May 1, 2024
RockPrairieCemetery.com
417-234-4077
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. . . yes, a “Changing of the Guard” will
take place this year at Rock Prairie
Cemetery’s 125th Annual Board Meeting!
If you’ve never been to a meeting, this
might be the year to attend. It’s not often
that our board’s roster changes (mainly due
to the extremely difficult task of finding
volunteers (sigh)), but this year we will be
saluting and saying goodbye to two
members who have steadfastly “guarded”
our little cemetery for 27 and 21 years,
respectively, Sherry Neeley and Jim
Carson. No one in the history of our
association has ever served longer.
Most of us never think twice about who
is behind the little country cemetery that
looks so peaceful and serene beside the
interstate as we drive by or maybe only visit
once a year. But, not-for-profit rural
cemeteries are cared for by volunteers who
are passionate about family, legacies,
history, beauty and nature — all things
found . . . and felt . . . in a cemetery.
Despite being judged, criticized and rarely
thanked, volunteers do the job anyway.
Why? The simple response is that they are
good people — naturally kind, caring and
hardworking folks inspired by a heartfelt
cause. Here, at Rock Prairie Cemetery, that
heartfelt cause is family so the job is always
a truly gratifying one no matter what.
Volunteer work, as with most things in
life, has its ebbs and flows, but all it takes is
one lively, motivated individual to bring a
renewed energy to a group. In 1997,
Sherry Neeley was that individual. She saw
a need, stepped up and offered to help. She
tackled pressing problems with urgency
and common sense and has never stopped.
Jim, too, came along when Rock Prairie
needed him providing engineering
expertise, a sense of calm and reassurance
and sound advice. We slept peacefully
knowing Sherry and Jim were watching
over our sleeping ancestors.
A few years ago, however, they knew it
was time to begin preparing a new board
to carry on the work as they had so long
ago. Sharing the wisdom and experience
from all those years of service, they
painstakingly trained the rest of us on the
board to ensure the integrity of Rock
Prairie’s future. We cannot thank them
enough for the many gifts and tools they
have given us. We may not be able to
completely “fill their shoes,” but we
promise to keep them on and tightly
laced!!
Association History
By the time the JN Downing family
deeded the land currently known as “the
old cemetery,” to the county in January,
1888, they had helped over 100 friends
and neighbors with their burial needs. The
land had already been used for burials since
See History, Page 4
The “Changing of the Guard”
At Arlington National Cemetery, it quietly takes place every hour
on the hour during fall and winter and every half hour during spring
and summer in a very moving and elaborate ceremony.
At Buckingham Palace, it happens every other day and lasts
for 45 minutes as crowds from all over the world swarm.
Here in Halltown . . . it takes place once every 20 to 30 years and lasts about 5 minutes . . .
Chapel Hours
Memorial Week:
Mon 5/20 - Mon 5/27
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Please join us
Saturday, May 25th, at 2:00!p.m.
to say “Thank You!” to
SHERRY NEELEY & JIM CARSON
ROCK PRAIRIE CEMETERY
HALLTOWN, MISSOURI
125th Annual
Meeting
May 25, 2024 2:00 P.M.
Rock Prairie Cemetery Halltown, Missouri
May 1, 2024
RockPrairieCemetery.com
417-234-4077
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ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to increased maintenance costs
associated with the new East Side section and given the fact that we
are still far below market prices, the board feels plot prices should
increase. Effective June 1, 2025, all full burial plots will be $500
each. Lots in the RC & Pat Downing Cremated remains section
will remain at $300. If you have been putting off purchasing plots,
you have one year to take advantage of the old pricing. Thank you
for your understanding and support.
BUSINESS: Your seven-member, volunteer board of directors
each serve three-year terms that expire in yearly rotations of two
seats. This year those two seats belong to Sherry Neeley (1997)
and Jim Carson (2003). Obviously, Sherry and Jim are not seeking
reelection so the floor will be open to nominations to fill their
seats. Please join us at the annual meeting to show your support
and cast your vote.
UPDATE — Chapel: As first reported last year, the chapel is
undergoing structural repairs. The east wall had bowed out away
from the foundation causing the floor to drop off the sill plate. Due
to the age of the building, repairs had to be done in stages. The
floor was raised about an inch last February and, one year later,
Mike and Kyle crawled back under the chapel and raised it another
two inches. The final stage involves bringing the wall and floor
safely and securely back together on the foundation. So far,
damage to the structure has been very minimal. It is certainly
worth mentioning again that Mike and Kyle are saving the
cemetery a considerable amount of money by taking on this task.
Be sure and thank them next time you see them.
UPDATE — Veterans Memorial: We are still seeking volunteers
for a Veterans Memorial committee who can devote the time and
energy required to determine the feasibility of such a project as
well as head up a fundraising campaign. Please contact a board
member, if you have any ideas or would like to be a part of this
special project. Before you say no or remain silent, just give it a bit
more thought as you teeter on that tired old fence of ambivalence
— Rock Prairie and our veterans need you!
UPDATE — Veterans Photo Wall: The Veterans Photo Wall was
designed to supplement the Veterans Memorial fundraising
efforts. A $50 - $100 donation is our goal, but any gift will, of
course, be accepted. We get all 102+ veterans buried here up on
the wall. We will use a headstone or civilian photo, if no official
veteran photo is available. For your donation, RPC will furnish the
frame and scan your photo adding the name, rank, branch of
service and birth & death dates. Ask about the “adopt-a-vet”
option for this project, too!
RECYCLED FLOWERS:
Our flower recycling efforts
raised $263 in 2023! Thank
you to all who participated last
year. Anyone is welcome to
“pick” recycled flowers from
our fences in the chapel for a
small donation in addition to
your regular yearly cemetery
donation. Place them here, take them to other cemeteries or use
them however you feel. It is our little way of helping save the planet
and raise additional funds for the cemetery — PLUS it just might
help instill the joys of grave decorating in your children and
grandchildren as they handpick the flowers to put on grandma and
grandpa’s graves. Start your own family tradition while supporting
Rock Prairie — Thank you!
CORRECTION: An error was made in last year’s newsletter
under “RPC Section History” regarding the donation of Downing
I and Downing II. That three-quarter-acre tract of land was
donated by the “JN Downing family” and not the “HT Parnell
family.” When the HT Parnell family purchased the adjoining land,
the original deed for that tract was missing. They graciously set the
record straight by getting a second deed recorded in 1957.
If you see any errors or omissions in our newsletters, please “set
the record straight” by letting us know. We value your input and
very much appreciate any official records or family knowledge and
stories you may have. Thank you!
Straight from the Board
2024-2025 Board of Directors
OFFICERS:
Jerry Tuttle (2014), President Josh Noggle (2014), Vice-President Mike Pyeatt (2019), Treasurer
Roxie Sharpe (2016) Secretary / Sexton
Reece Drake (2023) ____________________ (2024) & _______________________ (2024)
(fi" in the names of the nominees elected at this year’s meeting)
You can reach us via the email below (just change the name):
firstname@RockPrairieCemetery.com
“Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it
through life without someone else’s help.” — Heather French Henry
Rock Prairie Cemetery Halltown, Missouri
May 1, 2024
RockPrairieCemetery.com
417-234-4077
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TREASURER’S STATEMENT: Having completed my first year as treasurer, I can confidently say the budget forecast for Rock Prairie
Cemetery is strong. My main focus will be on growing the Endowment Fund after yearly budgets and forecasts are met. The checking
account will keep enough funds to pay the bills including an appropriate “cushion” for emergencies. Unless specifically designated to a
particular fund, your generous donations will be carefully allocated to earn the highest rate of return. It is my goal to not only steadily
grow our accounts, but your trust in me as well. A complete year-to-date financial report for the 2023-2024 fiscal year will be given at
the annual meeting on May 25th. If you have any questions, please contact me, Mike Pyeatt, at Mike@RockPrairieCemetery.com.
DONATIONS
INTEREST
PLOTS
SOLD
SUBTOTAL
(EXPENSES)
BALANCE
$2,610.21
$6,539.56
$600.00
$9,149.77
-$5,435.95
$3,713.82
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
JUNE 1, 2023 — MAY 1, 2024
For your convenience, there are 4 easy ways to donate:
By mail at: P.O. Box 45 Halltown, MO 65664
By credit card using the ‘PayPal Donate’ button on our website: RockPrairieCemetery.com
By dropping your check in the mail slot at the chapel
By choosing something from the Wish List below
“THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED” . . .
1. The days and weeks leading up to Memorial Day see a lot of activity by decorators and visitors to the cemetery. Courtesy and
caution are advised when using the cemetery roads. Be mindful of others needing to get around you and remember that some
graves are closer to the road than they seem.
2. The wind often blows our beautiful flowers all over the cemetery and, with no way of knowing where they belong, they end up on
the wrong headstone or in the chapel. Please attach a tag to your flowers or saddle indicating the name on the headstone and the
section so we can put them back in the right place. Thank you!
3. As always, flags for veterans are free and available to you daily on the front porch of the chapel the entire week before and including
Memorial Day.
4. For a small donation or an obituary solicitation, the chapel is ready and available for funerals, memorial services, etc. Let us know
your needs and we will try to accommodate.
5. If you don’t have a favorite charity, you can publish a simple statement in the obituary like, “In lieu of flowers, please make
donations to Rock Prairie Cemetery.”
6. When planning your estate please don’t forget Rock Prairie — “A gift to Rock Prairie Cemetery will live beyond your lifetime.”
7. Don’t forget to contact Roxie Sharpe, if you move or change your phone number or email. We don’t want to lose touch! —
Roxie@RockPrairieCemetery.com or RockPrairieCemetery@yahoo.com or 417-234-4077.
WISH LIST: We started a wish list of items or services we could use last year and will continue to publish them in our yearly newsletters.
(1) guestbook podium, (2) easels to hold picture boards, (3) portable heaters, (4) security cameras, (5) permanent section signage, (6)
topsoil from your farm, (7) trees to replace storm-damaged ones or to plant along north border to lessen the noise from I-44, (8)
your expertise in webpage design, (9) your time and energy for projects (just ask), (10) something you have and don’t need, but you
think we might could use, etc.
Simply contact a board member to discuss your item before you make a purchase or go to any trouble. The board’s phone numbers and
emails are listed on the website: RockPrairieCemetery.com
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the
heart.” — Elizabeth Andrew
“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but
because they’re priceless.” — Sherry Anderson
Rock Prairie Cemetery Halltown, Missouri
May 1, 2024
RockPrairieCemetery.com
417-234-4077
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at least 1838 (probably much earlier), so their kind
gift simply made it official — Halltown had a cemetery.
Eleven years later, in 1899, when GJ McCoy donated
a second tract of land doubling the size of the
cemetery, a group of like-minded citizens saw the
need to organize an association to care for the sacred
ground. They set about the task of writing articles of
incorporation and formed the first Rock Prairie Cemetery board of
directors: J.A. Sifferman, President, J. L. Porter, Secretary, and
James McCray, Treasurer. The Lawrence County circuit court
filing dated October 8, 1900, reads:
“. . . Come now James McCray, John A. Sifferman, and James L.
Porter and say that James McCray, John A. Sifferman, James L.
Porter, Frank Mason, Chester Mitchell, John McDorman, James
Downing, and Henry Sifferman and others have associated
themselves by written articles of agreement as an association
formed for the purpose of providing and maintaining a cemetery
on Rock Prairie, in Lawrence County, Missouri . . .”
Signatures of the “and others” were affixed to the back of the
document.
The original ledger our founding fathers used for cemetery
business from 1899 thru 1930 is still intact
and in our files. It had pre-stamped page
numbers and, though some years are “out of
order,” the minutes and financial transactions
were dutifully handwritten and safely recorded
for posterity. In those days, annual meetings
were held in August. Instead of giving receipts
for lots sold or donations collected, they
simply listed them in the little brown ledger.
The first page is the “Table of Contents.” The following pages
give a description and hand-drawn map of the cemetery dated Dec.
6, 1900, complete with “Things to be remembered” and the very
first “Rules and Regulations to be observed” . . .
“All wagons and teams that enter the
cemetery follow wagon way to fence
on West side thence South untill
(sic) they find room to turn and
come back same way”
A far cry from our extensive list of
rules and regulations today! We are thrilled to have such a
priceless and tangible piece of history in our possession. In 2001,
copies of the ledger were made, placed in 3-ring binders and sold
in a fundraising effort for $25 each and quickly sold out. The offer
still stands, just let us know!
The last meeting recorded in the little brown ledger was
May! 30, 1930. After that, minutes spanning 1931 thru 1979
were either lost or accidentally destroyed. Many other years were
spotty at best leaving only unsigned treasurer’s reports or the
occasional legal document with trustees names. It is rumored that
a fire was the culprit leaving us with only assumptions and
speculations for those unaccounted for years. With the exception
of 1972-1975, accountants pad spreadsheets were diligently filled
out and have been scanned, referenced, and stored on hard drives.
With so many years of missing documentation, it is difficult to
say with certainty who may have come close to Sherry and Jim’s
service record, but, our best guess would be brothers, Stanley and
Jerry White who began taking part in board proceedings in the
early to mid-80s. Stanley served until his death in December 2007
and Jerry served until 2001. Lela Neeland served from
1921-1942 as both secretary and treasurer for many of those
years. What is clearly evident is that since Sherry got on the board,
documentation never lagged, got lost, or burned up again.
Even without written evidence, we believe our boards have all
tried their very best working with foresight, determination and
heart — relieving us of the burden and responsibility of caring for
the cemetery. No matter the weather or circumstance, they were
always there to prep for burials, fix problems, address issues and
help devastated families at their most vulnerable. We counted on
them to generate donations. We trusted them to use and grow
those funds wisely so that our cemetery would remain solvent. It is
only right that we remember them from time to time. Therefore, a
list of those “and others” founding members and all who have
served on our boards from 1899 thru today (as best we can
ascertain) is enclosed with this newsletter. You may recognize
some as friends and neighbors and you might even see a relative
whom you didn’t know served. Either way, as you read over the
names and slip back in time, you will soon understand why Rock
Prairie Cemetery is still thriving 125 years later when small, rural
cemeteries all around us and across the nation are fast
disappearing.
Thank you for your kind and continued support. As Sherry and
Jim’s protégés, your new “guards” promise to do our very best to
make sure their achievements were not in vain.
Halltown’s “changing of the guard” is the perfect time to
express your gratitude and show support for the promise of good
things to come. We hope to see you at the meeting, Saturday,
May! 25th, at 2:00 p.m. There are sure to be lots of tears and
laughter as we reminisce about the ups and downs of Rock Prairie
through the years!!
JA Sifferman
1848-1923
History . . . continued from Page 1
“As you grow older, you will discover, you have two hands — one to
help yourself and the other to help others.” — Audrey Hepburn
And speaking of records . . . Meet Sherry’s
beautiful mom, Ms. Annabel Kivett, who
turned 100 years old last October. She
holds the record for being our oldest living
association member! She has been a staunch
supporter of Sherry’s efforts and hasn’t
missed an annual meeting since 1997 when
she was just a sprightly, young gadabout in
her 70s! Happy Birthday, Annabel! And
best wishes for many, many more!!
