Obituaries
James H. Harter
Feb 19, 2026
James (Jim) Hubert Harter, born on November 21, 1942, in Independence, Missouri, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2026, leaving behind a legacy rooted in hard work, humor, love, and the simple joys of a life well lived.
Jim grew up on the family farm, a backdrop that shaped his character for the rest of his life. The values he learned...
Helen Lorene Akers
Feb 18, 2026
Helen Lorene (Helmick), Akers, 97, of Independence, MO, passed away February 18, 2026, in Sedalia, MO.
An only child, Helen was born May 31, 1928, in Turney, MO. Over the course of her life she came to be the dedicated homemaker whose devotion and attention to family and friends made her loved and cherished by all of those around her.
In her...
Yong Ae Herndon
Feb 18, 2026
Yong Ae Herndon, age 86, passed away on February 18th, 2026 in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Yong Ae was born in Seoul, South Korea on October 10th, 1939, and made the decision to immigrate to the United States in the late 1960s. Though the life of an immigrant wasn’t easy, she faced the challenges ahead of...
Romana Maria Warner
Feb 17, 2026
Romana Maria Warner, age 88 years, of Independence, Missouri, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. A visitation will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM with a funeral service to follow at 10:00 AM at Speaks Suburban Chapel, located at 18020 E 39th St S, Independence, Missouri, 64055. A graveside service will...
Jeffrey Bruce "Jeff" Burns
Feb 17, 2026
Jeffrey Bruce Burns passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on February 17, 2026 at Saint Luke’s Hospice House, after a lengthy battle with congestive heart failure. He was born on May 6, 1958 to Daniel Bernard and Joan Elizabeth (Elkins) Burns in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Raymore-Peculiar High School in 1977. He went to work for Kansas...
Deborah "Deb" Ann Klumpp
Feb 16, 2026
Deborah Ann Klumpp, lovingly known as "Deb," passed away on February 16, 2026, in Lee's Summit, Missouri, at the age of 69. Born on September 9, 1956, in Storm Lake, Iowa, Deb was a bright light whose selfless nature and kind spirit touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.
Her adventurous soul was evident in the...
Jerry Edward Edmondson
Feb 15, 2026
Jerry Edward Edmondson, 87, of Raytown, Missouri, died peacefully on February 15, 2026.
He was born August 6, 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri, to Helen Louise Truce (Conley) Edmondson and Wallace E. Edmondson. He was fortunate to have a younger sister, Judy, join the family soon after his arrival.
Jerry had many happy childhood memories filled with unsupervised adventures with neighborhood friends,...
Elaine Ruth Schroeder
Feb 14, 2026
Elaine Ruth Schroeder, 84 of Independence, MO passed away Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Good Shepherd Community Hospice House in Concordia, MO. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at the Messiah Lutheran Church, 613 S. Main St., Independence, MO 64050 with burial to follow in Woodlawn Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 10:00...
Gerald Ray "Jerry" Beachner
Feb 14, 2026
Gerald Ray Beachner, Jerry to most, passed away peacefully on February 14th, 2026. Jerry was born on June 26, 1955, in Independence, Missouri to Sherman and Dora (Burnham) Beachner.
Jerry was a loving husband and father, who owned his own antique business and worked in various retail industries before a career ending injury placed him on disability.
He loved the outdoors and...
Ronald David "Ron" Brim, Sr.
Feb 12, 2026
Ronald David "Ron" Brim, Sr., age 75 years, of Independence, Missouri, passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones on Thursday, February 12, 2026. Born on January 6, 1951, in Kansas City, Missouri, to John Thomas Brim and Bessie Emaline (Green) Brim, Ron was known for his love for his family especially his grandkids, his knowledge about everything and anything...
Margo LaVonne Mayfield
Feb 12, 2026
Margo LaVonne Mayfield, a beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away on February 12, 2026, in Independence, Missouri, at the age of 80. Margo was born on August 17, 1945, in Boone, Iowa, to John and Iris (Tracy) Parcel.
Margo graduated from Boone High School and briefly pursued higher education, aspiring to work in a pharmacy. However, her professional journey...
Justin Anthony Zander
Feb 10, 2026
Justin Anthony Zander, born on March 17, 1994, in Independence, Missouri, passed away at the age of 31 on February 10, 2026, in his hometown. Justin was born to Shawn Zander and Tonya Vaughn.
Growing up in Independence, Justin attended William Chrisman High School but made the brave decision to leave school early to care for his mother. Later, he pursued...
Emma Jean Newland
Feb 10, 2026
Emma Jean Newland 101, passed away on February 1O, 2026. She was born in Bates County, Missouri on June 16, 1924, to Emmett Sherod and Kate Faye Shannon. That same year they moved to a farm in Miami County, Kansas where she attended a one room schoolhouse in Jingo, Kansas and then attended Drexel, Missouri High School. After graduation from...
Gary Duane Love
Feb 7, 2026
Gary D. Love, 75, passed away quietly at his home on Saturday, February 7. He was born on January 4, 1951, to Dena Louise and B. Duane Love. Gary grew up in Independence, MO and graduated from Truman High School in 1969.
Early on, Gary had a tremendous fear of being in front of people. In first grade, when his name...
Gail Morse
Feb 7, 2026
Gail MorseMarch 18, 1943 – February 7, 2026Gail F. Morse passed peacefully on February 7, 2026.She was preceded in death by her husband, Ron, and is survived by her children, Shawn and Erin.Gail was an interior designer with impeccable taste and a style all her own. Friends and family never failed to admire her eye for design—or eagerly anticipate what...
Cory Dean Lawrence
Feb 6, 2026
Cory Dean Lawrence, a cherished husband, father, and friend, passed away too soon on February 6, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. Born on January 27, 1973, in Independence, Missouri, Cory lived a life filled with joy, love, and a dedication to his family, which he often referred to as his proudest accomplishment.
As a skilled RV technician, Cory took great pride...
Sun Pae Kim
Feb 6, 2026
Sun Pae Kim passed away peacefully on February 6th, 2026, at the age of 100, in Blue Springs, Missouri. She was born on January 23, 1926, in Chungnam, South Korea, where her journey began.
Sun Pae married her husband, Yi Man Song, in 1942, and together they created their family of eleven. After Yi Man’s passing in 1985, she showed remarkable...
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