Clifton Dale Sexton, age 79, of Uniontown, Kansas passed peacefully into the arms of his Savior on Friday, March 4, 2022, with family in attendance, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas after a brief illness.

He was born June 28, 1942 in Wild Cherry, Arkansas. The youngest of three boys, they grew up in the White River country of Arkansas farming the land. As times grew hard in the region they moved to Overland Park, Kansas where Cliff finished his high school education.

As Cliff grew up, he married and had four children. He worked with his father and brother in concrete construction and service station work during his younger years. Then a yearning for his roots took hold and his profession took him to a variety of places working as a ranch hand and honing his skills as a professional trap shooter. He is a two-time All American Trap shooter and is enshrined in the Kansas Trap shooter Hall of Fame in Wichita.

Cliff is also a member of the Professional Cowboy Association and a private pilot. Cliff was very involved in civil war reenactments and was a movie set wrangler where he and his horse “Rebel” were extras in several movies, documentaries, and films. Later he worked at the American Royal.

In his later years he wrote poetry and songs based on his experiences. Cliff traveled to a variety of venues to perform his cowboy songs and poems. He has published three volumes of poems and contributed to several publications. Most recently he took his poetry to some of the local nursing homes in SE Kansas and SW Missouri. He loved talking to these folks and taking them back to happier times through his poetry.

Cliff was a Christian gentleman and a faithful member of Dry Ridge Baptist Church in Uniontown, Kansas.

Cliff is survived by a close and loving family.

He is preceded in death by his parents, William Vernon, his mother Zela Elmeta (Faught) Sexton, his brother Vergle Ernestene (Ernest) Sexton.

He is survived by his brother Vernon Eugene (Gene) Sexton of Lenexa, Kansas. Cliff is survived by four children, Donna Sue Sexton of Kansas City, Missouri; Terry Dale Sexton of Peculiar, Missouri; Tami Ann (Sexton) Stewart of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and Cassie Leigh (Sexton) Todd of Mountain Grove, Missouri. He has four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren. Also, a loving family of cousins, a niece, nephews, and their families.

Cliff was loved and will be missed by all.

Memorial Services will be held 11:00 A.M., Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Dry Ridge Baptist Church of Uniontown, Kansas, and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Harry Willis “Sonny” Peterson, age 89, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at his home. His life-journey toward this moment of entering heaven began on October 3, 1932, in Hiattville, Kansas, to parents, Willis and Verna Likely Peterson. As the oldest surviving child, Harry was soon joined by four brothers and three sisters. In many ways, this “Sonny Boy” guided and guarded each of them as he progressed through school at Hiattville and Mount Hope.

Even as a young man, Sonny knew the path to happiness, especially when he found and captured the love of his life, Edith Hopkins. Marrying her on February 13, 1954, gave these sweethearts many opportunities to guide, and raise other children through the years even though they remained childless. Cousins, nieces, nephews, siblings, 4-H kids, Rainbow girls and numerous others became their projects and indeed, their children.

Sonny was not only known for taking care of others; he was known for taking care of business by “fixing” anything – trucks, tractors, electricity, plumbing or carpentry projects. “Uncle Sonny” could change your tire, feed your cattle or cut wood for your heating system. He always gave the best he had with no expectation of reward or payment. This work ethic was seen in his jobs: twenty-one years for Ford Tractor and New Holland followed by twenty years for the Fort Scott U-234 School District. His education afterschool focused on the needs for his occupations specializing in tractors, combines and welding. Fixing problems paved his way to a life filled with good works.

Some of those good works included participation with the Grange, 4-H, Rainbow Girls, and Iza Stompers Square Dance Club.

Church became a priority in his life; as a member of the Ft. Scott First Baptist Church where he served as deacon, trustee, and moderator. Sonny’s love of people and of “fixing” problems led to being a member and past Master of Xenia Lodge, past District Deputy Grand Master for District #8, member of Royal Arch, Iola, past Grand Officer of AF & AM for Kansas, member and past Patron of Olive Chapter #13, OES, and Grand Chaplin for Grand Chapter in Kansas. His life was spent “fixing” lives of others and sacrificing for others.

Harry “Sonny” is survived by his wife, Edith, of the home; three sisters, Mary Loy Schaffer, Marge Madison and Sissy Mall and two brothers, Frank and Von and numerous relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister and two brothers, Pat and Bill.

Rev. Ken Ansell will conduct funeral services at 10:30 A.M. Monday, March 14^th at the First Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Centerville Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 P.M. Sunday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Masonic rites will take place at the close of visitation. Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel,