in 1959. Ann met Bill Weeks in 1958 and they dated off and on for several years. On January 8, 1961, she was joined in marriage to Ernest William Weeks, Jr. (Bill), in Independence, MO. To this union they had two children. They started their lives together in Kansas City, MO. After eight years, they moved to a farm in Amsterdam, MO. They lived there for seven years, raising their children before moving to their permanent home in Adrian, MO.

Ann loved her family most of all. She was the glue that kept not only the immediate but extended family together. She enjoyed all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved and cared for them and most of all enjoyed playing all kinds of games with them. She tried not to miss any activities, birthdays, graduations, or any special occasions involving family or friends.

Ann was a caring, compassionate woman who did a lot for her community. She was involved in community blood drives, elections, food pantry, hospice, and was honored in being voted woman of the year in 2007. Ann had many achievements throughout her live but her biggest accomplishments were her abundant family and marriage of 61 years. Ann was a very faithful woman who loved Jesus and was very active in the Christian Church. She was a loving, kind woman but could be feisty, too. She was always up for a good debate with anyone at any time. What she loved most of all was talking about the Bible.

Ann had several jobs throughout her life, but she was most proud of going back to college to get her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work. She worked as a social worker for four years t the Bates County Health Center. She also obtained her relator license and worked for Don Ghere Realty in Butler for several years. She loved learning and would have gone to school every day of her life if she could have. When Bill retired, they traveled more and had been to every state in the U.S. They wintered in Florida in their 5th Wheel for many years until they decided to buy a winter home in Arizona. Throughout their many travels, Ann enjoyed their trip to Israel the most.

Ann was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, James and John Vermillion and one sister, Marilyn Culp. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Bill Weeks, Adrian, MO; one daughter, Dawn Lewis and her husband, Steve, Adrian; one son, Bo Weeks and his wife, Tracy, Adrian; five grandchildren, Ashley Turner (Aaron), David Patterson (Andrea), Ethan Weeks, Jacob Weeks, and Tommy Weeks and six great-grandchildren.

Lamar man arrested on sex crimes

Harold E. Henson, 69, of Lamar, Mo has been taken into custody for Statutory Sodomy. During the investigation of this offense, Harold Henson was reported as a missing person.

The Lamar Police Department conducted two separate investigations into the alleged offense and the missing person report. Currently, Henson is being held in The Cedar Co jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.

We appreciate the community support we received during this investigation and the assistance we received from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, The Barton County Prosecutor’s Office and the Children’s Center of Southwest Missouri.

Bates County COVID-19 Updates:

Bates County COVID-19 Updates
October 1, 2021
Positive Cases Reported 2308
Active & On Isolation 73
Deaths (confirmed by death certificate) 47
Total Negative Tests Reported 23,540 as of 9/30/21

On and Off rain chances this weekend

Off and on rain & t-storms possible through the weekend. Good news is that temps are anticipated to stay in the 70s range, and actually feel somewhat like fall.

Obituary - Robert Lee Jefferson

Robert Lee Jefferson, 93, of Foxwood Springs, Raymore, MO, passed away at home September 29, 2021, of natural causes, four years to the day following the death of his wife, Joan. Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Monday, October 4, 2021 at Mullinax Funeral Home, Drexel Chapel (816-657-4400). 

A visitation will be held prior to the service from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Monday, also at the chapel. Burial will follow in Freeman Cemetery, Freeman, Missouri. Memorial contributions may be made to Missouri Palliative and Hospice Care. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Bob was born April 20, 1928, at Mankato, Minn., to Anna and Leo Jefferson. He was the only surviving child of two children. He graduated from Rapidan High School in Rapidan, Minn., followed by service in the U.S. Army, from 1950 – 1953, stationed in Alaska and Colorado Springs, where he met his future wife, Joan McGuire of Butler, Mo, and they married on May 10, 1953, at the Virginia United Methodist Church of Bates County, Mo. They moved to Minnesota, where they had two children: Lee Ann and Mark, before moving to Ames, Iowa, and then to Freeman, Mo., in 1978.

Bob worked in the early years in farming, as county assessor and had a career with the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development as an appraiser. He pursued life-long passions for farming, woodworking, gardening and bird watching, as well as community service in Freeman, Mo., and as treasurer of the rural water district.

Bob is survived his daughter, Lee Ann Knudsen, of Farmington, Pa., son, Mark, of Lee’s Summit, Mo. and granddaughter, Mark’s daughter, Jenna Jefferson, of Bellevue, Wa.

The family wishes to extend its heartfelt gratitude for all the friends and family that made Robert Jefferson’s life a joy, and suggest contributions be made to Kansas City Hospice, which team provided the most excellent care and counsel in a most difficult time.