Bernard Carothers Farrell

Bernard Carothers Farrell, 96. Hume, Mo., passed away on Dec. 13, 2011, at the Paul and Martha Barone Care Center, Nevada, Mo. He was born Oct. 31, 1915, in Topeka, Kan., to Francis (Frank) and Mable (Carothers) Farrell. He lived the majority of his childhood, from the age of 2 until adulthood, with his uncle and aunt, Cleve and Ethel (Carothers) Spillman, of the Metz area.

Bernard attended grade school at the White Rock school north of Metz. He later graduated from Metz High School in 1933, and married his high school sweetheart, Wilma Lavern Ransom, on May 19, 1937, in Butler, Mo. To this union they celebrated 72 years of marriage. He spent the majority of his years farming in the Metz area with the exception of the first few years after he and Lavern were married. It was during those years they lived in Topeka, Kan., where he drove a city bus, worked at the Udora Powder plant and Kansas City Power and Light. They returned to Henry Township in the early 1940s, where they spent the remainder of their lives farming. At a very young age, Bernard became very skilled at fishing, hunting, and continued that into his retirement years. He also became extremely good at shooting trap, as he called it "clay pigeons." Even at the age of 91 with his daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, he could break three out of five with a 20-gauge shotgun. He was the best of storytellers and loved his family dearly as they loved and cherished him. Bernard was a member of the Flume Christian Church and the Richards Masonic Lodge.

Survivors include two daughters, Colleen Reed and husband, Tom, of Rich Hill, Mo., Sheila Morgan and husband, Robert, of Hume; four granddaughters, Anita (Reed) Byers and husband, Steve, Nevada, Lori (Reed) Mabe and husband, Tom, Overland Park, Kan., Lesley (Morgan) Cochran and husband, David, Round Rock, Texas, Rhonda (Morgan) Yarick and husband, Steve, Rich Hill, Mo.; two stepgrandsons, Preston Morgan and wife, Rainey, Weaver, Ala., and Doug Morgan and wife, Chris, of Virginia; 11 great-grandchildren, Matt Byers, Alyssa Byers, Allison Mabe, Kyle Mabe, Luke Cochran, Alec Cochran, Leah Cochran, Abigail Yarick, Hope Yarick, Deborah Yarick and Rebekah Yarick; and seven stepgreat-grandchildren, Melissa Morgan, Michelle Morgan Lively, Matt Morgan, Victoria Morgan Russell, Elania Morgan, Aunna Morgan and Joshua Morgan.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his aunt and uncle, Cleve and Ethel Spillman; one brother, Frank; one sister, Madeline; and his wife, Lavern, of 72 years on Sept. 1, 2009.

The family visitation will be held at the Heuser Funeral Home in Rich Hill, Mo., on Dec. 14, from 6-7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the Hume Christian Church, Thursday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. Burial will follow in the Underwood Cemetery south of Hume, Mo.

The family suggest memorial contributions to the Hume Christian Church in care of Heuser Funeral Home.

Funeral arrangements are made by the Heuser Funeral Home, Rich Hill.