William Craig (Bill) Simmer of John Knox Village, Lee’s Summit, died peacefully Feb. 24, 2013, surrounded by his family, who gathered from five states to be with him in his final hours. He was born to William Leonard and Agnes Rhoda Simmer on June 16, 1921 in Ottumwa, Iowa. He was a 1939 graduate of Ottumwa High School. He responded to a call to the Christian ministry in 1941 and enrolled in Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, graduating in 1944. While at Cornell, he served his first church in Elwood, Iowa.

Charlotte Ruth (Hoffman) Fallen passed away on Feb. 21, 2013 in Emporia, Kan. For the last two and a half years she resided at Sterling House Assisted Living, where she was compassionately cared for by the wonderful staff.

Shirley Ann (Lofgren) Lotridge, 82, passed away on Feb.18, 2013 at John Knox Hospice, Lee’s Summit.

Phil Silvain, 84, of Lake Lotawana, passed away Feb. 17, 2013 at the Kansas City Hospice House.

Bobby J. Yarborough, 76, of Lee’s Summit, passed away Feb. 9, 2013 at Kansas City Hospice House.

Oliver “Gene” Ridge, 78 of Lee’s Summit passed away on Feb. 11, 2013.

Joseph Herman Mueller passed away in Lee’s Summit, Feb. 9, 2013.

M. Adeline Clark, 83, of Lee’s Summit, passed away on Feb. 7, 2013 at Wilshire at Lakewood.

Mona L. Purtle, 62, of El Dorado Springs, passed away in an auto accident on Feb. 2, 2013, in Stockton, Mo. She was preceded in death by her third husband Ellis E. Purtle, her mother Martha Jane Donley, and her first husband Randy L. Burdick. She is survived by her sister LaVon Cornett, Carterville, Ill.; her children Debbie (Gary) Taylor, Walker, Mo., Patrick Burdick, El Dorado Springs, Mo., and Crystal (Jeremy) Bogart, Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; her grandchildren Mathew Oliver, David Taylor, Hayley Burdick, Brady Bogart, and Anna Bogart; nephew Phillip (Kim) Galt, Stonefort, Ill.; niece Kathlenn Satterfield, Smyrna, Ga.; several great-nieces and nephews in Ill. and Ga.; and numerous family members in Mo. and Ill.

Lucinda Louette Backhus, 47, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on Feb. 2, 2013.

Donald H. Belden of John Knox Village in Lee’s Summit died on Feb. 2, 2013.

Marty (Marvin W.) Henderson, 52, of Lee’s Summit, passed away Jan. 31, 2013 at Centerpoint Hospital.

Peggy Jean Karel, 63 of Lee’s Summit, passed away Jan. 31, 2013.

Robert (Bob) Carl Mueller, Sr., 90, died surrounded by his children on Jan. 27, 2013, at Saint Luke’s Hospital East, Lee’s Summit, after a short illness.

Margaret Jane Taylor, 58, of Greenwood, departed this life on Jan. 28, 2013 at the Lee’s Summit Medical Center after a courageous battle against cancer.