H. Winifred "Winnie" Neely

Helen Winifred Morris was born June 2, 1926, in Bigelow, Missouri, but no one ever called her anything but Winnie.  Her parents were William Franklin and Helen Mae Wright Morris.

Winnie attended school in Bigelow through the eighth grade, and was graduated from Mound City High School in 1944.  She passed from this life on August 16, 2022, at Community Hospital, Fairfax, Missouri.

Winnie married James Robert Neely in Las Vegas, Nevada, August 7, 1961.  Together they lived in St. Joseph, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska, before settling in Enid, Oklahoma, where they lived until they retired.  Winnie worked a variety of department store positions, including Keelings in Mound City, J. C. Penney in St. Joseph, United in Omaha, and Grants and Sears in Enid.  Winnie was a member of Davis Park Christian Church in Enid and also attended Christian Fellowship Church in Mound City.

They retired in 1986 and returned home to Craig.  Winnie and Jim enjoyed traveling throughout the western states in their travel trailer, and had visited many of the contiguous United States.  They loved to feed and watch the birds and the wildlife that crossed their property.

Winnie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jim; brother, Warren Morris; stepdaughter, Linda Neely Herron; and nephew, Frank Morris.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Loretta Morris, Maryville, MO; niece, Helen ‘Becky’ (Stephen) Smith, Maryville; nephews, Bud Morris, Bigelow; John (Mary) Morris, Boswell, IN; and Terry Morris, Independence, MO; several great-nieces and nephews, great-grand-nieces and nephews, great-great-grand nieces and nephews, and a great many friends.  She loved her family fiercely and always enjoyed seeing pictures and hearing stories of their exploits.  One of her great-grand nephews said about her, “I think Winnie is the nicest person I know.”  Most people who knew her would agree.

Winnie’s family will greet visitors at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 20, 2022 at Chamberlain Funeral Home, Mound City.  Memorial services will follow at 3:00 p.m.  She will be interred next to her beloved Jim at Craig IOOF Cemetery.  Memorial donations may be made to the Mound City Nutrition Site or to the Old Mound City Cemetery.