Grant Ruben Cole
Sept. 14, 1960 – Oct. 30, 2021
Grant Reuben Cole died at his home in Callao, Oct. 30.
Grant was born Sept. 14, 1960, in Harrisonville. He graduated from Harrisonville High School in 1978 and joined the U.S. Army in 1979. After completion of flight school in Ft. Rucker, Alabama, Grant served a tour in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, in A Company, 8th Infantry Division where he flew OH-58A Kiowa helicopters. He then taught flight school at Ft. Rucker before leaving the Army in 1984.
Grant attended the pipefitters apprenticeship program in Kansas City. He was initiated in 1987 and retired from the Pipefitters Local Union 533 in 2016 after 34 yeas of service.
He was preceded in death by his step-son Jonathan Richardson.
He leaves his parents, Donald Lloyd and Trulla Rose (Gladman) Cole; daughter Sarah Cummings (Heath), Boca Raton, Florida; daughter Anna Ponder (Thomas), Harrisonville; step-daughter Misty McGuire; sisters Julie Pieschl, Minneapolis, Kansas; and Cynde Cole, Holladay, Utah; and grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Heath Carter, Lucas, Sydni and Zoey; great-granddaughter, Ashlyn.
A private family service will be held at a later date.
Suzan M. Parks
June 22, 1956 – Nov. 19, 2021
Suzan Parks, 65, Archie, died Nov. 19 at Centerpoint Medical Center, Independence. Suzan M. Parks was born in Pirmasens, Germany. She was the adopted daughter of a Korean War veteran and a World War II concentration camp survivor.
Sue spent most of her childhood in historic Petersburg, Virginia. In 1971, she met her husband of 41 years, Gary Lynn Parks. The young couple were married in 1972 in Dillon, South Carolina.
They moved to Germany where Gary was stationed for the first three years of their marriage. It was there their first child, Jennifer was born. The family returned to Virginia and then to Missouri where they continued to grow.
Throughout her life as a career parent, Sue raised and supported six children who kept her very busy. In her spare time, she enjoyed reading, especially novels by Stephen King and Dean Koontz.
Sue was the true definition of a survivor and a resilient mother as she endured life long medical issues since she was a toddler. Suzan was not expected to live past the age of 2. As she continued to show the world her resilience year after year, medical proffessionals extended her life expectancy to 35, which she surpassed by yet another 30 years.
Sue and Gary were most joyful when their large family was able to gather together. During these times, there was a lot of cooking, humor and joyful family noise.
In her later years, Sue was delighted by her abundant grandchildren. When she was faced with a life-threatening battle with cancer in 2017, she was told she only had six months remaining. However Sue was not ready to leave the company of her 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren and instead chose to show the Lord she had one more valiant fight in her. After four years of courageously battling cancer, Suzan was reunited with her husband Gary and son John.
Suzan was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Emma Bienefeld; husband, Gary L. Parks; son, John A. Parks; and brother, William Bienefeld.
She is survived in life by her daughter, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Harrisonville; sons, Jason A. Parks and Joanne, Drexel, Jesse A. Parks and Miranda, Archie, Jeston L. Parks and Jenn, Branson; and daughter, Julie A. Parks and Josh Morlan, Pleasanton, Kansas.
Funeral services were Nov. 23 at Mullinax Funeral Home, Butler. Burial followed in the West Point Cemetery, Amsterdam.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner’s Hosbital.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Mullinax Funeral Home, Butler.
Mabel E. Taylor
Jan. 1, 1933 – Nov. 23, 2021
Mabel Elizabeth Taylor, 88, Harrisonville, died Nov. 23 at her home. Mabel was born Jan. 1, 1933, in Argonia, Kansas, the daughter of Lester and Fannie (Marsh) Wimp.
She grew up in the Kansas City area and was a graduate of Center High School. She married Charles “Bill” Robert Taylor Jan. 1, 1949.
Mabel worked as a machinist for Bendix/Allied Signal for 35 years before retiring in 1996. She was a member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local No. 778 in Kansas City.
Mabel was a member of the Faith Baptist Church in Harrisonville.
Mabel was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Charles “Bill” Taylor on May 31, 2021.
She is survived by two sons, Richard Taylor, Harrisonville, and Robert “Buck Taylor and Patsy, Kansas City; two sisters, Alice O’Blennis, Olathe, Kansas, and Carol Kennerd, Florence, Arizona; and two grandchildren.
Memorial services were Nov. 29 at the Faith Baptist Church, Harrisonville. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Inurnment will be held in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville at a Later date.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Atkinson Funeral Home, Harrisonville.
John L. Tharp
Feb. 3, 1949 – Nov. 24, 2021
John Lane Tharp, 72, Locust Grove, Oklahoma, died Nov. 24 at his son’s home in Harrisonville. John was born Feb. 3, 1949, in Holdrege, Nebraska, the son of John Tharp, Jr., and Mary Elizabeth (Neville) Tharp.
He was a computer aided drafter for Nelson Heat Tracing for 15 years before retiring. John had lived in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, before moving to Locust Grove in 2011.
John was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Philip Tharp; and two sisters, Mary Faith Tharp and Sarah Tharp.
He is survived by a son, Jeff Tharp and Erin, Harrisonville; a daughter, Cris Stump, Prairie Village, Kansas; a brother, David Tharp, Jane; five sisters, Carla Savage and Jerry, Huntsville, Arkansas, Judi Snoderly and Lendel, Rogers, Arkansas, Jori Dawn Howard and Craig, Elkins, Arkansas, Randie Brenaman, Harrison, Arkansas, and Stacey Murphy, Leawood, Kansas; three grandsons, Jonathan Tharp and Jakob, Grandview, Jason Tharp and Courtney, Belton, and Aidan Stump, Harrisonville; and his canine best friend, Ruby.
Services will be held at a later date in Arkansas.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Atkinson Funeral Home, Harrisonville.
Sam Gregory
Sept. 22, 1946 – Nov. 16, 2021
Sam Gregory, 75, Butler, died Nov. 16 at his home in Butler.
Cremation, with private family services to be held.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Mullinax Funeral Home, Butler.
Judith L. Leonard
March 21, 1933 – Nov. 19, 2021
Judith Lee Leonard, 88, Butler, died Nov. 19 at Medicalodge of Butler surrounded by her family. Judith was born March 21, 1933, the daughter of Wayne Lester and Lena Frances Sutton Stone in Pleasanton, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Lena Frances Stone; father, Wayne Lester Stone; and a brother, Gary Stone.
Judith is survived by a son, Kevin W. Leonard, Butler; a daughter, Kathy R. Leonard, granddaughter, Erika L. Catron and a great-granddaughter, Autumn R. Cowley, all of Nevada.
A memorial visitation was Nov. 26 at the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel, Butler. Contributions are suggested to the St. Joseph’s Indian School.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel Butler.
Carrie A. Main
Sept 19, 1967 – Nov. 22, 2021
Carrie Anne Main, 54, Butler, died Nov. 22 at St. Joseph Hospital, Kansas City. She was born Sept. 19, 1967, the daughter of Leonard Dwain and Linda Kay Cole Breiner in Butler.
She was preceded in death by a son, Michael Maxville; stepfather, Bud Blaser; and step-brother, Karl Blaser.
Carrie is survived by two sons, David Main and wife Melissa and Derik Main, all of Butler; her mother, Linda Blaser, Butler; father, Dwain Breiner and wife Mary, Meridian, Idaho; a sister, Nora Breiner, Butler; two brothers, Dennis Breiner and wife Cyndi and Kenneth Breiner and wife Ellisa, all of Butler; two stepsisters, Debi Foster and husband Dan, Kansas City, and Susan McCracken, Lee’s summit; a stepbrother, Ben Blaser and wife Susan, Lawson; a granddaugher, Chloe; and nephews, nieces and other relatives.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Contributions are suggested to the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel for funeral expenses.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel, Butler.
