Community Calendar for April 8th, 2026

Community Calendar items are free of charge. To submit, email us at express@grm.net. All events are subject to change or last-minute cancelation.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Mondays (except holidays) – Worth County Commissioners meet at 9 am.

Fridays – Bedford Jam, United Christian Presbyterian Church, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Snacks and drinks available. Walk-ons are welcome. For information, call (712) 523-2282.

REGULAR ANNOUNCEMENTS

April 1^st to 6^th – No school at NEN. Spring Break.

April 1^st – Early dismissal at North Nodaway, Spring Break. No school at North Nodaway from April 2^nd through 6^th.

April 2^nd – Early dismissal at Worth County. No school at Worth County from April 3^rd through 6^th. Easter Break.

April 2^nd – Michael Orr, an educator with 30 years of experience in the classroom and administration, will discuss “Establishing a Foundation in a New Classroom” at the J.W. Jones Student Union Boardroom at 7 pm. Free and open to the public. He serves as the principal of Longview Farm Elementary School in Lee’s Summit and played football under legendary Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder.

April 3^rd – Redding UMC Good Friday Bake Sale, Ringgold County Courthouse Lobby, 7:45 am.

April 4^th – Gilman City Dodge Ball Tournament, Gilman City School. Free will donation biscuits & gravy breakfast at 8:00 am. Dodgeball tournament 9:00 am. Eight person teams; $80 per team. Admission $3. Sponsored by the Gilman City Track Teams. A raffle will be held during the dodgeball tournament. There will be a $200 grand prize and two $100 winners. Cost is one ticket for $10 and three for $20. A pie auction and sports drink drive will be held following the tournament. Bring a pack of sports drinks and receive an entry for a gift basket worth over $100. There will be two silent auction baskets as well.

April 4^th – The Worth County Clerk’s office will be open from 8:30 am to 12 noon for absentee voters. Bring Voter ID.

April 4^th – Easter Egg Hunt, Hopkins Park, 2:00 pm. Sponsored by the Hopkins Community Club.

April 4^th – Redding Easter Egg Hunt, Frontier Hall and Redding Park, 2:00 pm. For ages 12 and under.

April 4^th – Sheridan Christian Church Easter Story and Candy Hunt in Sheridan Park at 5:00 pm. Meal at 5:30 pm and special Easter Eve service at 6:30 pm.

April 4^th – Adult Easter Egg Contest at the Back 40 in Sheridan, 6:00 pm. Pick up map at the tavern. Prizes, gift certificates, tokens, and candy.

April 6^th – 102 DoNation meeting, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Christian Church. All are welcome. 

April 7^th – Municipal Election Day. Polls open at 6 am and close at 7 pm. Bring Voter ID.

April 7^th – North Nodaway Middle School Dance, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Pizza and pop will be provided by the North Nodaway Middle School Student Council. For North Nodaway students grades 6 through 8.

April 8^th – Darrin Adwell memorial blood drive, Northeast Nodaway School, 2 pm. The goal is to collect 36 units of blood. Darrin Adwell donated 36 units of blood during his lifetime.

April 8^th – Touch a Truck event, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm, North Nodaway Elementary Parking Lot, Pickering. Volunteers with vehicles are needed for this event. Vehicles can include tractors, farm vehicles, derby cars, cars, trucks, and ATV’s. If interested, contact the school. Vehicles need to arrive at the Elementary Parking Lot by 5:15 pm.

April 9^th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

April 9^th – Public Hearing for proposed bridge replacement project on Route 69 north of Eagleville at Zadie Branch. It will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Eagleville Community Center. Free and open to the public.

April 10^th – Pot Luck, Worth County Senior Center, 12 noon. Free will donation.

April 10^th – Jammin’ for Jesus, 7 pm, Ravenwood Christian Church. Contemporary praise songs, devotion, and snacks.

April 12^th – Fish Fry, Pickering Community Building, 11 am to 1 pm.

April 15^th – OATS Bus, Worth County to Maryville. Bus leaves the Senior Center at 9:00 am and returns around 2:30 pm. To make arrangements, call (816) 279-3131 or sign up at the Senior Center. Cost $2 each way or $4 roundtrip.

April 15^th – Worth County Suicide Prevention Coalition meeting, Worth County Fairgrounds Building, 5 pm.

April 15^th – North Harrison School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm.

April 15^th --- Worth County School Board Meeting, 6:00 pm.

April 16^th  and 17^th – Registration and screenings for Pre-K and Kindergarten at Worth County.

April 17^th to 18^th – Mammothon 2026, Mosaic Medical Center, Albany. Breast cancer screening. April 17^th from 8 am to 8 pm. April 18^th from 8 am to noon. Appointment required. Financial help available.

April 18^th – Worth County Cleanup Day. Dumpsters available at the Grant City Barn and the Sheridan Schoolhouse from 8 am to 12 noon.

April 18^th – Trade Days, Cainsville.

April 18^th – Spring Craft & Vendor Fair, 1407 N. Country Club Road #200, Maryville, 9 am to 2 pm.

April 18^th – The Blockton Booster Club will have their Fish Fry on Saturday, April 18^th, 2026. Serving starts at 5:30 pm at the Blockton Community Hall.

April 19^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. $10 minimum donation per person. Proceeds to fund scholarships.

April 20^th – Blood Drive, Worth County School, 12 noon to 4 pm. Sponsored by the Worth County FCCLA.

April 22^nd – Hopkins Historical Society cleanup day, 9:00 am.

April 22^nd – Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation 20^th Anniversary Celebration, Mozingo Event Center, 6 pm. Keynote Speaker: Ernesto Sirolli.

April 23^rd – Three-time US gold medalist Aly Raisman will visit Northwest. She will give lectures at 10 am and 7 pm at Bearcat Arena. Free and open to the public; tickets must be reserved by visiting the Northwest website.

April 23^rd -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

April 26^th – Ravenwood Community Breakfast, 8 am to 12 noon.

April 26^th – Hopkins Beef & Noodle Dinner, 11 am to 1 pm.

April 28^th – Blood Drive, 2 pm to 6 pm, North Harrison School Cafeteria. Sponsored by the North Harrison FBLA.

May 2^nd – Free composting class, Hundley Whaley Center, Albany, 10:30 am to 12 noon. Sponsored by the Northwest Solid Waste District.

May 9^th – Free composting class, Northwest Missouri State, Dean Hubbard Center for Innovation Room 1202, 10:30 am to 12 noon. Sponsored by the Northwest Solid Waste District.

May 9^th – Downtown Maryville Spring into Fun, 12 noon to 5 pm. Main Street from 2^nd to 5^th Street, Market Street from 2^nd to 5^th Street, 3^rd Street from Vine to Buchanan, and 4^th Street from Vine to Buchanan will be closed from 9:30 am to 7 pm.

May 15^th to 17^th – Turkey Run Flea Market and Swap Meet. 33982 State Highway NN, Hopkins. May 15^th from 12 noon to 8 pm. May 16^th from 8 am to 8 pm. May 17^th from 9 am to 3 pm. Vendor space $15 by May 8^th, $20 afterwards. Electric hookups are $25 by May 8^th, $30 afterwards. Camper hookup $45 by May 8^th, $50 afterwards. Set up May 14^th after 6 pm or Friday after 8 am. For more information, call Adam Emery (660) 541-2984 or Sarah Emery (660) 853-0141.

May 19^th – Law Enforcement Run for Special Olympics. The run portion starts on the west side of the Nodaway County Courthouse Square at 8:45 am and concludes at 10:00 am at the South Paws Veterinary Clinic parking lot. The walk portion starts at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park.

May 23rd – North Nodaway R-VI Alumni Banquet will be held Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the North Nodaway High School gymnasium. The banquet will honor the Class of 1976 on its 50-year reunion and celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States. Cost is $17 per person plus $2 alumni dues. Reservations and payment are due by May 14. For reservations contact Teresa DeMott (660-582-1086), Sue Florea (660-541-4108), or Joyce Hennegin (660-927-3682), or mail reservations and payment to Elaine Holste, P.O. Box 213, Hopkins, MO 64461 (660-562-7867). When reserving, please provide your graduation name (and current name), graduation year, mailing address, phone number, and email address.

May 30^th – Missouri Eight Man Football All-Star Game, 11 am, Missouri Western State University.

May 30^th – Mud run at Clyde. Registration 10:00 am. Mud run starts 1 pm. Entry: $20 per class. Admission: $10. Kids 6-12 $5. Kids 5 and under free. Proceeds to the Ryan Pappert Memorial Scholarship. Sponsored by Midwest Mud Boggers.

June 1^st to 5^th – Worth County Partnership Library Summer Reading Camp, 9 am each morning. The theme is, “Red, White, and Read.” For grades PK through 6^th grade.

June 5^th to 6^th – Resound Fest, Miracle Hills Ranch, three miles south of Bethany. Free admission, community worship, and onsite camping.

June 12^th – Adam Swanson in concert at Clarinda High School, 1 pm. He is a four-time World Champion Ragtime Piano Player. Tickets are $40 and available at the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society & Museum.

June 13^th – Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in concert at Clarinda High School, 5 pm. Sponsored by the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society & Museum.

June 20^th – Mike Henggeler Father’s Day Memorial Baseball Tournament, Stanberry ball fields, 8 am. Entry $150 per team; limit six teams for two divisions. First division – ages 9U to 12U. Second division – ages 13U to 16U. $150 per team. To enter, contact titletownevents@gmail.com. All proceeds will be donated directly to the Henggeler family.

June 21^st -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to the Heart of America Tractor Club.

June 27^th – Albany Rhythm & Roots Festival, 5 pm.

July 19^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Post 464 veterans programs.

August 2^nd to 6^th – American Junior Golf Association Junior Golf Tournament, Mozingo Lake. A 54-hole championship for ages 12-19.

August 2^nd – Jerry Litton Legacy of Dreams. A special event being planned in Chillicothe at the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center, 10780 Livingston County Road 235 in memory of the late congressman, who died in a plane crash 50 years ago. Free and open to the public. Doors open at 2:00 pm.

August 16^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Cameron Veterans Home.

September 3^rd to 7^th – Northwest Missouri State Fair, Bethany.

September 20^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Sons of the American Legion Post 464.

October 13^th – Hopkins Historical Society Fall Meeting, 7:00 pm.

October 18^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Post 464 membership.

November 15^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Ladies Auxiliary Unit 464.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God’s Squad on Running the Race at Sheridan Christian Church

Unionville-based singing group God’s Squad performed Sunday evening at Sheridan Christian Church, teaching a lesson on running the race. It consists of sixteen performers, all from ages 12 to 18.

The play consists of a group of athletes who sign up to run the race after accepting Jesus as their savior. Entry is free, but there is a catch — they have to leave their baggage behind. One who didn’t found out the hard way that he couldn’t go on and had to leave it behind.

Other rules are simple — they had to periodically drink water at the stations provided, and they had to follow the compass. Various scenes depicted what happened to people who didn’t. One girl was exhausted because she had not been drinking the water provided.

Throughout the race, there were unscrupulous people who tempted the athletes to make bad choices. One tempted them to stray off the path. Another tempted them to stay a while and play cards instead of running the race. Of course, one game easily turned into many. Another person tempted them to despair because she had seen it all and there was nothing new under the sun.

There were no winners or losers in the race, because the goal was to finish the race and overcome all the different temptations and obstacles thrown in the way.

 

 

Shamrock Boys Fourth at Worth County Meet

North Harrison’s boys were fourth at the Worth County Early Bird Track Meet Thursday.

Wyatt Maize won the 100 with a time of 11.39. Lane Graham was third in the 200 with a time of 23.85.

The 4x200 team of Tate Richardson, Landon Johnson, Kyler Kimbrough, and Lane Graham won with a time of 1:42.62.

Landon Johnson was sixth in the High Jump with a height of 1.75 meters. Wytt Maize was second in the Long Jump with a jump of 6.11 meters. Lane Graham was fourth with a jump of 5.83. Wyatt Maize won his second event in the Triple Jump with a jump of 12.78 meters.

For the girls, Hali Smith was third in the 100 Hurdles with a time of 19.42. Smith was second in the Long Jump with a jump of 4.42 meters.

 

Detective Kendra is On the Case at North Nodaway School Play

Sinclair Hemmings (Sadie Clapp) was an overbearing play director who everybody wanted dead. Except that nobody wanted to do the deed and get thrown away into the slammer for life at the North Nodaway School play last weekend. Until someone opened the closet and discovered Hemmings dead.

Hemmings had dreams of grandeur and kept wanting to take liberties with playwright Jason Greene (Gannon Volner) production, which led the normally mild-mannered Greene to mumble threats against Hemings.

Like most theaters, even this one that had no competitors within 50 miles, this one was on life support financially, propped up by the generosity of Constance (Monica Castillo), who used her connections to get Carl (Pyper Smith) the custodian’s job. Except, is there more to it than meets the eye with Carl?

As more and more details slip out about Hemmings’ life, we see just how much hated he was. He was constantly pulling things on his people like forcing the whole cast to start from page 1 all over again after they were well into rehearsals.

As the stories came out, more and more people became suspects, and Dame MaGraff (Tequilla Miller), the local critic, had a theory that it was really the audience who killed Sinclair Hemings because his play just wasn’t good enough for people.

At one point, it even turned into a parallel universe with Charlie Brown (Lena Richards) making a guest appearance as well as certain other members of the Peanuts gang.

Also in the play were Casey Wray, Draven Rader, Trynzlee Ebrecht, Aryianna Jimenez, Savannah Rucker, Jackie Wray, Taccoa Moyer, and Laney Turner. Jaycie Edington and Journi Farnsworth handled the lights and sound.

 

Tiger Boys Third at First Home Meet

Worth County’s boys were third at the Early Bird Thursday.

Dylan Smith got a personal best in the 100 with a time of 12.31. Lucas Frisch was second in the 100 Hurdles with a time of 15.39. He won the 300 Hurdles with a time of 43.56.

The 4x100 team of Andrew Griffin, Wyatt Hill, Dylan Smith, and Bo Collins was second with a time of 47.91.

Andrew Griffin came close to a personal best in the High Jump and finished tied for fourth with a height of 1.75 meters. Dylan Smith was third in the Long Jump with a jump of 12.68 meters. Bo Collins was second in the Shot Put with a throw of 12.98 meters. Collins was sixth in the Discus with a throw of 34.57 meters. Lucas Frisch was second in the Javelin with a throw of 40.70 meters.

For the girls, Megan Tracy was fifth in the Long Jump with a jump of 4.19 meters. Audrey Runde was fourth in the Discus with a throw of 26.92 meters. Runde was third in the Javelin with a throw of 31 meters.

 

Lady Hawks Tie for Fourth at Worth County

Gilman City’s Lady Hawks picked up right where they left off in basketball and tied for fourth at the Worth County Early Bird Meet Thursday.

Tenley Griffith did not place in the 100, but she got a personal best with a time of 14.22. Khloey Sperry was third in the 200 with a time of 28.81. Tenley Griffith got eighth with a personal best time of 30.51. Khloey Sperry was third in the 400 with a time of 1:06.89.

The Hawks finished 1-3 in the 800. Avery Gregg ran away with the event with a time of 2:43.32. Paisley Taggart was third with a time of 3:07.01. Avery Gregg ran away with the 1600 with a time of 6:08.10, almost 21 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. Paisley Taggart was fourth with a time of 6:38.47. Hailey McClure was third in the 3200. Alli Burke got a personal best in the 300 Hurdles with a time of 1:01.48.

The 4x400 team of Alli Burke, Paisley Taggart, Hailey McClure, and Tenley Griffith was fifth with a time of 5:05.70.

Khloey Sperry beat the winds and returning state champion Annabelle Gardner (Pattonsburg), winning the High Jump with a personal best 1.65 meters. Gardner was second with a height of 1.55. Tenley Griffith got a personal best in the Long Jump with a jump of 3.97 meters. Khloey Sperry was fourth in the Javelin with a throw of 28.90 meters.

For the boys, Camden Griffith was third in the 100 with a personal best time of 11.51. Griffith got another personal best in the 200 with a time of 23.41. Griffith was second in the 400 with a time of 53.97. Mason Preston got a personal best in the Long Jump with a jump of 5.21 meters, jumping into the wind. Jace Estrada was fourth in the Shot Put with a personal best throw of 12.84 meters.

At Princeton on Friday, Avery Gregg knocked six seconds off her time in the 800 and won with a time of 2:37.15, beating her closest pursuer by 17.5 seconds. Hailey McClure was third with a time of 2:55.5 and Paisley Taggart was fourth with a time of 3:03. The Hawks were 1-2 in the 100 Hurdles with Khloey Sperry winning with a time of 20.54 and Alli Burke second with a time of 21.10. The 4x100 won with a time of 57.50. The 4x200 was second with a time of 1:59.18.

Pyper Taggart was fourth in the Shot Put with a throw of 8.23 meters. Taggart was fourth in the Discus with a throw of 20.34 meters. Khloey Sperry won the Javelin with a personal best throw of 30.2 meters. She also won the High Jump with a height of 1.6 meters.

Tenley Griffith raised her distance in the Long Jump with a third place leap of 4.21 meters. Paisley Taggart was fifth in the Triple Jump with a jump of 8.2 meters, a personal best.

Jordan Dannar Gets Three Hits in Second Bluejay Win

Northeast Nodaway got its second win of the year, a 13-5 win over DeKalb Monday. It was not an easy path as they got off to a slow start again, falling behind 4-2 in the second. But they scored three in the third and two in the fourth before DeKalb cut it to 7-5. The score remained there until the seventh inning, when Northeast scored six runs to break open the game.

Jordan Dannar had the kind of game that Yo Tingpalpong would have been proud to have. Yo, who played on Worth County’s senior league team in 1988, had a six-game streak in which he was not retired. He didn’t make an error in center field all year, sneaked in from center to pick off two runners at second, and stole second and third at will.

In Monday’s game, Dannar, who also plays center field, had three hits, two walks, and five stolen bases to lead the Bluejays. He had a catch in center field.

Brock Healy came on in relief of Liam Cordell in the fourth inning. Cordell got the win and Healy got his second save of the year, pitching the last three innings to get it. He picked a runner off first while pitching and cut down a runner at the plate while he was playing shortstop.

Area Courthouse, Police, and Crime Reports for April 1st, 2026

Correction — The lawsuits between former clerks Teddy Phipps and Krystal Judd-Bowen  and the City of Hopkins were settled out of court. The Sheridan Express apologizes for the error.

On March 23rd, Worth County Associate Circuit Judge Joel Miller granted the dissolution of the marriage of Darbi Morin and Jed Morin. Darbi’s maiden name of Darbi Lynn Weddle was restored.

On March 23rd, Nodaway County Circuit Judge Corey Herron revoked the probation of Michael Siler (50) of St. Joseph and sentenced him to three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The defendant had been found guilty of Driving While Revoked (Felony).

On March 25th, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that a Gilman City driver was seriously injured after their Silverado pickup failed to negotiate a curve on 150th Avenue three miles south of New Hampton and overturned.

On March 26th, Neil Nowakowski (41) of Thayer (IA) was arrested in Harrison County on a Decatur County Warrant for Violation of Protection Order. Bond was denied.

On March 26th, Judge Daren Adkins issued a warrant for the arrest of Lawrence Fitzgerald (30) of St. Louis following receipt of a violation report. Bond was denied.

On March 26th, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Kenneth Turner (41) of Quitman alleging Delivery of Controlled Substance (Felony). Bond was denied.

On March 29th, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that a 15 year old Pattonsburg teen was seriously injured and lifeflighted to Children’s Mercy Hospital following an ATV wreck in which one ATV struck another on Route PP one and a half miles west of Pattonsburg.

On March 29th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Ronald Pierce (66) of Osborn alleging Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony), No Valid License (Felony), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Improper Display of Plates. Bond was denied.

On March 30th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Jimmy Stanhope (42) of Gallatin alleging DWI and Careless & Imprudent Driving. Bond was set at $10,000, cash only.  Defendant must wear Scram monitoring device.

On March 30th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Michael Updegraff (44) of Bethany alleging Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $20,000, cash only. Defendant must wear drug patch.

On March 30th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Falconer Leslie (48) of Richmond alleging two counts Domestic Assault (Felony), Harassment (Felony), and Resisting Arrest. Bond was denied.

On March 30th, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Christopher Nelson (37) of King City alleging Leaving the Scene (Felony), Careless & Imprudent Driving, Failure to Register, and No Seat Belt. Bond was set at $5,000, cash only.

On March 30th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against William Hatfield (34) of Gilman City alleging Driving While Revoked (Felony) and Careless & Imprudent Driving (Accident). Bond was set at $2,500, cash only.

On March 30th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Tayton Berendes (25) of Bethany alleging  two counts No Valid License (Felony). Bond was set at $2,500, cash only.

Charges listed are merely allegations. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

 

Gary James 1944-2026

Gary Ellis James was born on December 27, 1944, in Denver, Colorado to Carl and Madeline (Lambert) James. He passed away at the age of 81 on March 28, 2026 at his home in Sheridan, MO surrounded by family.

Gary graduated from Sheridan High School in 1962. He then attended Northwest Missouri State College. He was employed by MFA Agri-Service for 40 years, retiring on November 15, 2006.

Gary was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Vetra Kay Goff, on January 5, 1966. To this union, two children were born, Troy James and Julie (James) Ragan.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Mary Caldwell, brother-in-law, Richard Caldwell, and brother and sister-in-law, Kenny and Ruby Goff.

Gary is survived by his wife of 60 years, Vetra, son, Troy (Brandy) James, Stanberry, MO and daughter, Julie (Troy) Ragan, Grant City, MO. Grandchildren, Akaysha (Ben) Diekmann, Fulton, MO, Zach Ragan, Maryville, MO, and Aubrey Ragan (Josh Hughes), Auxvasse, MO. Step-grandchildren, Morgan (Gerry) O’Grady, Sheridan, MO, Keltan Munns, Maryville, MO, and Aeriell Munns, Stanberry, MO. Great grandchildren, Ragan Diekmann, Maylie Hughes and soon to arrive Cameron Ellis Diekmann. Step-great grandchildren, Maverick, Joseph and Lillyan Faye O’Grady and Liam Bruce. Nephew, Greg (Lisa) Caldwell, Columbia, MO.

His body has been cremated under the care of Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home, Grant City, MO. At his request, there will be no funeral service. The family will hold a private inurnment at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mosaic Life Care Hospice, 5506 Corporate Drive, Suite 1600, St. Joseph, MO 64507.

 

Evelyn Groom 1930-2026

Evelyn Joy (Brown) Groom, 95, Grant City, Missouri, passed to her heavenly home on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the Worth County Convalescent Center, in Grant City.

Evelyn was born on August 19, 1930 in a farmhouse three miles north of Allendale, Missouri near Lotts Grove.  It was owned by her grandfather Aaron Edward Brown.  She was the daughter of Dale (Thrasher) Brown and Wesley Weldon Brown, the oldest of eight children.  The others were Ellen Jean, Elva Jewel, Donald Wesley, Betty Kay, twins Marilyn Dale and Madelyn Dean, and Rhonda Sue.

Evelyn helped her mother take care of her younger siblings, the housework, gardening, cooking and sewing.

Evelyn attended Eureka School north of Allendale with Eunice Dawson as her teacher and the McKeano School with Jesse Blake as her teacher through the 8th grade.  After graduating from high school in May of 1948 as the class Valedictorian, she prepared for her career in teaching.  Evelyn took a test at the County Superintendent’s office then attended eight weeks of summer school at Northwest Missouri State University.

Her first teaching assignment was a one room country school at Center East near Allendale, Missouri.  This included a salary of $125 per month.   Evelyn went on to teach elementary school in Worth County school system for 41 ½ years retiring in May of 1992, having taught more than 800 students.  Evelyn said one of the biggest changes she had in teaching was when coming to Worth County School, going from a one-room school teaching many different grades to just one grade.  She said it became a lot easier when she only had to prepare one lesson plan compared to lesson plans for several grade levels.

While still living with her grandpa, a young man named Gene Groom came to the house to see her.

They began dating and were later married on May 23, 1954 by Lewis Clark at the Darlington Baptist Church.  To this union two children were born Michael Kevin and Lisa Michelle.

After retiring from Worth County in 1992, Evelyn moved to Nixa, Missouri in 1996 where she found a tight-knit congregation at Ozark Baptist Church, six miles east of Nixa.  While at Nixa she joined the Christian County Teachers Association, where she was the historian and photographer.  She also served as the homeowners’ association as president of her subdivision.

Any place Evelyn lived wanted to have a garden, fruit trees and flowers.  Evelyn was truly blessed with a green thumb being able to grow almost anything. Her subdivision in Nixa was the only one that had a garden spot, which amazed all the other residents.  They all watched closely as to what she would raise.  She truly enjoyed sharing with the neighbors all her crops and flowers that she grew. 

Evelyn loved outings going any and everywhere.  She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave the annual Allendale  4th  July Breakfast.  She was the true definition of a “social butterfly” Evelyn said the way to live longer is to think positive. She always hoped for many years to help people and live for as long as she could be of use to others. 

Preceding her in death were her husband Raymond Eugene Groom, age 53 (Jan. 21, 1975), mother Dale (Thrasher) Brown, father Wesley Weldon Brown, son-in-law David Perry, age 65 (Jan. 13, 2023), brother Donald Wesley Brown and a sister Ellen Jean Rinehart, brothers-in-law  Jim Marcum, Kenny Smith, Wayne Brooke and Roy Lee Rinehart and sister-in-law Carleta Foreman.

Her survivors include her children, son Michael Kevin (Kay Manthe) Groom, Galesburg, Illinois, and daughter Lisa Michelle Perry, Grant City, Missouri, Sisters, Elva Jewell Marcum, Loveland, New Mexico, Betty Kay Smith, Allendale, Missouri, Marilyn Dale (Dan) Maudlin, West Burlington, Iowa, Madelyn Dean Brooke, Raytown, Missouri, Rhonda Sue Moore, Belton, Missouri, Grandchildren Brandon Taylor Groom, St. James, Missouri, Cassandra Monae` (Rafael) Geronimo, Ames, Iowa, nieces and nephews.  Evelyn also had a host of other friends and former students of which she loved to reminisce of days gone by.

Funeral services will be held at 11 AM, Thursday, April 2, 2026 at the Hann Funeral Home, Grant City, Missouri, where family visitation will be held from 9:00-10:30 AM prior to the services.

Burial will be in the Kirk Cemetery, Allendale, Missouri.

Memorial: Mission Possible Food Pantry, Grant City, Missouri

Arrangements: Hann Funeral Home, Grant City 

Sandra (Spillman) Remington 1938-2026

 Sandra C. (Spillman) Remington, 87, St. Joseph, MO passed away Monday, March 23, 2026, at Corby Place Senior Living, St. Joseph, MO.

She was born on September 20, 1938, on the family farm east of Denver, MO to Garnard D and H Dewene (Smith) Spillman. She spent eight years at the Pebble Ridge one room schoolhouse and was a 1956 graduate of Grant City High School.

Sandra worked for Stanberry Manufacturing and Old American Insurance Company. She later married Marvin Remington and moved to the Denver, CO area. A few years later she moved back to St. Joseph and worked for Johnson Controls until her retirement in 1996.

Sandra is survived by her brother, Carroll L “Carl” (Betty) Spillman, St. Joseph, MO; niece, Traci Spillman, Darlington, MO; nephew, Mark Spillman, Savannah, MO; and great nephew, Brandon (Aubrey) Raines, St. Joseph, MO.

Graveside Services and Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 30 in Kidwell Cemetery, Martinsville, MO under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. There is no scheduled family visitation. Memorials may be made to the Kidwell Cemetery in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.

 

Sharon Kennedy 1942-2026

Sharon (Force, Hembry) Kennedy, was born at home on May 26, 1942, in rural Worth County, Missouri, in the Fletchall Township to Clifford & Cleta Force. She passed away at age 83 on March 26, 2026, in Bentonville, Arkansas, with her sons at her side.

She was preceded in death by her parents Clifford and Cleta Force; her husband, Larry; her second child, Kerri; her brother-in-law John Essex; and her second husband Roy Kennedy.

She is lovingly remembered by her children, daughter, Sherri Wheeler of Mayflower, Arkansas; son, LJ Hembry of Bentonville, Arkansas; son, Barry Hembry of Kamiah, Idaho; sister and niece, Glenys Essex and Sara Essex of Independence, Missouri; brother, Alan Force of Mount Ayr; 13 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, with three more on the way; 2 great-great grandchildren, and the rest of her family.

Sharon met Larry at the Baptist church in Mount Ayr. She sang in the choir, and his siblings teased him about the cute girl in the choir, telling him he should ask her out on a date. They married on June 4th, 1960. Larry pastored several small churches in southern Iowa. Sharon worked a few office jobs as they moved around, and she played piano for church and for their gospel singing group, New Dawn Gospel Singers. The family moved to Bentonville, Arkansas in 1988. Sharon started work at the Wal-Mart Home Office, retiring after about 20 years. Larry passed in 1993.

Sharon spent the last 7 1/2 years at Gardens at Osage Terrace in Bentonville, where she enjoyed playing cards, taking walks, and joining in lively games of Bingo. She had a servant’s heart and a deep love for her family, which she expressed in countless ways—especially through the hand-knit blankets she lovingly made for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She was a keeper of memories, carefully preserving the lives of those she cherished through beautifully detailed scrapbooks. Each page held moments of her children’s and grandchildren’s lives, complete with handwritten notes, dates, and loving reflections. She found great joy in revisiting these memories, recalling birthdays, milestones, and the many blessings of her family.

While Sharon deeply loved her family, what she held above all else was her relationship with Jesus Christ. Her faith was the foundation of her life. She prayed faithfully for each member of her family and continually gave thanks to God for them.

Sharon’s face would light up at the sound of her grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s voices, whether in person or over the phone. She leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and devotion that will be treasured by all who knew her.