Ada Marie (Golden) Waites

Ada Marie Waites, age 86 years and five months, passed away on Friday, April 12, 2013, at the Cedar County Memorial Hospital in El Dorado Springs, Mo. She was born Nov. 14, 1926, to Romie Lee and Myrtle Mae (Wear) Golden in Cooper County (Clarks Fork) -- Boonville, Mo.

Ada attended grade school, middle school, and high school in Florence, Mo., and graduated in 1942 from the 10th grade. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior at a young age while attending the Baptist Church in Boonville where her family attended. After graduation, Ada along with her parents, moved to Kansas City, Mo., where she began employment with American Can Company and Lake City Arsenal during World War II.

On Jan. 26, 1946, Corporal Charles R. Waites, a fellow Marine to Ada's brother Leo was granted leave from the U.S. Marine Corps long enough to marry Miss Ada Marie Golden. After marrying Charles, they built a life in Kansas City while raising their two children. Ada retired from a 30 year career at Avon Products in Kansas City, holding several positions and lastly working as a postage clerk. She was a more than 62 year member of Golden Gate Eastern Star Chapter No. 38 in Kansas City, Mo.

In 1975, Charles and Ada moved to Harwood, Mo., where they enjoyed retirement -- hunting, fishing, gardening, and preparing delicious meals for the family. She was a wonderful cook, with wild game being her specialty. The couple were married 63 years before Charles passed away on April 2, 2009. In January 2011, due to health issues, Ada left her Harwood home and moved to El Dorado Springs Residential Care where she was residing at the time of her death.

In addition to her husband, Ada was preceded in death by her parents; and siblings, Louella (Kruse) Dittmer and husband, Lester, of Smithton, Mo., Dennis M. Kruse and wife, Lillian, of Kingsville, Mo., Lewis H. Kruse of Camdenton, Mo., and Charles Leo Golden of Mountain Home, Ark. Survivors include her son, Charles Waites Jr. of Blue Springs, Mo., and his children, Shelley Studdard and her husband, Martin, of Blue Springs, Mo., and Monica Brickey and her husband, Jason, of Independence, Mo.; her daughter, Rhonda McKinney and her husband, Bill, of Harwood, Mo., and their children, Brooke McPeak and her husband, Ethan, of Springfield, Mo.; her one and only grandson, Blake McKinney of Harwood, Mo.; great-grandchildren, Zoe Brickey of Independence, Mo., and Sophia, Olivia, and Gabriel Studdard of Blue Springs, Mo.; special sisters-in-law, Margurette Kruse of Edwards, Mo., Elizabeth (Betty) Golden of Mountain Home, Ark., Wanda Lassen of Caseyville, Ill., and Vernette (Bunny) Longbottom of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; and special nieces and nephews, who for the past year had looked forward and enjoyed attending their monthly cousin's day lunches where precious memories were shared.

Funeral services for Ada Marie Waites were held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 16, at the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home in Schell City, Mo., with the Rev. Harry "Butch" Chronister officiating and granddaughter, Shelley Studdard, offering the eulogy. Musical selections were provided by Martin Studdard and Rusty Carver. Pallbearers were Shelley and Martin Studdard, Monica and Jason Brickey, Brooke and Ethan McPeak, and Blake McKinney. Interment was in Green Lawn Cemetery in Schell City.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Green Lawn Cemetery or the Schell City Rural Volunteer Fire Department. Funeral arrangements for Mrs. Waites were entrusted to the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home in Schell City.