To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Missouri Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Missouri, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 8/4/16 • Approved: 11/30/21 • Last Updated: 12/3/21 • R795044-G795044-S3
Don
May 18, 1928 St. Louis City, MO
Jan 1, 1998 Willow Springs, Howell, MO
Son of Clarence & Bernice (Mohrman) Ferner
Betty
Aug 13, 1927
Feb 17, 2017
Elizabeth (Betty) Jane Ferner nee Smith passed away in Rockwall, TX, on Friday, February 17, 2017. Betty was born in Akron, OH, on August 13, 1927, to Helen and Stephen Smith. At the age of two, she moved to St. Louis, MO, and attended Catholic schools with her two older sisters. She graduated from Nerinx Hall High School and attended Webster University. Betty worked as an operator at Bell Telephone and married the late Donald William Ferner at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church on June 18, 1949. Betty and Don moved to Spokane, WA, while he continued his service in the United States Air Force. Their oldest daughter, Karen Jean, was born in Washington and upon their return to St. Louis, they had three more daughters: Sally Ann, Deborah Louise and Mary Elizabeth. Betty and Don built a home in South County and were very active in their church and daughters’ lives and sports. Betty loved playing bridge, bowling, socializing with friends and family, being a part of the St. Louis Campfire Girls Assoc., Mary Queen of the Universe Women’s Sodality and taking summer trips to Minnesota to fish.
In 1969, Don was transferred to SE Missouri with Angelica Uniform Co. and they made their home in Willow Springs, Missouri. Betty and Don made numerous friends, became very active parishioners at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, were members of the Willow Springs Golf Club and Willow Springs Outing Club and began traveling to Walking Horse Assoc. competitive horse shows with their youngest daughters. Betty owned A & M Beauty Supply, was a census data collector, worked at the United States Forestry Service, volunteered at M.U.N.C.H., was a member of WS Study Club and other various community organizations. Don passed away on January 1, 1998, and Betty continued her volunteer work, casino excursions, vacations and visits with her daughters and spouses, 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. During the summer of 2015 (due to poor health), Betty moved to Rockwall, TX, to Arbor House Assisted Living to be close to her two youngest daughters. Betty joined the Rockwall Newcomers and Friends, participated in many family celebrations, loved going to the show and out to eat and played cards and dominoes with anyone willing. There was no one in hearing distance that did not get to know Betty and enjoy her stories and feisty sense of humor. She is lovingly known by friends and family to always have a book tucked away in her purse, a little candy in a pocket, making Chex mix and playing a wicked hand of 7-Card Stud. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends. Her earthly journey is complete and may the Lord lift her up on eagle’s wings.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband: Donald Ferner; parents: Helen Smith McLean and Stephen Smith; stepfather: James McLean; sister: Anita Regal; parents-in-law: Clarence and Bernice Ferner; brothers-in-law: Arnold Regal, Albert Vaughn and Jack Ferner; and nephews: Steve Regal and Greg Vaughn. Those left to mourn her passing are daughters: Karen (James) Donelson of Spring, TX, Sally (Bill) Gooch of Conway, AR, Debbie Ferner of Rockwall, TX, and Mary (Walter) Wilmoth of Wylie, TX; grandchildren: Donald (Peyton) Gooch, Matt (Marsha) Gooch, Jeff (Jennifer) Gooch, Ryan (Rebecca) Donelson, Kim (Will) Holford, Julie (Chris) Pursch, Chris (Nicole) Gooch, Kelly Donelson, Lauren (Devin) McDowell and Michael Donelson: 10 great-grandsons (plus 1 on the way); 2 great-granddaughters; sister: Marjorie Vaughn of Alton, IL; and brother-in-law: Mike and (Jeanne) Ferner of St. Louis, MO; along with many nieces, nephews, and more friends than you can count.
A funeral mass and celebration of Betty’s life will be held 11:30am Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Willow Springs, MO. Rest Haven Funeral Home in Rockwall, TX, and Willow Springs Funeral Home in Willow Springs, MO, are coordinating all arrangements.
Contributed on 8/4/16 by mjrwag
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 795044