Shirley Anne Rector

Shirley Anne Fenwick Rector, age 75, of Lamar, Missouri, peacefully passed away in her sleep Friday morning, February 8, 2013, at home. Shirley was born February 20, 1937, in Denver, Colorado, the oldest of three, to Richard Stephen Fenwick, Sr, and Lillian Christine Andersen. She grew up and attended school in Deer Trail, Colorado, was a high school cheerleader, played the flute and won many piano competitions. On July 5, 1953, she married Everett F. Rector from Agate, Colorado, sharing almost 49 years of marriage, before his death June 22, 2002. Their entire lives were devoted to farming, milking cows, and Everett worked on highway construction. They lived on a 3,300 acre ranch south of Agate, then moved to Deer Trail, before they moved to Barton County to a large dairy farm just east of Lamar, Missouri, in March 1964. “The Farm”, as coined by the kids, became the lifelong family farm, and will remain in the family. Everett and Shirley raised nine children-- eight daughters and one son. Shirley devoted her life to her family, a woman that will be foremost remembered for her beautiful smile, her kind heart, her heartfelt music, and poetry, next to being one of the most diligent workers known. Serving with the gift of music, Shirley served as the pianist of Forest Grove Baptist Church and played for the Barton County Baptist Hymn-signs while they raised their family. She later became the pianist of Cornerstone Southern Baptist Church for many years-- a church that she and her husband helped to organize and build. Gifted with verse and rhyme, she also became well known for her volumes of poetry. She was preceded in death by an infant brother, her parents, her husband, two young daughters, Verlene Jean (December 1959) and Alice Sue Rector (July 1965), and a married daughter to cancer-- Laura Mae Rector Graves (December 2001). She is survived by six children: Linda “Lynn” Bryant and husband Eric, Joplin, MO; son, Cole Lee Rector and wife, Dora, Lamar, MO; Sherry Ann Vermillion and husband, Rick, Shawnee, KS; Donna Lynn Harpole and husband Rich, Barstow, CA; Sandra Dee Rector and partner Ron Kirby, Jericho Springs, MO; and Misty Jo Rector and partner Shawn Crain, Lamar, MO; and her son-in-law Fay Graves, Edwardsville, KS; her brother, Dr. Richard Stephen Fenwick, Jr. and wife Betty, Sun City, AZ; plus 23 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 16th, at Daniel Funeral Home, with Pastor Jack Slade officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Friday and again Saturday from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Burial will be in Memory Garden in Lamar. Contributions may be made to the Shirley Rector Memorial in care of Daniel Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be Rich Harpole, Eric Bryant, Jack Leidholt, Ron Kirby, Shawn Crain, and Jerry Rector. Honorary pallbearers will be Cole Rector, Jeremy Orahood, Troy Floyd, Dustin Hamilton, Jeffery and Jeremiah Farmer, Christian Rector, Josh Rector, Jonathan Rector, David Gerths, and David Alberico.