Laurel Lee (Dew) Younger
Laurel Lee (Dew) Younger
Laurel Lee (Dew) Younger
1928-2016
Laurel Lee Younger, formerly of the Elmo and Clearmont, Missouri communites, passed away on September 28 at Autumn Wood Nursing Home in Claremore, Oklahoma. She was married December 21, 1944 to Charles C. Younger of Elmo. They lived in Elmo until moving to Clearmont in 2005.
Laurel Lee was the 7th of 10 children born to Robert and Nancy Dew. She spent her early years growing up in the “Toad Holler” area east of Clearmont where she attended first grade at the Hazel Dell country school. She was the only 1st grade pupil that year. The following year the Dew family moved to Burlington Junction where she lived and graduated from Burlington Jct. High School in 1946. When Charles returned from the Navy they moved to Elmo.
Charles worked for Standard Oil as an agent and later purchased the agency which became Younger Oil Company. In 1984 they established the “Junction T” gas station and convenience store at the junction of Highways 71 and 136. Laurel Lee was the company bookkeeper until their retirement in 1987.
During their retirement years they enjoyed traveling to Florida, Texas, and Arizona during the winter months. They chose to return annually to Valley Del Oro Resort in Mesa, Arizona where they met many other “snowbirds” friends from all over the United States.
Laurel Lee was an active member of the UMW at the United Methodist Church at Elmo as well as the American Legion Women’s Auxillary. She enjoyed her family, reading, crossword puzzles, and her flowers.
She is survived by three children: Tom of Olathe, Kansas; Nina Wills & son-in-law, Ken of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Rex and daughter-in-law Peggy of Clearmont; four grandsons: Kris Younger of Columbia Missouri; Kyle Younger and wife Alyssa of Olathe, Kansas; Casey Wills and wife Jessica of Owasso, Oklahoma; Ryan Wills and wife Evyn of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Laurel had seven great-grandchildren with another to arrive in December. Also, one sister Mary Jane Merriett of Maryville and one brother John (Buck) Dew of Estill Springs, Tennessee and many nephews and nieces.
Preceding her in death was her husband Charles, parents Robert and Nancy Dew, brother James (Bud) Dew and sisters Bernadine Shipley, Roberta Miller, Anna Rose Boyd, Bonnie Riddle, Shirley White and infant “baby Jean”.
Graveside services will be held Saturday, October 8 at 11:00 a.m. in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Clearmont. The service is open to friends and family. All are invited to join the family after the service for a luncheon at the Little Red School House in Clearmont.
Viewing will be held at Price Funeral Home, Maryville, Missouri on Friday, October 7 anytime after 9:00 a.m., with the family meeting friends from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Laurel Lee’s name to Alzheimer’s Association Research, with the words “restrict my donation to research” either on the check, or as a note with the check and send to PO Box 96011, Washington D.C. 20090-6011
