Obituaries

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

DECEMBER 28, 1952 AUGUST 29, 2024 Robert “Bob” Orscheln, 71, of Columbia, MO, passed away on August 29, 2024. Born in Moberly, Missouri, on December 28, 1952, to Don and Joan Orscheln, Bob grew up in Moberly, where he attended St. Pius X School and graduated from Moberly High School in 1971. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Economics from Carroll College in Helena, Montana, in 1975. On August 21, 1976, Bob married Beth Wright, in Moberly, MO. The couple soon moved to the Kansas City area, where they built a life together, raising four children in Liberty, MO. Bob’s professional journey was marked by his entrepreneurial spirit; in 1983, he co-founded Orbseal, a provider of engineered sealant solutions for the automotive industry. After the company’s sale in 2004, Bob became President of Orscheln Products, a leading supplier of parking brake levers and cables. Bob was not only a successful businessman but also a dedicated community leader. He served on the boards of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, several Catholic school boards, and the advisory board of the University of Central Missouri. His commitment to service extended to his roles as Director and President of the Liberty Hospital Foundation, a supporter of Coyote Hill, and an advocate for the Vitae Society and Love Columbia. Family was the cornerstone of Bob’s life. He is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Beth Orscheln, and their children: Constance Gillaspie and her husband Brandon of Columbia, MO; Neale Orscheln and his wife Angela of Overland Park, KS; Ashley Burns and her husband Connor of Kansas City, MO; and Lydia Kelling and her husband Ross of Kansas City, MO. He was a proud grandfather to Valle, Gracie, Ainsley, Ariel, Avery, Anaya, Alari, Isabelle, Maddox, and Violet. Bob is also survived by his stepmother, Judy Orscheln, and his mother-in-law, Jeanine Wright, as well as his siblings: Barry Orscheln, Mary Joan Wood, Faith Kemp, Gayle Morris, John Orsch

Linda Fitzgerald Pryor, 86, of Phoenix, Ariz., passed away on August 18, 2024, with her family by her side. Born on September 1, 1937, in Springfield, Mo., she married Richard S. Pryor on July 10, 1960. The family resided in Blue Springs, Mo., from 1973 until 1993. Linda is survived by her husband, Richard; daughter, Kelley Pryor Amrein and her husband James; grandchildren, Andrew, Shannon, and Jonathon; and son, Richard Alexander Pryor. A memorial service will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Monday, September 16, 2024, at The Manor Village, Phoenix. Donations can be made to Hospice of the Valley or Cause 4 Paws Pet Food Bank. Arrangements by Messinger Mortuary.

Paul Atwood Victor, 58, of Liberty, Missouri, passed away August 21, 2024. Family led services will be at 1:00pm, Saturday, September 7, 2024 at the family home, with an open house following until 4:00pm. Please call Church-Archer-Pasley Fun eral Home at 816-781-2000 for additional information. In lieu of flowers, consider donations to the Wyandot Center of Kansas City, KS. Paul was born on August 24, 1965 in Kansas City, Missouri and was adopted by loving parents, Frank and Kathleen Victor. He graduated from Barstow High School in KC, MO and then attended the University of Minnesota, Duluth and the University of Kansas before starting a twenty-three year long career as a banker for Norbank. Paul also worked as a contractor for more than 30 years restoring numerous historical properties in downtown Liberty. Paul was a Realtor with RE/MAX for over 10 years, while continuing to remodel and build homes. He married his long-time friend, Carla Schmitz in 2021. Paul had a deep passion for charitable work and serving others. He also volunteered his time and efforts with Wyandot Behavioral Health Network (14 yrs), Paces, Kim Wilson Housing, Robert’s Place, Transitions Family Visitations Centers, Synergy Services, CASA, and YMCA. Other facets of his life included Liberty road district commissioner and founding member of Historic Downtown Liberty, where he was named Preservationist of the Year in 2006. His defining characteristic was his open, empathetic, and giving nature. Paul was truly a caregiver at heart and provided for others at every opportunity. He had a strong passion for restoring old cars and growing an impressive library of books. When not in the metro area, you could find Paul on the North Shores of Lake Superior, MN or tending to his family farm in Stockton, MO. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Kathleen Victor; and his sister, Laura Victor. Paul is survived by his wife, Carla Schmitz; his daughter, Kasaundra Victor and her partner Jacob Smit

Steven A. Wright, 54, of Liberty, Missouri passed away after a long illness on Monday, August 5, 2024. A memorial visitation will be held from 10:00am-noon, followed by a Celebration of Steven’s life at noon, on August 31, 2024 at Church- Archer-Pasley Funeral Home, 119 E. Franklin St., Liberty, MO 64068. Steven was born July 29, 1970 in Kansas City, Kansas to Steven R. and Florence F. Wright. He lived in Germany for a short time before his family moved to the United States, ending up in the Kansas City area. In 1991, he received a culinary certificate from a culinary school in Utah. He leaves behind two sons: Steven R. Wright II & Zachary Wright. Steven married the love of his life, Heather Hubbell, in the mid-1990s. They raised their son, Zachary Wright in the Liberty area. Steven worked in asphalt paving for most of his career. He was very active in the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, dressing up, cooking candied nuts & roleplaying.

Clayton Louis Hampy, 70, of Liberty, MO, passed away on August 3rd, 2024 peacefully in his home with family gathered around. Clay was born at home on September 15th, 1953, to Charles and Jewel Hampy. He attended Liberty High School and graduated in 1971. In 1972 Clay married Debbie Osa at South Liberty Baptist Church. They had two children, Carrie (52) and Chad (51). Clay began his career at General Motors in the 70’s, where he worked for 30 years and was able to retire at an early age. In retirement, he enjoyed golfing, traveling, spending time with his family & friends and watching all sports. One of his favorite things to do was to sit outside on his patio and watch the wildlife in his backyard with a salty dog in one hand and a cigar in the other. He would often fill up pools in the summer in the backyard for his grandchildren and great grandchildren to play in while the adults watched over them. Clay had several friends from childhood to adulthood and was still close to them over the years, they were like family to him. Clay was preceded in death by his parents,Charles and Jewel Hampy, his eldest sister, Christy Hampy, and his wife Debbie (Osa) Hampy. He is survived by his siblings, Cathy Van Dijk (Jack) and Candy Hampy; his children, Carrie (Hampy) Smith (Eric) and Chad Hampy; his grandchildren, Ryan Fotovich (Megan) and Caterina Hampy; and his great-grandchildren, Edison Fotovich and Theodore Fotovich. A Celebration of Life will be held this spring, where family and friends will gather to honor Clay’s memory. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society or a charity of your choice.

Victoria Sue Berry, June 18, 1947 - August 13, 2023, passed away peacefully in Liberty, Missouri. Rosary: Friday, August 23, 9:45am, Church of Annunciation, Kearney, MO. Visitation: Friday, August 23, 10-11am, also at the Church. Funeral Mass: Friday, August 23, 11am-12noon, also at the Church. To read full obituary, visit: https://www. hiddenvalleyfunerals.com/

Randall “Randy” Carl Phillips, age 76, of Liberty, MO died at home on August 17, 2024, surrounded by his wife and family, his baptism in Christ, complete. Randy had a brief time of hospice care after a metastatic melanoma diagnosis but lived his life with purpose and love to his last breath, just as he had done for more than seven decades, a life full of gratitude, laughter, and service.