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Royer Funeral Home, 101 S. E. 15th Street, Oak Grove, MO (2026)

02/02/2026

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our matriarch, Lyda Dianne West at age 76, on January 28, 2026. Dianne was born on April 26, 1949, in Kansas City, MO. She was a 1967 graduate of Odessa High School and long-time resident of Oak Grove, MO.

Dianne’s career included work as a beautician, homemaker, and later several positions within Commercial Bank of Oak Grove. She was a talented seamstress, known for her handmade Halloween costumes and cross-stitch, but also found joy in baking, reading, and spending time with her family. Her love for big cats was matched only by her devotion to her grandchildren.

Dianne was preceded in death by her husband, Don West; her mother and step-father, Don (Joe) and Pauline Tilton; her father and step-mother, John and Claire Cloud; and her step-brothers, George Tilton and James Tilton.

She is survived by her children: Crickette West, Cristin Hackley, and Chad West; her half-brother, John Cloud; step-siblings, Donna Tilton Longhofer and Tom Tilton; and her cherished grandchildren: Bailee, Hunter, and Luna Hackley, and Julian Gutierrez. All that knew her children and grandchildren well, considered her another mother and ‘Nana’ as she considered them bonus children and grandchildren also.

Dianne’s legacy lives on in the warmth, creativity, and love she shared with her family and friends as well as the humor and spirit she brought with her always. Her memory will forever be a source of comfort and inspiration.

A visitation will be held on Friday, February 6th from 5-8pm at Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove.

Obituary submitted by the family.
Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri.

01/31/2026

Ailisa Jane Hall, 53, of Oak Grove, Missouri, passed away due to an unfortunate accident. Services will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, with visitation at 4:00 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Life at 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Royer Funeral Home to help defray funeral expenses.

Ailisa graduated with the Oak Grove High School Class of 1991. She was a Girl Scout, played softball, and took gymnastics as a kid. Ailisa was the financial secretary for Koger Cemetery and the softball scorekeeper for the Youth Lady Panther softball team. She was a former lunch lady for the Oak Grove School District and had worked numerous jobs over the years, including Gateway Computers, OOIDA, and other local establishments.

Ailisa was preceded in death by her parents, Tony and Sherry Hall. Her survivors include son, Sam Johnson; daughters, Isabel Brennan and Meredith Brennan; grandchildren, Chozyn and Major Brennan; brother, Eric Hall; and the fathers of her children, Stuart Johnson and Chad Brennan.

Ailisa was a very loving daughter, sister, mother, aunt, and grandmother. She was full of energy and always had a smart comment to get a laugh and enhance the moment. Her curly red hair always made an impression, along with her energy. She will be missed, as her love will leave a void in our hearts.

Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri

01/30/2026

Bryan Thomas “Tommy” Hoerl, age 66, of Blue Springs, MO, passed away on January 28, 2026, at St. Mary's Hospital. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Elks Lodge located at 100 E. Brizendine Rd in Blue Springs at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

Bryan was born on July 18, 1959, in Kansas City, MO, the son of Bobby and Florence (Adair) Hoerl. He married his love, Carol Dawn on April 1, 1978. Bryan enjoyed spending time at the lake with his family, fishing, gardening, and cooking for family gatherings. He was well known for being the hardest worker anyone had ever met.

Bryan was preceded in death by his parents, sister Sharon Root, and his loving wife Carol Dawn of 34 years.

His survivors include his 3 children: Bobby Hoerl (Tabitha) of Blue Springs MO, Matthew Hoerl (Brandee) of Oak Grove MO, and Ashley Untiedt (Justin Anderson) of Sedalia MO; 6 grandchildren: Jordyn, Carson, Aleck, Eleana, McKenzie, Isabella, and Samuel; 1 great-grandchild, Donovan; 3 brothers: Jim Hoerl (Debi), Jerry Hoerl (Julie), and John Hoerl; and many other extended family members.

Obituary submitted by the family.
Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri

01/28/2026

James Leroy Walls Jr. passed away on January 24th, 2026 peacefully in his sleep with his dog Missy cuddled up in his lap. A Celebration of Life will be held on February 28th at the Heartland Church located at 400 S.W Lake Village, Blue Springs, Missouri. Visitation will be from 10:00am-11:30am with services beginning at 11:30am. The family invites those to stay for a luncheon to follow.

He was born to James and Alma Walls on August 21, 1969 in Kansas City Missouri. He was the only child from this union but was one of five children. He attended Truman High School and lived in the surrounding area for most of his life.
Jim was an avid transportation engineer and wore many hats at various trucking companies. Some of those hats were not limited to management, sales, and experienced truck driver. In fact, he’s driven more miles backwards than most people have driven forward—at one time he estimated at least 4 million miles. Despite him knowing how to drive backwards, his loving wife, Gwen is the one in the relationship that knew how to drive straight. Together, they navigated many adventures.

Jim and Gwen were united in marriage on April 4th, 2021. They had a true love story that brought them back together in later years. Their families were united and between them they had eight children.

Jim enjoyed hunting, spending time outdoors, camo, cowboy boots, and strumming on the guitar. He was a master griller, it might not always be the best; but he was an experimenter in the kitchen especially when cooking alongside the ones he loved most. He also enjoyed serving others and served as a Scout Master for twelve years. He described him self as a simple man, or others might say—a simple red neck that loved life and loved others selflessly.

He is preceded in death by his father James “Jim” Walls Sr; sister Beverly Walls Gaulden; maternal grandparents Ed and Ruth Hargrave; and paternal grandparents Tom and Lois Walls.

He is survived by his wife Gwen Walls of the home; mother Alma Hargrave- Walls; Sons Dallas James Walls (Brooke); Shawn Engel (Angela); Jesse Engel (Mattie); Richard Tallen; Ronnie Tallen; Randy Tallen; Roger Tallen (Autumn); daughter Regina Tallen; sisters Patty Hoaglin (Denny); Kim Hunter (Jerry); and brother Timothy Grother; Step-mother Jo Ann Walls; grandchildren and several extended family members and a long list friends he consider family—not to leave out his fur baby “babygirl” Missy.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorial contributions to be made to his wife Gwen to assist in covering expenses.

Arrangements made by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, MO.

01/28/2026

Jimmy E. Ashby Sr., 77, of Independence, Missouri, passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026.

Jimmy was born August 30, 1948, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of John Franklin and Lorrain Idalle (Eaton) Ashby. He loved being outside and enjoyed fishing, camping, going to garage sales, and taking long drives to discover new places.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents and four sisters, Diane Howell, Nancy Farley, Delana Smith, and Emily Smith.

His survivors include five children: Michell Craig, Amy Hershberger, MaLinda Slette, Tanner Slette (T.J.), and Jimmy Ashby Jr. (Kellee); fifteen grandchildren; and six brothers and sisters.

Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri

01/27/2026

David Wesley Hammons, of Kingsville, Missouri, passed far too soon on January 19, 2026, at the age of 59.
David was born on January 12, 1967, in Campbell, California, to his parents, Delbert and Patricia Hammons. He grew up in San Jose, California, and attended Leigh High School. David played youth baseball, football and was a diehard Raiders and Yankees fan.
He met his wife of 36 years, Shelley, when they were just 14yrs old at Calvary Temple Church in Campbell, CA. Later married, together they raised two children, Nicole and Wesley, and over the years, had several beloved and spoiled dogs. In 1995, the family moved to Olathe, Kansas, where they remained for 23 years, building a life of their own. After the kids were grown, David and Shelley moved to Kingsville, Missouri, to a home they had long dreamed of - complete with a few acres to mow and beautiful sunsets. Come to find out, David had some of the best mowing outfits.
David took great pride in both his family and his work. To support his family, he began his data center career at DST Systems, where he worked for 16 years; then spent the next 17 years at the U.S. Bank Data Center, forming many lasting friendships with coworkers along the way.
David loved anything with an engine. He picked up drag racing and eventually dirt track racing, joining the great group of people of Midwest Lightning Sprints, with his family proudly serving as his pit crew. While most of his free time was spent with family, he could also be found online researching countless topics - claiming to have been to the end of the internet and back. David also had a sense of humor that could lighten even the darkest moments and he loved to hear it back. As a true movie buff, he enjoyed watching everything from Fast Times at Ridgemont High with Shelley to watching Frozen with his grandchildren. David and Shelley loved to go see their favorite bands play live and took several trips to make new memories with old, lifelong friends.
There are not enough words to fully express the loss left by David’s passing, but do know that he was a bold, loving, and steady presence in the lives of those he loved. A presence that will be deeply missed by many, especially his wife, Shelley; his children, Nicole [Austin] and Wesley [Meghan]; his grandchildren, Beaumont, Loah, Carson, and Hazel; and his dog, Raven.
A celebration of life will be held at Royer Funeral Home 101 SE 15th St, Oak Grove, Missouri 64075 on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Family and friends are welcome to stop by during this time to offer support and share stories with those who loved him.
Obituary submitted by the family.
Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, MO.

01/27/2026

Thomas H. Wildschuetz, 93, of Independence, Missouri passed away Friday, January 23, 2026. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at Ebenezer United Church of Christ, 206 W. Old Lexington Road, Levasy, Missouri. A funeral service will follow at the church on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., with interment at Ebenezer Cemetery immediately following the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Ebenezer United Church of Christ, designated for the Memorial or Cemetery Fund. Floral tributes should be delivered directly to the church.

T.H. (Thomas) Wildschuetz was born on June 22, 1932 to Harry and Beth (Harris) Wildschuetz. He was born in a farm house north of Oak Grove, MO, the same house his Father was born in. He graduated Valedictorian from Levasy High School in 1950.

He was inducted into the Army on December 1, 1952 and did training at Camp Gordon, GA, finishing on July 23, 1953. He shipped out Mid August 1953 to Korea, arriving there in early September, shortly after the armistice was signed and leaving in early October 1954. He was released from Active Duty and assigned to inactive reserve on October 29, 1954. He received an Honorable Discharge in November 1960.

He Married Dorothy (Dottie) Cox on March 27, 1955 at Ebenezer UCC in Levasy, MO where he was a member. He worked for Sears for 39 years before retiring, and was a member of the KC Chapter of the Sears Retiree Group. He was also a member of the 304th Signal Battalion Reunion Group, VFW Post 1000, and the Tribe of Mic O Say.

He enjoyed traveling, went to all 50 states, Washington D.C., 1 US territory, 4 Provinces of Canada, 2 states in Mexico, Costa Rica, 6 countries in Europe, 7 islands in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, through the Panama Canal from Atlantic to Pacific Oceans, and 2 countries in Asia courtesy of Uncle Sam.

He is survived by his wife Dottie of 70 years, Son David (Suzanne) Wildschuetz, Daughters Patty (Bill) Fuemmeler, Joanna (Jeff Richards) Wildschuetz, Grandchildren Sonya Fuemmeler, Nicholas (Kaitlyn) Fuemmeler, Kaitlin (Mikey) Warburton, Hannah Wildschuetz, Caleb (Chelsea) Kincaid, Johnna Kincaid, Great Grandchildren Ivy Warburton and Dexter Warburton, Son in law Brian (Julie) Kincaid, 1 brother, 2 sisters, and an estranged son and family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter June Kincaid, one infant brother, one brother and one sister.

Obituary submitted by the family.
Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home ~ Independence, MO (816) 796-8600

01/23/2026

Phyllis Boutross, 85, of Independence, Missouri passed away Saturday, January 17, 2026. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, January 31st at 10:00 a.m. at the Nativity of Mary Catholic Church, 10021 E 36th Terrace S, Independence, Missouri 64052. Rosary at 9:30 a.m. for all who would like to attend. Burial will be at Mount Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.

She was born on December 14, 1940, in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Mack E and Martha (Moore) Johnson. Phyllis was a lifelong resident and devout Catholic. Phyllis was a homemaker, who loved making rosaries. She was a skilled seamstress, which included sewing, crocheting, knitting, and quilt making. She enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting, gardening and canning.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband John Boutross, her parents, son-in-law Bill Buford, grandson Richard Buford, sister Gracie Johnson, brothers Monroe, Edward and Carl Johnson.

Phyllis is survived by five children, Mary (James) Norman, Veronica (Raymond) Butts, Thomas (Tammy) Boutross, Janine Buford, and David Boutross; nine grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren who all knew her as Genal; six sisters, Wanda Johnson, Deanna Tierney, Millie (Bill) Warrix, Joyce (Samuel) Johnson, Brenda (Randall) Linstrom, Debbie (Daniel) Wright, and brother Willard Johnson, and many nieces and nephews.

She will be forever loved and missed by all those who had the pleasure of her acquaintance.

Obituary submitted by the family.
Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home ~ Independence, MO (816) 796-8600

01/23/2026

Karen Sue Rieckhoff, 74, of Oak Grove, Missouri, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, MO, surrounded by her family. Services will be held on Tuesday, January 27th at Royer Funeral Home
in Oak Grove, with visitation at 1:00 p.m. and funeral at 2:00 p.m., followed by burial in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Karen was born November 8, 1951, in Independence, Missouri, the daughter of
Virgil H. and Genevieve F. (Goring) Rieckhoff.

She graduated from Grain Valley High School with the Class of 1969. Karen was an assistant director for the Jackson County Courts. She was also a Girl Scout Leader, a Coach for girls’ softball, a member of the Booster Club, and a Life Member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Karen liked going to craft shows, fairs, and garage sales, and enjoyed crocheting, baking, bingo, and playing Pitch. She would outbid you on the last hand, no matter what – even if she had nothing to bid on! Most of all, Karen enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and going to the lake. She was a loving and caring mother and grandmother, who was spunky, ornery, and always had a smile on her face. Her kindness, laughter, humor, and caring ways will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, sister Bea Norton, and brother-in-law
Ed Norton.

She lives on through her son, William Manns (Kelly); daughter, Theresa Vigliaturo
(Anthony); six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a host of other family
members and friends.

Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri.

01/23/2026

Carol Lea Martin, 87, of Oak Grove, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 29th at Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, with visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral at 11:00 a.m., followed by a Committal Service at 1:00 p.m. in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in
Higginsville, MO.

Carol was born October 4, 1938, in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Leroy H. and Lillie F. (Hubbard) Mooneyham. In her younger years, she enjoyed playing and coaching softball. Carol was a hospital clerk and enjoyed playing bingo. She was active in the Elks Lodge in Blue Springs.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frank in 2007; sister, Dorothy Henley; and two brothers, Jim Mooneyham and Buck Mooneyham.

Her survivors include three nieces: Donna Findley (Phil), Kathleen Matney (Mike),
and Janet Strickland (Larry); nephew, Michael Mooneyham (Kerry); and many great-nieces and nephews.

Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri

01/22/2026

Kyle Eugene Hill, known and deeply loved as Gene, was born April 14, 1940, to Howard Hill and Vivienne Noe in Vanderlip, West Virginia, and passed away peacefully January 20, 2026, from the comfort of his home, at the age of 85. Memorial services will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, January 26, 2026 at Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home, Independence, Missouri. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Gene was the youngest of five siblings and was preceded in death by his brothers Loren Page and Clyde Franklin, as well as his sisters Eleanor and Josephine. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Shirley; his beloved daughters, Ashley, Cheryl, and Nichole; his three cherished granddaughters, Brooke, Baylee, and BriLeigh; his great-granddaughter, Coast, and his son-in-law Brandon.

Gene was a hardworking and highly skilled tradesman and craftsman throughout his life, known for his remarkable ability to make or fix nearly anything with his hands. This wealth of knowledge and practical wisdom was freely shared and lives on in the many who were fortunate enough to learn from him. He worked for 40 years at Hass Maintenance Services, where his dedication and integrity were well known.

A proud United States Army veteran, Gene enlisted at the age of nineteen. He spent much of his twenties traveling across the country before eventually settling in Kansas City, Missouri, where he met and married his beloved best friend, Shirley, who had been “living on love” since 1978.

Gene was a faithful servant of Jehovah, following his baptism and membership in the later 70’s as a brother in the Jehovah’s Witness Organization. Alongside other faithful brothers, he devoted many years to field service and wrote countless letters, hoping his words would reach and encourage others to seek Jehovah and find the same hope that grounded him throughout his life and brought him deep peace and comfort in his final years. It was this enduring faith and hope that sustained him through the hardships and physical sufferings he faced in his eighties. Though his body began to weaken, his mind and heart remained strong, uplifted by the love of his family, dear friends, and his many brothers and sisters in faith.

Above all, Gene was an exceptional man. A friend to all, a faithful husband, and a loving father and grandfather. Generous in every sense, he would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need. He always had time to listen and a lifetime of stories to share. Never caught up in the fleeting vanities of this world, Gene served as a quiet, steady reminder of what truly mattered.

He never allowed the cruelties of life to harden his heart, but instead lived with honesty, kindness, love, and faithful service. Gene loved western movies, collecting knives, baseball, fishing, flowers, and crafting beautiful woodworking pieces. He never met a stranger and never spoke ill of anyone. He remained in high spirits until the very end, always strong for those around him.

Gene is survived by many who will continue to cherish his memory and carry forward the lessons of a life lived with humility, faith, and love.

Obituary submitted by the family.
Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home ~ Independence, MO (816) 796-8600

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