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Submitted: 10/19/14 • Approved: 10/28/14 • Last Updated: 4/19/18 • R758188-G758188-S3
Cona
May 5, 1915
Apr 29, 2000
Cora
Jul 24, 1917
Dec 23, 2002
Cona Buchanan Steely was born May 5, 1915, at Elk Creek, Missouri to John Buchanan Steel and Settie Jane Sigman Steely. He passed away April 29, 2000, at Willow Care Nursing Home, Willow springs, Missouri, making his age 84 years, 11 months and 24 days.
Coney, as everyone called him, was married to Cora "Mae" Edwards July 11, 1952, at Salem, Arkansas, and to this union two daughters were born.
Coney joined the CCCs (Civilian Conservation Corps) at Rolla, Missouri, from 1936 until 1938 under the Roosevelt administration. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 until 1945.
He enjoyed visiting with family and friends and never met a stranger and had something to say to everyone.
He was proud of his heritage. His grandfather, Dr. john A. Steely, founded Steely Chapel in Elk Creek during the 1800s. It is today an historical landmark. Coney was saved there at an early age and was Sunday school superintendent for several years and occasional song leader at Steely Chapel where he was an active member, attending as long as health permitted.
He was also an active member of Texas County Historical Society.
Coney loved the country life and his favorite pastime in his younger days was to be outdoors where he learned how to yodel, an art that most younger generations today know nothing of, yet he passed it down to his son-in-law and grandson. He could make sounds of the hoot owl and the train whistle. Neighbors for a mile or more around liked to hear him yodel and do the train whistle. Before they realized it was his imitation, they thought for sure the locomotive was coming up through the woods.
Surviving him are his wife, Mae of Willow Care Nursing Home, Willow Springs; two daughters, Delores and Ronnie Maness of Cabool, Missouri, and Gloria and Mark Becker of Cleveland, Texas; a sister, Berthena and Leon Prentice of Ridgefield, Washington; three grandchildren, James, Aaron, and Angelina Becker of Cleveland, Texas; numerous other family members and many friends and neighbors.
He has been preceded in death by his parents, three half brothers and two half sisters.
Services were held 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, 2000, in Elliott-Gentry Funeral Chapel in Cabool with Rev. Darrel Loughridge officiating. Burial was in Steely Chapel Cemetery in Elk Creek.
Cora Mae Edwards Steely, 85, youngest daughter of William Jones Edwards and Sarah Jane Hutsell Edwards, was born July 24, 1917, near Mountain Grove. She died Dec. 23, 2002.
She attended one-room country schools in the Mountain Grove area including Lone Star and Brushy Knob. After her education, she worked for various families as a housekeeper, caregiver or wherever needed.
She married Cona Steely July 11, 1952, at Salem, Ark. They had two daughters and lived on a farm near Elk Creek. Mrs. Steely worked for Brauer Brothers and Brown Shoe Co., where she retired in 1980. She was saved at an early age and attended Steely Chapel Church at Elk Creek, where she was Sunday School secretary for many years. Her favorite pastime was reminiscing about old times with her husband, family and friends. She enjoyed traveling around the U.S. to visit family and friends, using the Trailways Bus as her transportation. She took pride in her bead-work, sewing and fishing in the farm pond.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 47.5 years April 2000; a daughter, Vera Higgins November 2002; her parents; and brothers and sisters, Edith, Elma, Ada, Elizabeth, Argus, John and Staley. Surviving are two daughters, Delores Maness of Cabool and Gloria Becker of Cleveland, Texas; one sister, Treva Trittle of Winchester, Kan.; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Services were Dec. 27 at the Elliott-Gentry Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Richard Loughridge officiating. Burial was in the Steely Chapel Cemetery at Elk Creek. Memorials may be made to Community Hospice of Mountain Grove. "
Contributed on 10/19/14 by mjrwag
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Record #: 758188