Orville Emerson Mehaffy 1914 - 2007

MEHAFFY, THOMPSON, JOHNSON, MECKLENBERG

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 8/12/2007 at 20:41:26

Orville Emerson Mehaffy

Orville E. Mehaffy, age 92, of Baxter Springs, Kan., passed from this life Thursday, April 12, 2007, at 2:35 a.m. at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., after a short illness.

He was born May 23, 1914, in Mediapolis, Iowa, to the union of Joseph and Minnie Ann Mehaffy.

He married Phyllis Johnson on Sept. 16, 1936, and they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1986. As a young couple, they traveled with the "Toby and Susie Traveling Show." He was a musician and actor. He became a milkman, gas station attendant and later owned and operated the Irish Inn in Silvis, Ill. He and his wife owned and operated the Capistrano Motel in Baxter Springs for over 30 years, having moved there in 1954. He was a policeman, a car salesman for Price Motor Co. and served as a Cherokee County commissioner. He served as a volunteer at St. John's Regional Medical Center until his 90th birthday.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his granddaughter, Amy Mehaffy; two brothers, Horace and Delbert; and one sister, Hazel Mecklenburg.

Loved ones who survive include one son, Dr. Orville A. Mehaffy and wife, Sandy, of Baxter Springs; one daughter, Alma Cook and husband, Paul, of Baxter Springs; three grandsons, Tim Mehaffy, Phillip Cook and Kenneth Cook; and seven great-grandchildren, Kyler, Lindsay, Logan, Kallie, Cooper, Kenley and Kylee.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, April 14, at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Baxter Springs with Father Chrysostom Ah Maung officiating. Interment will be at Baxter Cemetery in Baxter Springs with Dr. Mike Sheppard, Ed Sweeney, Greg Kissel, Tim Mehaffy, Phillip Cook and Kenneth Cook serving as pallbearers. A rosary prayer service will be Friday, April 13, at 7 p.m. at Derfelt's Baxter Chapel in Baxter Springs with visitation to follow until 8 p.m.