Leta Bell Malcom

Leta Bell Malcom, 95, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She was born Oct. 22, 1918, in Appleton City, Mo., to David Dotson and Dorothy Ethel (Henderson) Dotson. She and Asa C. Malcom were married on Dec. 2, 1937, in El Dorado Springs, Mo. He preceded her in death on Feb. 17, 1996.

Leta attended school in Schell City, Mo. Later, the couple moved to Iowa for work at Anderson Farms. After a couple of years in Iowa, the family moved back to Missouri, living in Bates and Vernon counties.

While her husband served in the U.S. Marines, Leta lived and worked at the Sunflower Ordinance Plant in Kansas making gunpowder. After his military duty, the family moved back to Missouri to farm near Metz. They moved to Nevada in 1962, where she worked at the Nevada Habilitation Center from 1967, until her retirement in 1984, prior to having worked at Nellie Don from 1960-67.

Leta was a talented woman. She sang with the "Sweet Adelines," was a seamstress making all of her children's clothing to perfectionism, and had a gift for writing poetry. Leta was a member of Pine Street Baptist Church where she also did volunteer work.

Survivors include seven children, Charlotte Decker and Jim, Bellevue, Neb., Gentry Malcom, Joseph Malcom, Phyllis Young and Bob, and David Malcom, all of Nevada, Evelyn Fix and Steven, Morenci, Ariz., and Melody Thompson, Carthage, Mo.; 20 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Aside from her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Thomas.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, with the Revs. Chad Bailey, Steven Fix, and Jim Decker officiating. Interment will follow in Moore Cemetery, Nevada. The family will receive friends from noon to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the Pine Street Baptist Church in care of Ferry Funeral Home.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.