Wayne Jackson Houston, age 93, resident of Richards, MO, died Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at Medicalodge of Fort Scott, KS.

He was born on September 7, 1928, in Bagnall Dam, MO, the son of Andrew Jackson and Ida Mae Houston. He graduated from Richards, MO high school.

He served in the U. S. Army.

Wayne worked his entire life on the farm. He loved his tractors. In fact, he was still operating tractors up until a year ago.

Wayne worked for several years in groundskeeping for Fort Scott Community College until retirement.

He married Lois Darlene Cooper on July 20, 1981, in Fort Scott. She preceded him in death on May 20, 2017.

He enjoyed fishing and hunting through the years.

He was a member of the Unity Lodge #495 Richards, MO, and the Community of Christ Church in Fort Scott.

Survivors include two sons, Tim Ater and wife Pam, Nevada, MO, and Gregory D. Houston and wife Linda, Richards, MO; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides his wife Lois, he was preceded in death by two sons, Gary Houston, and Ron Ater; a brother, Willard Houston; a sister, Lois Cooper; and his parents.

Services will be held at 10:00 AM Tuesday, October 12th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Monday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to either Care to Share or Community of Christ Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Jean Ellen Hanley, age 75, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Monday September 27, 2021, at the Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO. She was born November 6, 1945, in Walnut, KS, the daughter of Anna Hanley.

Jean loved people and let them know it.  She was always saying hello, asking for a picture, wanting a hug or calling you a pretty woman or good-looking guy. 

She was Tri-Valley’s own version of Groundhog Day, asking the same questions every day when arriving to the service center.  Letting staff know to tell their husband, children, parents hello and love you and asking how they were doing. 

Jean got upset and would say what does hurry mean, if you reminded her that she needed to get going, she was due to be somewhere. 

Jean enjoyed attending Community Christian Church.  She often talked about the people there, especially Donna. 

Jean loved to clean at home and at work.  She would get mad if it was someone else’s night to do the dishes.  Jean was one of the best window washers around and would try to take out the trash even if she wasn’t scheduled.  She loved going to Special Olympics with her friends and coming back to show off her ribbons.  Halloween was one of her favorite holidays and Jean dressed up every year.

Jean lived with various roommates over the years and always got along with everyone.  She liked to go on outings and help with grocery shopping. 

During the colder months, Jean was easy to spot in her shiny, pink ladies’ jacket.  Jean loved having her fingernails painted.  She would ask various Staff “what is your favorite color?” when trying to decide what color she wanted that week when going to the salon.  Usually, Jean came back with nails matching the outfit she had on.

  She always loved to watch the Brady Bunch every day.

Jean would call herself Mean Jean, staff would add Jellybean, since she didn’t have a mean bone in her body.  She brightened the day for everyone blessed to know her.

Rev. Dusty Drake will conduct services at 10:00 AM Wednesday, October 6^th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to Friends of Tri-Valley and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Keaira Monae Meadows, age 23, passed away Friday, September 24, 2021, in Springfield, MO, where she resided the past year and a half.

She was a beautiful, loving, caring, always smiling young lady who left this world too soon.

She graduated from Fort Scott High School with the class of 2016. She was active in volleyball, basketball, softball, track, and was a member of the dance team. She was also a member of the FSCC dance team for 1 year. Keaira LOVED to dance!

She participated on a traveling softball team during the summer which she absolutely loved doing.

To her family, she was Keke, but to her friends, she was Kewe, like the fruit. She got this name from her friends who were playing a game where you had to think of a fruit that began with the first letter of your first name. Kiwi was mentioned and that name stuck forever.

She loved turtles, cheetah print and the color lime green. Her dogs were her pride and joy. Winston “Winnie” and Raji Bear were her babies that will never be separated.

She enjoyed her jobs at G & W Foods in Fort Scott, KS, and Food 4 Less in Joplin, MO, where she made many friends and enjoyed the customers. Keaira was currently employed at a Medical Dispensary in Springfield, MO.

She was born October 27, 1997, in Nevada, MO, to Kenny Meadows and Tonya Morton.

Keaira is survived by her mother, Tonya Morton and special friend David Brown and her father Kenny (Ariane) Meadows; five brothers, Phillip Smith, Kenny Jr. (Porcha), Kenan, Caleb, and Chance Meadows; maternal grandmother, Katheryn Kelley; paternal grandparents Russell Sr. and Juanita Green; nieces Jade Smith, and Nycari Meadows; nephews Anthony and Xavier Smith, and Kenny Meadows III; aunts and uncles Latisha (Michael) Cook, Benjamin (Kristi) Kelley, Anthony (Jennifer) Kelly, Ramone (Audrey) Green, and Russell Green Jr.; cousins Rayven Fisher, Jalen, Kaden, and Jeradan Kelley, Darian (Kelly), Danica, Daityn, and Delaine Kelly, Ramone Jr., Rashad, Riley, Renee, Amyah, Makayla, Maleah, MaKenna, Russell III, Ryder, Rasean, and Ramello Green.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, October 2nd, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Cremation will follow.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Friday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to Mental Health America and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Jean Ellen Hanley, age 75, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Monday, September 27, 2021, at the Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO.  Services for Jean Hanley will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main.

Norma Jean Cowan, 89, of Nevada, Missouri and formerly of Devon, passed away late Tuesday evening, September 21, 2021, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. She was born May 30, 1932, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Archie Jesse and Irma E. (Shoemaker) Riggs. She married Billy Joe Cowan on August 12, 1951, in Devon, Kansas, and he survives of the home.

Norma worked as a secretary and bookkeeper, for National Land Bank in Fort Scott, as well as The Western Insurance Company.

Together, Norma and Bill and the family,owned and operated the Devon Oil Co., from 1954 through 1972. They made their home in  Devon, Kansas from 1954 until 1998, then moved to Nevada, Missouri. Norma was a member of the Nevada United Methodist Church.

In addition to her husband Bill, Norma is also survived by her children, Diana S. Cowan of Beaufort, North Carolina, and Phillip Alan Cowan and wife Lisa of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two grandchildren, Zachary Cowan and Seth Cowan, and one great-grandchild.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Gerald Riggs, and Harold “Bud” Riggs; sister, Wanda Higgins, and step-grandson, Daniel Mace.

Rev. Sharon Freeman will conduct funeral services at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Burial will follow in the Centerville Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Nevada United Methodist Church and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

James Eldon “Jim” Hoover, 60, of Joplin, Missouri, passed away September 20, 2021, at his home. He was born October 19, 1960, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Eldon Lee and Forestine Rosetta (Miller) Hoover.

Jim served in the US Army and was a Respiratory Therapist. He loved riding his Victory motorcycle.

Jim is survived by his children, Jeremy Hoover, Fort Scott, John Hoover, and Erica Hoover, both of Miami, Oklahoma; four sisters, Denise Imel (Chuck) of Tampa, Florida, Teresa Maki of Alma, Missouri, Linda Prior (Ian) of Tampa, Florida, and Sandra Fagan (Ed) of Honolulu, Hawaii; thirteen grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Cheryl Ann Hoover; a brother-in-law, John Maki; a son, Gabe Hoover, and a grandson, Canaan Hoover.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at the Fort Scott National Cemetery under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

The family will receive friends Monday evening, September 27, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Military Honors will be presented by the Kansas National Guard Military Honors Funeral Detail.

Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.