The Lawson Review

01/22/2025

Gary Franklin Manning
Thurman Funeral Home - Richmond
|
View Obituaries
Gary Franklin Manning
December 19, 1948 - January 21, 2025
In Loving Memory
Gary Franklin Manning
December 19, 1948 - January 21, 2025
U.S. VETERAN
Gary Franklin Manning
Obituary
Gary Franklin Manning, 76, of Richmond, passed away Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at Oak Ridge Assisted Living in Richmond, surrounded by his loving family.

Gary was born on December 19, 1948, in Excelsior Springs, the son of Thomas Franklin and Martha Virginia (Nutter) Manning. He was united in marriage to Joyce “Diane” Pence of Richmond on April 10, 1971; she preceded him in death on May 3, 2011.

Survivors include: son, Aaron (Angela) Manning of Richmond; daughter, Amy (Chad) Burnine of Richmond; four grandchildren: Austin Manning, Alyssa Manning, Isabella Burnine, and Brody Burnine; great-granddaughter, Arbana Lynn; sister, Kay Lawson of Richmond; mother-in-law, Wilma Pence; several nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by an infant brother and an infant sister.

Gary was raised and educated in the Richmond area, graduating from Richmond High School with the Class of 1966. Following high school, he proudly served his country for two years as a military police officer in the Missouri National Guard, attending boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood.

After his military service, Gary began a lifelong career with UMB of Kansas City, where he worked for 37 years. While employed at the bank, he pursued further education by attending college classes and eventually retired as an assistant computer control manager.

Gary was musically gifted and had a profound love for playing the piano and singing. His faith was central to his life, and he expressed it through his dedication to music ministry. Gary began as a pianist at Hickory Grove, the church of his youth, and later served as music minister and deacon at the Hardin Baptist Church for 10 years. For 20 years, he served as music minister at the Henrietta Baptist Church. At the time of his passing, he was a member of the Richmond First Baptist Church.

Gary and his late wife shared a love of travel and operated a local Avon business together for many years. He also enjoyed camping trips with family and friends, creating cherished memories around the campfire. Later in life, he treasured time spent with his grandchildren, who brought him immense joy. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to either the Dockery Baptist Church or St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. They can be left at or mailed to Thurman Funeral Home, 507 East Main Street-P.O. Box 190, Richmond, MO 64085.

Visitation with funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the First Baptist Church of Richmond, with visitation beginning at 12:30 P.M., with services to follow at 2:00 P.M. Interment will be held in New Hope Cemetery, North of Hardin

Send a message to learn more

01/22/2025

01/21/2025

Clyde Russell Trout, lovingly known as Russ or Papa, passed away surrounded by his family on January 19, 2025, at the age of 69. Russ was a life-time resident of Lawson, Missouri. He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn, shortly after graduating from Lawson High School in 1973. He and Carolyn went on to celebrate 51 years of marriage. During this time, they welcomed a daughter and son, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Russ supported his family by working on the family farm and with employment at the Ford Motor Company plant in Claycomo, Missouri. After 30 years, he retired and went on to gain employment with the Lawson School District. He continued to work for another 10 years before officially retiring.
Russ loved the outdoors, whether that was sitting atop a tractor, hunting and fishing, dirt bike riding, or helping Carolyn with her next “extravagant” landscaping idea. He also loved to support his children and grandchildren at all their various sporting events. Another passion of Russ’s was to share with others his love and commitment to Jesus Christ through various church ministries.
Russ had a mischievousness streak. It was his way of showing affection to the ones he loved. He enjoyed playing pranks on his co-workers and grandchildren and coming up with jokes that sometimes caught everyone off guard.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn of the home; one daughter and son-in-law, Amanda and Joseph Cox, one son and daughter-in-law, Lance and Roseanna Trout; six grandchildren, Maddilyn Hewitt (Clark), Breanna Fowler (Trey), Gabriel Cox (Alexis), Isaac Trout (Gracie McLaughlin), Max Trout and Audrey Trout; 4 great grandchildren, Susie, Harper and Henley, and Issa.
Russ was preceded in death by his parents, James and Blanche, and by his sister, Sandra.
A visitation will be held Thursday, January 23, 2025, from 10 to 11 a.m. at Lawson Baptist Church in Lawson, Missouri. Memorial service to follow at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed towards to the Gottlieb Heart Failure and Transplant Center Fund at Saint Luke’s Foundation, 901 E 104th St , Kansas City, MO 64131 / https://www.saintlukeskc.org/give-in-memory.

01/21/2025

Due to extreme temperatures and concerns for student safety on buses, there will be no school tomorrow, Tuesday, January 21. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

01/20/2025

The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of Jan 20-26.

There also may be moving operations throughout the region, in addition to the work mentioned below. Inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work. Check the MoDOT Traveler Information Map at http://traveler.modot.org, or download the app for updated information.

MoDOT asks drivers to work with us by buckling up, putting your phone down, slowing down and moving over in work zones.

Caldwell County

Route D – CLOSED until further notice at the Shoal Creek Bridge due to deck deterioration. This bridge is currently scheduled for the January 2025 contractor letting through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. https://www.modot.org/route-d-bridge-replacement-caldwell

Districts Impacted Northwest Counties Impacted Caldwell Route Impacted D Work Type Bridge Replacement Planning Phase Project Summary  A project to replace the Shoal Creek bridge on Caldwell County Route D, install guardrail and include approach work was originally programmed into the Statewide Tran...

01/20/2025

Shirley Ann Reynolds, 81, of Lawson, Missouri passed away from pneumonia on January 17, 2025, at Excelsior Springs Medical Center surrounded by family. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Excelsior Springs Baptist Church from 4:30-5:30 pm with a funeral service to follow beginning at 5:30pm also at Excelsior Springs Baptist Church. A burial will be held on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 10am at Lawson Cemetery, Lawson, Missouri. Shirley has made Lawson her home for the last 55 years. She loved watching her grandchildren grow up and was now enjoying watching her great-grandchildren grow. Grandma was so proud of each of them. Shirley was a regular for Saturday morning breakfast at Catrick's. She enjoyed spending time with her girlfriends while the men folk talked, talked and talked Ham Radio. Shirley liked making jewelry and loved catching and eating crappie. Shirley really looked forward to her yearly trips to Branson with her daughter and friends Michele and Tamara. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Elton Leroy Reynolds of the home, son Rick (Karen) Reynolds of Liberty, daughter Debbie Smith of Excelsior Springs, grandchildren; Cameron (Ashley) Reynolds, Holt, Jacob (Sharron) Smith of Excelsior Springs, John (Gabby) Reynolds of Alexandria, Virginia, Nick Gately of St. Joseph, and Shannon Channel of Richmond, great grandchildren; Auren Loyd, Logan Reynolds, Raigan Braley and Everlyn Smith. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital.

Send a message to learn more

01/19/2025

01/19/2025

Matthew "Matt" Dee Bethards, 53, of Lawson, Missouri passed away on January 11, 2025. Matt was born the only son of Dwain D. Bethards & Marjorie L. Rose on February 14, 1971 in North Kansas City, Missouri. He was united in marriage to his wife Chondra Diane Horvath on November 18, 1989. To this union two children were born Samantha and Cory.

Matt was a devoted family man who was blessed with a large and loving family. Matt and his wife, Chondra enjoyed 35 years of marriage celebrating the life they built with one another. Matt also experienced the joy of becoming an amazing grandfather to Imbri Faith Lehman, (8) Eliza Grace Lehman (6) Maryn Joyce Lehman (4), and Barrett Zev Bethards (2). He was also honored to be a step-grandfather to Tatianna, Nina and Cayden Birge. Some of Matt's favorite times were spent hunting and fishing with his friends and son on the Missouri River or goose and duck hunting in North Dakota. He was notorious for his colorful humor and infectious laugh. He enjoyed sharing his love of fishing with his kids and grandchildren.
Matt grew up in Raytown, Mo. and graduated from Raytown High School in 1989. He was active in football, weightlifting, boxing and baseball. After graduation, he was employed as an electrician with Inland Electric in Kansas City, Mo. He later became a commercial and service electrician with Epic Electric in Kansas City, Mo. In 2000, he joined the Local IBEW #124 in Kansas City, Mo as a Journeyman wireman and began his employment with R.F. Fisher Electric. He became an accomplished electrician, who ultimately spent his last days with Staco Electric as a General Foreman. He was dedicated, hardworking and respected by his peers. He built a reputation for being a meticulous taskmaster who prided himself in his work.

Matt is survived by his wife, Chondra, and two children Samantha Lehman (Matt) of Liberty and Cory Bethards (Karen) of Excelsior Springs. Other survivors include his Father, Dwain Bethards of Excelsior Springs, his sisters Dawn Farmer of Lawson, and Elizabeth Carr of Lawson, along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie Loretta Rose.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made for his grandchildren's education fund.

Send a message to learn more

01/19/2025

Fred Phillip Yeager, 76, of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, left us on January 11, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones at home, after bravely battling complications from COPD. To honor his legacy, a heartfelt celebration of life will take place at the creek on his property — his cherished sanctuary — where his family will lovingly spread his ashes.

Fred was born on August 16, 1948, to Fredrick Joseph Yeager and Bertha Marie O’Dell. Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Fred was shaped by the values instilled in him by his parents. He was a proud graduate of Rockhurst High School and pursued his passion for HVAC by obtaining his certification at a junior college, dedicating his life to a rewarding career in the field.

Shortly after, Fred met Candice Vincent, fell in love with her, and proposed marriage. They soon discovered their ideal lifelong home: a 20-acre property in the countryside of Excelsior Springs, Missouri. Not long after settling in, they welcomed their beloved son, Matthew.

Fred loved living in the open spaces of the countryside, where he valued his independence and the freedom to do as he pleased on his property. He and his wife enjoyed gardening and cultivated both annual and perennial flower gardens that flourished year after year.

He was an avid reader and a history enthusiast who always enjoyed a good laugh, a cold beer, and time with his beloved dogs. He cherished spending time with his family, which included his wife Candice, his son Matthew, his sister Cathy, and his nephews Joe and Tyler, as well as his niece Lisa.

Fred’s lighthearted and kind spirit touched the lives of everyone who knew and loved him, and his absence will be deeply felt by all.

Peace be with you.

Send a message to learn more

01/17/2025

01/17/2025

UPDATED

Date: Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Ray County 911

I. Call to Order

II. Roll Call

III. Approval of Agenda

IV. Approval of Minutes

V. Financial Report
a. Approval of Financial Report –
b. Tax Rate

VI. Information Items
a. Director’s Report –Employee’s – Down 3 full time positions. Conducting interviews for full and part time as qualified applicants come in.
b. Training – Two in training. One scheduled for MULES training the end of January.

VII. Old Business
a. Paperwork – Sheriff Gary Blackwell
b. Building Committee Report –
c. Inter-Agency Committee –
d. Marketing –
e. Job Descriptions –
f. Training Reimbursement –

VIII. New Business
a. Any additional new or old business that need to be addressed

IX. Public Comment (2 minute limit per citizen with 1 hour total for public comment)

X. Closed Session pursuant to RSMo 610.021 subsection one, three, and thirteen

XI. Motion to Adjourn

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 27th, 2025
The tentative agenda of this meeting includes a motion to enter into closed session pursuant to RSMo 610.021 subsection one, three, and thirteen to discuss personnel and legal matters.
Date Posted By: January 22nd, 2025

Send a message to learn more

01/16/2025

Thank you to the Lawson Fire & Rescue Department for taking it upon themselves to clean the sidewalk on D highway in front of the school

01/15/2025

Southwest is looking for new Nesters! Information about the 2025-26 preschool program at Southwest is below. Families that are residents of the Lawson School District and have a child(ren) who will be three before August 1, 2025 are eligible. Interested families should use the link or the QR code on the flyer to register for a screening.

https://bit.ly/3Zy0jG2?r=qr

(A limited number of spots are available - Screening does not guarantee acceptance - The District will use the student screening and other evaluation processes to determine acceptance.)

Please contact Southwest Elementary's office (816) 580-7272 if you have any questions.

01/15/2025

01/15/2025

Gary Dean Burgess, 80, of Richmond, passed away Monday, January 13, 2025, at Oak Ridge Assisted Living in Richmond.

Gary was born on May 23, 1944, in Camden, the son of Wayne and Gladys (Nichols) Burgess. He was united in marriage to Nancy E. Strickler of Camden in May 1964; she survives of the home.

Additional survivors include: son, Collison (Meridith) Burgess of Richmond; and two grandchildren, Brady Burgess and Hadley Burgess, both of Richmond.

In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Jane Happy.

Gary was raised and educated in the area of his birth, beginning his education in Camden, spending a brief time in Excelsior Springs, and graduating from Richmond High School in the Class of 1962. After high school, he began farming alongside his father, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion and dedication to what would become a fourth-generation family farm.

In 1968, Gary answered the call to serve his country by enlisting in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. While stationed with his wife in Raymond, California, he demonstrated the same resilience and commitment that marked his life on the farm.

Upon returning home after the war, Gary devoted himself fully to the family farm, where he spent the rest of his life nurturing the land and continuing his family’s legacy. He was a proud 50-year member of the Camden Masonic Lodge and an Ararat Shriner, reflecting his dedication to community and tradition.

In his leisure time, Gary found joy in the outdoors, whether he was fishing or participating in trap shooting, two hobbies he greatly enjoyed.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the donor’s choice. They can be left at or mailed to Thurman Funeral Home, 507 East Main Street-P.O. Box 190, Richmond, MO 64085.

A celebration of life will be held by the family at a later date. Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond is in charge of arrangements

01/15/2025

CPO(Ret) Patrick T. Wright, 64, died peacefully on January 11, 2025.
Pat was born on July 27, 1960 in North Kansas City, Missouri to Kenneth R. and Lynn C. (Hopkins) Wright. He graduated from Winnetonka High School in 1978 and was a dedicated Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. Pat married Mary A. Gordon, on April 23, 1983. Patrick began working for the United States Postal Service in 1980 and retired in 2015. Additionally, he enlisted with the US Naval Reserves, NMCB-15 Seabees (CAN DO!) in 1994 and served two combat tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2007-2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He retired with an honorable discharge in 2014. Pat was a talented woodworker and welder; avid hunter and fisherman; and most importantly, putting his construction skill to use to make all of Mary’s renovation dreams come true. He was a devout fan of NASCAR, Kansas City Chiefs, and enjoyed watching scary movies with his children. Above all else, Pat enjoyed spending time with family, especially his children and grandchildren. There was always plenty of laughter.
Pat is preceded in death by his grandparents, Victor and Emily Wright; Vaden and Nellie Hopkins; his parents-in-law, L.E. “Duke” and Margaret Gordon; sister-in-law Peggy Findlay and brother-in-law Bruce Clark.
Patrick is survived by his wife Mary Wright; children, Amber Wright, Justin and Cassie Wright, and Jacob and Paige Wright; six grandchildren Reya, Jason, and Dillion Parker, Tessa Wright, and Porter and Callahan Wright; parents Dick and Lynn Wright; brother Michael Wright, in-laws Robert Findlay, Patricia Clark, Joseph Gordon, Timothy Gordon, Kenneth and Brenda Gordon; niece Jessica and Jason Mauzey; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and brothers and sisters-in-arms.
The family would like to thank ACG Hospice, and especially Miranda, for their dedicated care, dignity, and compassion.
In lieu of flowers, the family is encouraging donations to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org) or Tunnel to Towers foundation (t2t.org).
A visitation for Patrick will be held Saturday, January 18, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at White Chapel Funeral Home, 6600 NE Antioch Rd, Gladstone, MO 64119, followed by a funeral service from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Serving as pallbearers are Mike Williams, Chuck McCubbin, Mark Scheldkneicht and Bill Epps.

01/15/2025

Andrea Lynn Mitchell went to be with the Lord on January 12, 2025, surrounded by her family and friends. She was 42 years old.
Andrea was born May 16, 1982, to Randy and Brenda Mitchell in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. From the time that she was born, she brought joy into the lives of everyone who knew her. Without saying a single word, she brightened whole rooms.
She grew up in Lawson, Missouri, until 2000, when the family moved to Lathrop, Missouri. Andrea graduated from the Maple Valley School in 2003. Then, in 2012, they moved to St Joseph, MO. Andrea lived independently, under the loving care of Choices, who were like family.
Andrea is preceded in death by her brother, Max Deitrickson; her stepfather, Joe Blodgett; her grandfather, Earl W. Mitchell; her grandmother, Loretta Mae Green; and her grandfather, Ralph Brock.
Surviving her death are her parents, Randy Mitchell (Jody) and Brenda Blodgett; grandmother, Mary Lou Mitchell; sisters, Bethany Taylor, Robyn Tollefson, and Joey Henderson (Brian); brothers, Brock Mitchell (Anna), Zach Deitrickson, and Daniel Blodgett (Tee); nine nieces and nephews; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Visitations will be held from 5:30-7:00 pm on Thursday, January 16th, 2025 at Heaton-Bowman-Smith Sidenfaden Chapel in St Joseph, MO, as well as Friday, January 17th, 2025 at 10:00 am at Kearney First Christian Church. Services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, January 17th, 2025 at Kearney First Christian Church followed by burial at Salem Cemetery. Andrea loved bright colors so please feel free to wear those in honor of her.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the HOPE Special Needs Family Support Group at Northland Church.