Lois Aline (Barnes) Lefler, daughter of the late Roy and Frona (Long) Barnes, was born July 8, 1927, in Mountain Grove, and passed away June 21, 2020, in Lebanon. She was 92 years, 11 months and 13 days of age.
Lois grew up in the Fairview community and attended grade school at Fairview School. She graduated from Mountain Grove High School in 1946. She grew up attending Mountain Valley Church with her family. Lois married Julius Edward Lefler on July 16, 1946, in Chanute, Kan., and four children were born to this union.
They made their home in Mountain Grove, and attended First Christian Church in Mountain Grove, where she was very active. She enjoyed singing in the choir and taught Sunday School. As a young lady, Lois began working at Brown Shoe Factory while she was still in high school. She was able to stay home with her children while they were young, and then returned to Brown Shoe Factory and worked as the payroll clerk. Lois was a very accomplished seamstress, and she enjoyed other needle crafts and ceramics. She and Julius enjoyed southern gospel music and attended many concerts over the years.
Lois and Julius also really loved to travel, taking their motor home all over the United States. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Julius Lefler; one brother, Verne Barnes; and two sisters, Geraldine Smith and Faye McGowan.
She is survived by three daughters, Patricia Case, of Osage Beach; Rebecca Morris, of Mountain View; and Karen Bowker, of Lebanon; one son and his wife, Lieutenant Colonels Edward R. Lefler and Diane T. Cummins-Lefler (USA Retired), of Lebanon; seven grandchildren, Cristin and Leslie Case, Heather Morris and Briana (Morris) Bailey, Matt Bowker, Victoria and Alexandria Lefler; and many nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.Visitation for Lois Lefler was held Friday, June 26, 2020, from 9-10 a.m. at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home.
Funeral services followed the visitation at 10 a.m., also at the funeral home, with the Rev. Gary Fry officiating. Song selections were “Amazing Grace” and “I’ll Fly Away.” Burial was in Hillcrest Cemetery under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove. Online condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.
