Obituaries

After 103 years of loving and living on this earth, John Thomas Duncan, Sr., went to his eternal home on September 13, 2024, greeted by his Savior and many loved…

Debra Denise Shinneman, known to many as Debbie, was born on August 26, 1954, in Rolla, Missouri. She graduated from Liberty High School and later became devoted homemaker, creating a…

Richard S. Pryor was born in Clay County, Missouri on December 20th, 1935, to Ted R. & Ruby S. Pryor. He grew up on the family farm with his two older brothers, Ted William “Bill” & Charles F. “Bud.” Richard attended Liberty public schools and graduated as president of his class in 1953. The death of his mother during his college years profoundly changed his life’s course. After two years at William Jewell College, Richard was offered a job at a local bank, which led to his lifelong career in banking. In 1957, following the family tradition of military service, he volunteered for the Army and spent most of his service in France on an Ordnance Depot. During this time, friends started calling him Dick, a name that stuck for life. Dick returned to First National Bank in Liberty in 1959. That fall, he met Linda, a new English and speech teacher at Liberty High School. They married on July 10th, 1960. Dick pursued further education, earning an AA Degree from Longview College, a business Degree from Columbia College, and graduating from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. He became a bank officer before 21 and joined the National Bank in North Kansas City in 1961. In 1969, at 33, he was offered the Presidency of the Thornton National Bank in Nevada, Missouri, where the family lived for four years. In 1973, Dick became CEO and part-owner of the Bank of Jacomo in Blue Springs, Missouri. Under his 20-year leadership, the bank and its holding company grew to two charters with six locations in five towns. Dick was actively involved in his communities. He served on city councils, chambers of commerce, school boards, and hospital boards in various cities. He was instrumental in founding St. Mary’s Hospital in Blue Springs and establishing a junior college branch campus there. He was named Citizen of the Year in 1980 and Business Person of the Year in 1992 in Blue Springs. Dick and Linda were staunch supporters of higher education. Dick serv

Joyce Marie (Haggard) Hon, 79, of Liberty, Miss ouri passed away peacefully surrounded by family and close friends in Kansas City Hospice House at North Kansas City Hospital on September 1st after having been hospitalized for two months following an acute illness. Joyce was born in Kansas City, Missouri on September 23, 1944, to John Haggard, Jr. and Jewel Rose (Claunch) Haggard. She was a life-long Kansas City northlander, graduating from Park Hill High School in 1962. She married her high school sweetheart Jerry Lee Hon on August 11, 1962. They recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary together. Alongside Jerry, Joyce carried on the legacy of her parents, working and co-owning the family business Haggard Hauling and Rigging, Inc., before retiring after 29 years of devoted service. She concluded her career at William Jewell College, working in the business office, Provost’s office, bookstore, and finally the alumni office, retiring in 2008. Joyce was a skilled craft enthusiast, especially talented in needlepoint, quilting, crocheting, and cardmaking.

Patricia Shaddrick of Litchfield was born on October 25, 2930. She passed away January 22, 2024.

8/5/1949 to 8/30/2024 Linda Duffy, 75, of Grove City, formerly of Waverly, passed away peacefully at Hilltop Health Care Center in Watkins on August 30, 2024. Linda was born to Robert LeRoy and Barbara La- Verne (Babb) Duffy in Minneapolis. She attended school at Basilica of St. Mary’s until the family moved to Waverly in 1961. There she attended and graduated (1969) from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Waverly. She was a member of the last graduating class before the school closed. Linda was particularly fond of animals. She had horses and sheep and fowl of all kinds, as well as rabbits. She was an outdoors girl, loving to garden and nurture her animals. She moved to Grove City and her little farm in 1999. No longer having horses she continued with all the other animals she loved. Her garden was huge (50x100 feet) and she sold or gave away all the produce. If someone wanted her to grow something specific, they just needed to get her the seed and she would grow it for them. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and moved to Hilltop Care Center in January of 2024. She became quite the social butterfly there. Helping with any folding of towels she could, nicknaming some of the staff, and enjoying the comradery and care she received there. She began to deteriorate on August 14 with a trip to the ER on August 16 and release back to Hillltop Care Center on August 19. She deteriorated quickly until her passing on August 30, 2024. Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Barbara, along with her stepfather Richard Gunderson, and her sister Ruth Duffy. Linda is survived by her siblings, Michael (Dana) Duffy, Kathleen (Ed) Maas, James (Delila) Duffy, Patricia (Curt) Sandquist, Karla (Dan) Farrier, Allan (Shelley) Duffy, Susan (Larry) Hudson, Donald (Brenda) Duffy: aunt Pat Plochocki, uncle John Duffy; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life for Linda’s family and friends will be held at The Hilltop Care Center, 410 Luella St, in Wa

Mark was born on October 25, 1953, in Litchfield to Willard and Marjorie Wood. He attended Litchfield High School, class of 1971, where he was involved in several activities and sports, which included football, baseball, and audio/visual club. He went on to attend Willmar Junior College where he played two years of baseball and proceeded to finish his undergraduate degree at Mankato State University in 1975. In 1980, Mark graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul with his Juris Doctor. Mark had an extensive legal and professional career, including being admitted to Minnesota Courts and United States District Court, District of Minnesota, serving two terms as an Eighth Judicial District Board of Professional Responsibility Investigator, Meeker County Examiner of Titles, Meeker County Law Library Board Member, Litchfield City Attorney, Trustee of the Louis Roberg Endowment Trust, and Owner/Partner of Private Law Practice Wood & Rue PLLP where he was overjoyed to have his daughter, Emily, join the firm. As an active member of the Litchfield community some of his services include Litchfield Kiwanis member, founding board member of Litchfield Public Schools Foundation, founding member of Litchfield Industries, founding member of Litchfield Development Corporation, Litchfield Chamber of Commerce, Ecumen of Litchfield Advisory Board, lifelong member of Litchfield Church of God and serving as longtime treasurer, Meeker Memorial Hospital Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and Lake Washington Lake Improvement Association. While he had many professional and service accomplishments his true joy and priority in life was his family. Mark loved to say he was always surrounded by women, starting with growing up alongside three sisters. After practicing law in St. Paul he returned to his beloved hometown of Litchfield. He then met Lynn Olson and together they built their family on Lake Washington. This is where they raised their three daughters, Emily,

Sylvia Mae (Sorum) Baumgartner, 87, of Litchfield died Saturday, September 7, 2024. at her home in Litchfield with Lisa and Aaron Bonds by her side. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 13, 2024, at First Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will in Lake Ripley Cemetery. Sylvia Mae (Sorum) Baumgartner, daughter of Orville and Bernice (Halbakken), was born June 20, 1937, in Pelican Rapids. She graduated from Pelican Rapids High School in 1955. Sylvia met Carl while he was working for Johnson Bros. Corporation on a job building the road that ran past her family’s farm. On July 16, 1955, she was united in marriage to Carl Baumgartner in Rothsay. Together they moved to several states as they followed Carl’s work. They settled in Litchfield in 1972. Sylvia built a warm, loving and incredibly well-organized home everywhere they lived. She was the consummate entertainer and nothing made her happier than a beautifully decorated table full of family, friends, food and laughter. Sylvia’s pride in her Norwegian heritage was notorious and she always had a twinkle in her eye as she greeted everyone in Norwegian. Carl and Sylvia traveled across the United States and around the world and she loved telling stories of their adventures. As a friend noted, Sylvia was the hardest working, kindest lady. She could do anything, and, ran circles around most people half her age. Always in motion - she loved using her riding lawnmower to keep her property looking like a perfectly manicured park. She leaves behind her church family at First Lutheran; a very sad Friday-night Legion crew; dear friends; beloved family and hundreds of perfectly and beautifully embroidered dish towels. She is survived by her sister, Beverly (Jerry) Sanden; children, Allen Baumgartner of Strasburg, Colo., and Lisa (Aaron) Bonds of Robbinsdale; daughter-in-law Mattie (Robinson) Baumgartner; daughter-in-law, Margaret (Ma