Anna Cross 1922-2026

Anna Elizabeth Cross, Maryville, Missouri passed away October 23, 2026, at the age of 103 years. She was a lifelong resident of Hopkins, Missouri, until moving to the Homestead Retirement Community of Maryville in 1999.

Anna was born November 13, 1922, in Hopkins. The daughter of John “Jack” Henry and Ellen (Ford) Campbell. She experienced the virtues of work and the joy of country living while growing up on the family farm. She received her education at Mt. Vernon Rural School, Hopkins High School, and Northwest Missouri State Teachers College.

Anna and Russell L. Cross, high school sweethearts, were united in marriage on December 31, 1941, just before he was drafted by the United States Army during World War II. Anna was able to accompany Russell to various stations during his three plus years of training and service as a dental technician for the Army. The couple became the proud parents of two daughters, Sharon Maria and Mary Ann. They observed their 62nd wedding anniversary prior to Russell’s death on May 27, 2004. Anna and Russell were editors and publishers of The Hopkins Journal for 20 years. During their time as editors of The Hopkins Journal, it was one of two newspapers in the nation to receive the American Legion Auxiliary Golden Press award. Chosen by the Missouri Press Association, this weekly newspaper received the Honorable Mention Award at Missouri Press Day. Anna firmly believed that the local newspaper was the glue that holds a community together. After selling the weekly newspaper, they continued in the commercial printing business, known as Cross Printing, until retiring in December of 1997.

Anna was a founding member and historian of the Hopkins Historical Society, having joined her husband in spearheading the organization of the Society in March of 1998. Following their retirement, they gifted the Journal building and its contents, including newspaper files dating back to over 100+ years to the organization. The building became the home of the Hopkins Historical Society Museum, where Anna continued her role as historian and kept obituary files updated for the benefit of genealogists.

Interested in preserving the history of Hopkins, Anna and Russell researched and compiled the Hopkins Cemetery book, with burial records dating from 1850 through 1998. Ten years later, following Russell’s passing, Anna completed a supplement to the Cemetery book to further ensure all records were as current as possible. In observance of Hopkins’ first 100 years, the couple served as co-chairs of the Hopkins Centennial history book, researching, writing, and compiling articles and photos to chronicle the course of events. Their third and final book “A Time Capsule of Hopkins History” was published in 2002, for which they received the Governor’s Humanities Award for Excellence in Community Heritage. The award was presented to Anna and Russell at the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City that same year.

She was a member of and attended the First United Methodist Church of Maryville. She was an active member of the United Methodist Women while living in Hopkins and continued her interest in the women’s organization at the Maryville church.

Anna was an active member of Chapter K, P.E.O. for 77 years – having served as President, Journalist, and other offices throughout her membership. She was Historian of the Missouri State Chapter, P.E.O. from 1984-1985. Anna was a member of the Board of Directors at Homestead for eight years, serving as Secretary and as Treasurer. For several years she went to Parkdale Manor weekly to play Bridge with elderly residents, who were grateful to have visitors join them around the gaming table. Another source of joy for Anna was assisting with the Ministry Center food pantry, sharing their food supplies with those less fortunate.

On the lighter side, Anna enjoyed playing cards with friends at Homestead. She participated in all the activities and even served on the Board of Directors for eight years.

Traveling occasionally was a highlight of Anna’s retirement years. She most especially enjoyed traveling abroad, of which her favorite destination was Northern Ireland from whence her paternal grandparents came in 1872. She had a strong affinity for her Irish heritage and found that visiting cousins “across the pond” on the Emerald Isle was sheer joy.

Her busy, happy, and fulfilled life was enhanced by her loving and caring family – always a priority in her daily living. Time spent with them could not be measured by days or hours, but by the quality of their time together.

Among her survivors: daughter Dr. Mary Ann Cross (Glenn Sattell), Long Beach, Mississippi; Four Grandchildren, Aaron Shipley (Shelby), Farmersville, Texas; Tim Shipley (Nancy), Maryville, Missouri; Anna Katharine “Katie” Grippin (Daniel), Weaverville, North Carolina; Jack Mellard (Alison), Bedias, Texas; Four Great-Grandchildren: Renner Shipley, Nolan Shipley, Evve Shipley, and Russell Mellard. Three Step-Grandchildren:  Ronald Bonnett (Deborah), Omaha, Nebraska; Chad Bonnett (Suzi), Bellevue, Nebraska; Heather Carter (Jeff), Urbandale, Iowa. Eight Step-Great-Grandchildren. Sister-in-law, Betty Lou Lee (Everett), Bedford, Iowa; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

In addition to Anna’s parents and her husband, Russell, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Sharon (Cross) Bonnett and son-in-law, Ronald D. Bonnett; Sister Agnes (Campbell) Mendenhall and brother-in-law Olaf Mendenhall; sister Kathryn (Campbell) Schaefer; Numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Memorial Service was 1:00 P.M., Monday, November 2, 2026, First United Methodist Church, Maryville.

The family received friends at a reception immediately following the service. There is no scheduled open visitation.

Private family inurnment will be held at a later date, Hopkins Cemetery.

Memorials: Hopkins Historical Society, Hopkins Cemetery Association, or First United Methodist Church, Maryville.

Arrangements: Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port, Missouri.

www.minterfuneralchapels.com

Zoey Briner Wins Patriot's Pen Essay; Alivia Moyer Wins "Voice of Democracy; Brad Maudlin Wins Public Servant of the Year

Zoey Briner won the Patriot's Pen essay contest at the Worth County Veterans Day Celebration Wednesday, while Alivia Moyer won the VFW Voice of Democracy essay. Brad Maudlin won the Public Servant of the Year award. They were honored by Worth County VFW Post 3123.

Bob Hull of the VFW honored Zoey Briner. She responded to the prompt, "Letter to the Veterans." In it, she talked about how they all went through big challenges, how all of them are part of the reason why we are free, and that they were willing to serve even when it meant leaving everyone behind. Briner wrote that it was easy to walk down the streets without stopping and thinking about what made it possible. "We will remember the struggles you went through," she concluded.

Alivia Moyer, in her Voice of Democracy essay, wrote about her conversation with a Navy veteran. He told her that many people returned from Vietnam in secret due to fear of repercussions. Many were called killers, and many witnessed horrible things during their time there. "They were treated so poorly, yet they are still grounded in love, kindness, and respect," she wrote. She wrote that we can have different beliefs in this country, yet we can still shake hands.

Jeremy Baker of the VFW honored Highway Patrolman Brad Maudlin as the Public Servant of the Year.

High School Principal Carl Parman honored past and current veterans in attendance. Among those honored were:

--Jerry Cook, World War II veteran who served in Okinawa;

--Doris Monday, whose late husband served in World War II and who recently turned 107;

--Jack Cottrell, who served in the Korean Conflict;

--Jeff Ruckman, who came from San Antonio, and who served in the Air Force.

Students made a victory tunnel to honor all past and present service members. 

Principal Amber Hawk welcomed the crowd. The VFW did the Presentation of the Colors. The High School Band and the Elementary did the Opening Cadence and the Star Spangled Banner. The Kindergarten led the Pledge. The new singing group, the Worth County Youth Singers, sang, "My America." The Color Guard performed a patriotic routine. 

Kyle Dignan narrated a skit in which students dressed in military uniforms from different eras from the Revolutionary War to the present made contributions to the Tree of Liberty.

Following the playing of "TAPS," Superintendent Chris Healy made closing remarks, and the VFW retired the colors.

Opinion -- Bill Would Make Eminent Domain by Utilities More Difficult

by Senator Josh Hawley's Office

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced four amendments to the Senate's permitting and transmission bill to better protect farmers in Missouri and across the country. Senator Hawley's amendments would add new rights and protections for farmers, ranchers, and landowners from eminent domain takings of their land for electric transmission projects.

For years, Senator Hawley has advocated for landowners against disruptive transmission lines on agricultural land in Missouri, including by successfully securing the cancellation of a $5 billion federal loan for the Grain Belt Express project last year.

Senator Hawley's amendments for consideration: 

Amendment #1: This amendment would create a new statutory federal floor of 150% of fair market value for “just compensation” to landowners when their land is taken through eminent domain—while allowing individual states to set even higher compensation rates.

Amendment #2:  This amendment would extend the time allowed for a state’s consideration of an application for a transmission line from one year to two years before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) may exercise its backstop siting authority to issue a permit. This would give states and landowners more time to consider and debate these projects.  

Amendment #3: This amendment would provide FERC the discretion to not exercise its backstop siting authority, even if all statutory conditions are met. Under existing law, FERC is required to exercise its backstop siting authority when all conditions are met.

Amendment #4: This amendment would substantially increase the minimum voltage threshold, from 230 kVs to 765 kVs, for FERC to exercise eminent domain over private property for transmission line projects. This change would carve out from FERC’s siting authority many common transmission line projects.

Nodaway County Commission Minutes for November 10th, 2026

Convene: Presiding Commissioner Bill Walker called the meeting of the Nodaway County Commission to order at 8:00 a.m. on November 10, 2026 at the Commissioner’s Office.  Attendance: Present: Walker, Chris Burns and Scott Walk.  Also present: Melinda Patton, County Clerk. 

Approval of Agenda and Prior Minutes: Commissioner Walk made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Burns seconded the motion.  The motion passed by vote: Walker (Yes); Burns (Yes); Walk (Yes.)  Walk made a motion to approve prior commission minutes dated 11/5/26.  Burns seconded the motion.  The motion passed by vote: Walker (Yes); Burns (Yes); Walk (Yes.)  

Approved: N/A

Accounts Payable: Checks #88923-89044

Requisitions: Commission to MTE for Sonicwall (Emergency Purchase due to expiration) for Administration Building and Sheriff/Court System; Road and Bridge to C. Swinford and M. Trimble for uniform reimbursement.

Reviewed: The Commission reviewed the following information received by mail or email:

• Emergency Manager Planning Team minutes

Public Comment – Citizens met during public comment time. Jeff From shared that they are preparing a notice of their concerns, to share with the developers.  From stated they will share this with the Commissioners when it is signed and ready. Kim Swyers stated she heard of developers checking out land northwest of Maryville and in the Industrial Park area, but neither the Commission nor NCED had been approached by anyone from another company, no official tours. Donna Tompkins raised the question on ordinances, but it was shared again that a development agreement would address the same things an ordinance would. Tompkins also discussed the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) information on a tentative public hearing on December 8th on the Evergy Mullin Creek project. A written request was sent to DNR for the Environmental Study that has already been completed. Present: Jeff From, Bruce Skoglund, Susie Strough, Donna Tompkins, Amy Ziegler, Wanda Goodspeed, Rena Puckett, Kim Swyers, Chiya Dawoudi, Josh McKim and Kim Mildward, NCED, Rex Wallace, Assessor and Austin Hann, Sheriff

CART Rock – Spoke with Independence Township Trustee, Steve Brown, on CART roads in the township.  Returned a call to a citizen of White Cloud regarding Road #938 conditions.

BRO Bridges –Reviewed and signed Reimbursement Request #14 BRO-R074(001) and Reimbursement Request #14 on BRO-R074(002). Spoke with Aaron McVicker, McClure Engineering, regarding BRO-R074(001) landowner paperwork on right-of-way.  

Building and Property Maintenance – Spoke with Johnson Controls regarding fire alarm inspection deficiencies. Discussed concerns with the generator with Sheriff Hann. Sheriff Hann also shared the sale of a 2017 Ford Explorer to Andrew County Sheriff’s Department. Elevator inspection paperwork was reviewed.

Inspections – The Commission, along with Brian Engle, Road and Bridge Supervisor, inspected Road #938 in White Cloud Township and Roads #1035 and #1036 in Washington Township.

Lunch Break – Burns made a motion to adjourn for lunch.  Walk seconded the motion.  All in favor.

Closed Session – Burns made a motion to go into closed session at 1:04 per 610.021 (2) - Purchase or sale of real estate. Walk seconded the motion.  Walker (Yes); Burns (Yes); Walk (Yes).  Motion carries. 

Leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a public governmental body where public knowledge of the transaction might adversely affect the legal consideration therefor. However, any minutes, vote or public record approving a contract relating to the leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a public governmental body shall be made public upon execution of the lease, purchase or sale of the real estate;

Walk made a motion to go back to open session at 1:38. Burns seconded the motion.  Walker (Yes); Burns (Yes); Walk (Yes).  Motion carries.  A follow up meeting will be held on November 17, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

State of Emergency – Walk gave an update of his follow-up meeting with Marquis Battle, Emergency Management Specialist, Region 7, Recovery Division via TEAMS.  A call was put in to Nodaway Contracting for a quote on a dirt haul to assist in completing the reporting.  Another follow-up call has been set for November 17, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.

Adjournment – Walk made a motion to adjourn until 11/12/2026.  Burns seconded the motion.  The motion passed by vote: Walker (Yes); Burns (Yes); Walk (Yes.)    

Hannah Levy 2008-2026

Hannah Elizabeth Marie Levy born July 17, 2008, to parents Joshua Lynn Levy and Christina Marie Beaman in Creston Iowa. She left this earth on November 6, 2026, in Fort Dodge Iowa.

Hannah was a free-spirited child and always knew what she wanted and how to get it. She grew up loving many things including riding minibikes and four wheelers, sledding behind the vehicle and anything that had to do with the outdoors, including being a great shot with a bow and arrow. She loved all animals, and her dog Zena was her pride and joy. She always wanted to grow up to work with animals in some aspect or another with looking at veterinary work or animal shelters and even considered working in a zoo at one point. She was highly creative and liked working with her hands and that included on the fence row with her dad or building things with wood and saws. She loved to write music as well as listen and sing and dance to it. She played basketball as a young girl and was always outgoing in school and sports. She enjoyed her time with friends and playing her Xbox. Casey’s pizza was one of her favorite meals, and she loved Grandma Sally’s cookies as well as ribs (but not just any ribs, they had to be the way her dad made them).

Hannah had a loving and kind heart and even when she was upset, she never had a problem giving hugs to her mom and knowing when the time was to put feelings aside and just open her heart. When not living at home, she would FaceTime her mom and learn to cook over the phone, she was independent but still depended on mom to be there whenever she needed her.

Hannah knew the Lord and knew much of the Bible and would often take study notes and really absorb what she studied, and she was always eager to learn more and always wanted to follow the Lord, and even when she struggled, she would look back or call her dad and talk about the Lord with him and how to follow him. She enjoyed church camp, and Crossroads Church was her home church from childhood and on.

Hannah always remained very opinionated from childhood into her teen years and as she became a young woman, she knew what she wanted and anything she put her mind to she could get it, and she would work hard to get there if it was something she wanted.

Hannah is survived by parents Joshua Levy (Hannah); mother Christina Beaman; grandparents Jim and Debbie Roach; Greg Levy (Lanying),  Denise Bowers (Paul); Brother James Welling; sister Ashton Smith; Brother Jayden Levy; step-sisters Aubrianna Glenn and Brilee Polley; aunts and uncles  Randy Levy,  Javan Levy (Stephanie), Stephanie Sprigler (James), Clinton Levy, Jennifer Smith, Jeremy Levy, Jessica  Williams, Jeffrey Bowers (Nickie), Joseph Bowers, Nathanial Levy, Jamie Roach (Dawn), Willie Roach (Amanda), and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A visitation was held at the United Baptist Presbyterian Church in Mount Ayr, Iowa on Friday, November 13, 2026 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm with a service beginning at 4:00 p.m. A reception was held after the services at the Ringgold Outdoor Alliance Building. Memorials are to the family. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr was in charge of the arrangements.   

For Your Health -- The Large and Growing Benefits of Being Smoke Free

By Dr. Graham A. Colditz

Siteman Cancer Center

It’s important to celebrate big accomplishments. And when it comes to our health, the drop in U.S. smoking rates over the last six decades is certainly one to cheer.

Over 8 million deaths have been avoided during that time as more and more Americans have kicked the habit or not picked it up, translating to more than 150 million years being added to people’s lives.

These are amazing numbers. But they’re also numbers that we can keep building on. Around 1 in 10 American adults still smoke, and that continues to have a huge impact on individuals, families and our nation. It leads to nearly half a million premature deaths each year, with over 16 million people in the U.S. having a smoking-related disease.

Lung cancer leads this list, which is probably no surprise. But smoking causes at least 15 other cancers as well. And it affects nearly all parts of the body, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, eye disease, arthritis, infertility and many other conditions.

Quitting smoking lowers the risk of nearly all of these, and the benefits start almost immediately after the last cigarette — and grow from there. Over time, the risk of many conditions equals that of someone who has never smoked. And it’s almost never too late to see gains. Quitting at age 65, for example, can add four or more years to someone’s life. And it’s not just more years — quitting at any age can improve overall quality of life. This means improved health and also benefits in other areas of daily life, like food tasting better or having more energy to play with our kids and grandkids.

There are great resources available for people who want to quit — or are just starting to think about it. While many are able to stop on their own, getting help can double the chances of success. Healthcare providers and local health departments are a good place to start. Free resources are also available at smokefree.gov and 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669), and include specific programs for teens, veterans and others.

Quitting isn’t easy — and it can take a number of attempts – but thousands of people are able to stop for good every day, and the rewards are truly worth the effort.

Supporting our friends or family members who are trying to quit can also be an important part of their success. This can be as simple as providing encouragement, helping them avoid situations that might trigger the urge to smoke, or helping them find information and resources about quitting.

We can also help our kids and grandkids lay a foundation for smoke-free lives by talking to them openly about the dangers of smoking and vaping — and modeling healthy behaviors for them by not smoking ourselves and keeping homes and cars smoke-free.

With the progress we’ve made against tobacco, it can be easy to shift our focus to other parts of health and wellness, especially with competing posts filling our news and social media feeds. But it’s important not to lose sight of the impact tobacco can have on the health of individuals and our nation. It remains the No. 1 cause of premature deaths in the U.S., and getting smoke-free or staying smoke-free is the single most important step most of us can take for our — and our families’ —well-being.

Dr. Graham A. Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine in St. Louis, is an internationally recognized leader in cancer prevention and the creator of the 8ightWays® to Prevent Cancer series.

Use Caution When Purchasing a Space Heater

By Jim Crawford, University Extension

With the first cold evenings signaling winter is approaching, I have received several inquiries about space heaters. It can be expensive to heat a home so many people are looking for ways to save a few dollars on their heating costs. One method is to turn down the thermostat and use space heaters to warm the room they are occupying. 

There are two general classes of space heaters: fuel-burning (kerosene or gas-fired) and electric.  Electric space heaters are a popular choice, in part because electricity costs are not predicted to fluctuate as quickly as other fuels. They also do not require the user to purchase or store flammable fuels.  

There are several types of electric space heaters. Convection heaters produce warm air. Some convection heaters have a metal element that glows red – like the element on your stove and can be a burn or fire hazard. Other convection heaters may look like a radiator and are filled with oil. These operate at low temperatures and do not get hot enough to cause burns or fire.

The other type of electric space heater, a radiant heater, mainly warms nearby objects. Radiant heaters have a quartz tube that gets hot and mainly produces infrared energy. This infrared energy heats walls, chairs, tables, and you which in turn heats the air.  

With the many types of electric space heaters available, one important reality that buyers should be aware of is heater efficiency. The process of converting electricity into heat is 100% efficient. This is true for both expensive and inexpensive heaters and is based on laws of physics. While there are advantages and disadvantages to various types of heaters, you should not be misled by claims of spectacular performance. An electric space heater operating at 1500 Watts will produce exactly 5119 BTU’s (a measure of heat) each hour. Period. 

The questions I most often hear are:

“Can this unit reduce my energy bill by half?” The short answer is probably not. A space heater does just that - it heats a space. If you stay in one room 90% of the time and use a space heater to supplement the heat in that room while you turn down the heat to the rest of the house, you may save some energy. An average, 1500-watt electric space heater produces 5119 BTUs per hour. The average home furnace produces about 100,000 BTUs per hour. To save 50% on your heating costs by using a space heater you would have to drastically turn down your primary heat source. You need to be careful how much you turn down the heat to the rest of the home as the result can be frozen pipes or excessive condensation forming on walls and ceilings.  

 “Can this model space heater produce more heat than other space heaters?” The answer is only if it uses more electricity. All electric space heaters, regardless of cost, operate at 100% efficiency.  Therefore, heaters with similar wattage ratings will produce the same amount of heat.

 “I saw an advertisement for a space heater using space age technology that will be more efficient and use less electricity.” How much more efficient can you get than 100%?? No matter what material you are using, you will get 3412 BTUs for every kilowatt hour of electricity used. If the heater contains a special oil or metal to hold the heat, the resulting heat will be released more slowly over a longer period of time than a heater with an exposed element. This slower discharge rate may enhance your comfort but you cannot get more heat energy out of a device than the amount of electricity put into it unless the device catches fire. This same medium that holds and releases the heat slowly also means that it will take longer to produce heat when first turned on.  

Regardless of the model, it is extremely important to follow manufacturer’s instructions for operation. Since electric space heaters consume a lot of energy, they should be used only on electrical circuits that do not have other major appliances (refrigerators, microwaves, etc.) connected to them.  If you regularly blow a fuse, or the circuit breaker trips when you use your space heater, try using another outlet. Most of the electric circuits supplying wall outlets in your home are rated at 1800 or 2400 watts. Therefore, an electric space heater operating at 1500 watts is using more than half the rated capacity of its circuit. Due to the large amount of current they pull, you should always try to avoid using an extension cord with a space heater. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it is rated for that size of load. NEVER use a light duty lamp cord or put an extension cord under a rug as these will pose a fire hazard.