Mary Ellen Elam
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Mary Ellen Elam, 56, St. Joseph, Mo., passed away Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005, at her home.

Mary Ellen was born April 8, 1949, in Mount Vernon. She had been living in the St. Joseph area since 1977. She was a homemaker and loved to read. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Blair, Kan.; and American Legion Auxiliary and 8 and 40.

Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Frances (Auskings) Goossens; and her sister, Janie Reed.

She married Rodney E. Elam on March 22, 1974, in Hereford, Texas. He survives of the home.

She is also survived by her sons, Donnie (Anna) Goff of Grand Junction, Colo., Ronnie Goff of Austin, Texas, and Rodney G. (Melissa) Elam of St. Joseph, Mo.; two daughters, Connie (Jim) Snodgrass and Julie Elam, both of Wathena, Kan.; three sisters, Ruby Monk, Ruth Ann Bates and Terri Anderson; one brother, Joe Goossens; and 10 grandchildren.

Mrs. Elam has been cremated under the direction of the Heaton-Bowman-Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel. There will be no visitation or services at the funeral home.

The family requests memorial gifts to Kendallwood Hospice.

Shytrice D. Frailey
BELLVILLE — Shytrice D. Frailey, 9-year-old daughter of Edward and Vada (Holstein) Frailey of Bellville died Aug. 26, 2005, in the emergency room of MedCentral Health System, Mansfield.

She was born Feb. 25, 1996, in Rochester, N.Y., and had lived in the Bellville area the past five years. Shytrice was loved by all who knew her, and will be sadly missed.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her paternal grandmother, Kathryn Frailey of Bellville; 14 brothers and sisters, Angela (Jeremy) Ammons of Fredericktown, Melanie (Ron) Elliott of Mansfield, Petey, Shanique, Donna, Kisha, Deshawn, Ryan, Annabelle, Shelly, Jami, Zackery, Anthony and Joey; two nieces and four nephews.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Charles Frailey; her maternal grandparents, Guy and Mamie Holstein; and her paternal grandfather, Carl Frailey.

The family will receive friends Sunday, Aug. 28, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Bellville Snyder Funeral Home, where the funeral will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Marc Patterson will officiate. Burial will follow in Bellville Cemetery. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Lauradee Harris
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Lauradee Harris passed away Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., after a brief illness.

Mrs. Harris was born April 1, 1930, in Mount Vernon, Ohio, the daughter of Erit and Jessie (Dean) Carpenter. She lived in Mansfield, Ohio, most of her life and moved to Daytona Beach, Fla., about eight years ago.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Erit and Jessie Carpenter; her sisters, Virginia Shrimplin, Olive Ridenbaugh, Catherine “Sue” Rine, Imogene Diehm and Jessie Dell Fortuna; her brother, Thomas Carpenter; a daughter, Cindy Burton; and her husband of over 40 years, Garland D. Harris.

She is survived by her son, Michael D. Burton, DeLeon Springs, Fla.; her daughter, Karen Lee Biglin, Lexington, Ohio; and eight grandchildren, Michael D. Burton Jr., Orlando, Fla., Wayne Burton, Columbus, Ohio, Mark A. Burton, DeLeon Springs, Fla., Lorretta E. Mundell, Daytona Beach, Fla., Mindy Uzunoff, Mansfield, Ohio, Tabitha McGrew, Mansfield, Ohio, Shawna Biglin, Lexington, Ohio, and Ashley Biglin, Lexington, Ohio. She also had six great-grandchildren, Michael D. Burton III, Nathan Chan, Noah Alexander Mundell, R.J. Lewis, Brittany Lewis and Zander McGrew.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m. at the Berean Baptist Church, 2145 Middle Bellville Road, Mansfield, Ohio. Family and friends may then gather in the meeting room of the Travelodge, 90 W. Hanley Road, Mansfield, Ohio, at Interstate 71 and Ohio 13, for a time of remembrance.

Joseph R. Proper
SHELBY — Joseph Richard Proper, 70, formerly of the Mount Vernon area, died Thursday evening, Aug. 25, 2005, at Crestwood Care Center in Shelby after an extended illness.

Joseph was born Dec. 11, 1934, in Columbus to Andrew Elliott and Agnes Elizabeth (Swigart) Proper. Joseph was retired from the U.S. Navy, serving during the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was an avid admirer of John Wayne and enjoyed watching his movies.

He was preceded in death by his parents, who had resided in the Mount Vernon area.

The funeral will be Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 10:30 a.m. at the Downtown Chapel of Werner Funeral Home, 175 W. Third St., Mansfield, where friends may call one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at 12:30 p.m. in Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, with full military honors.

Condolences may be made by visiting www.wernerfuneral.com

Barbara J. Smith
MOUNT VERNON — Barbara J. Smith, 72, of Mount Vernon passed away Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005, at the Country Club Retirement Center in Mount Vernon. She was born Sept. 17, 1932, in Mount Vernon, the daughter of Troy and Emma (Schorr) Jones. Barbara was a member of the Mount Vernon Salvation Army, where she was active in the Ladies Home League. She was also a member of the Ladies Bowling League. She had been employed as a cook at The Alcove Restaurant.

She is survived by her loving husband, Glenn Smith, whom she married May 20, 1956. Also surviving is a son, Edward Smith of Mount Vernon; a daughter, Brenda Shoop of Dresden; eight grandchildren; two brothers, Glenn Jones and Ronald Jones, both of Mount Vernon; and two sisters, Elaine Shuman and Betty Irwin, both of Mount Vernon.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Jones.

A graveside service will be Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at 11 a.m. in the Mound View Cemetery, with Major Robert Bender officiating. These funeral services are under the care and direction of the Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army, 206 E. Ohio Ave., Mount Vernon, OH 43050; or to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 634445, Cincinnati, OH 45263-4445. This obituary and guest registry may be viewed online at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.