Obituary of Gilmer Lois Singleton

Gilmer Lois Singleton Funeral services for Gilmer Lois Singleton of Elsberry, MO will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at New Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Rev. Clay Boley, pastor of Cyrene Baptist Church, and Rev. John Zellmer, New Hope Church pastor, will officiate with burial in New Hope Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be Keith Howard, Patrick Riffle, Joe Talbot, Raymond "Tody" Shaffer, Jim Mayes, David Mayes, DeWayne Whiteside and Darrell Whiteside; honorary pallbearers will be Sammy Mayes, Forrest Gladney, Arlon Fowler and Bill Berneking. Ms. Singleton, 94, passed away Wednesday afternoon, June 27, 2012 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born January 4, 1918 near Elsberry, she was the daughter of Barbee Candus and Grace Wadell Cobb Singleton. She attended the Last Chance School through grade 5, then transferred to Elsberry Grade School and graduated from Elsberry High School in 1935. She then attended Gem City Business College in Quincy, IL. During the summer of 1936 she went to St. Louis and worked in an office. In early 1937, she was hired by C.F. Knight Drug Co. and worked until November, 1978. At that time she moved back to Elsberry to take care of her parents. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church since 1930. She served as clerk of the church from 1980 until 2002 and acted as church hostess for many years. She was a member of the Women's Missionary Society and assisted with Vacation Bible School. She was a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Chapter AI, and the Jesse Black Club, both in Elsberry. She was also a member of the Lincoln County Extension Club. Gilmer delivered "Meals on Wheels" for 19 years in Elsberry, and volunteered at the Food Pantry. She enjoyed assisting at the grade school with the 2nd graders reading program for 10 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Barbee and Grace Singleton; a sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Tom Hammock; and one niece, Barbara Wardlaw. Survivors include two nieces: Carol Lewis of Los Angeles, CA, and Sharon Hughes of Carson, CA; three great-nieces: Candace Beeman and her husband, Peter, of Culver City, CA, Cynthia Hogan and her husband, Greg, of Sacramento, CA, and Carla Niemi and her husband, Rob, of Yucca Valley, CA; great, great-nieces and great, great-nephews: Hayley Beeman, Taylor and Lyle Hogan, and Caleb and Josiah Niemi. She also leaves two cousins: Eleanor Cobb of Los Angeles, CA, and Faye Cole of Chicago, IL; several other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, July 2, 2012 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the New Hope Baptist Church in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.