Claudia Patricia (VanBummel) Hardison

Claudia Patricia (VanBummel) Hardison,  68, passed away at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, on Friday, April 26, 2019, after a short battle with cancer. She was born on May 17, 1950, in Carthage to Glenn and Leora (Murphey) VanBummel.

Claudia lived in the Lamar area until 1957 when her family moved to El Dorado Springs. She graduated high school from El Dorado Springs in May 1968.

Claudia first became acquainted with Gary while he was up in a tree outside her house throwing water balloons. They eventually started dating while working at Community Lumber Company in the summer 1968. They both attended Central Missouri State in Warrensburg and then married March 1, 1970. To this union two children were born.

Claudia was a homemaker in Cole Camp until the spring of 1971. Due to a job opportunity in El Dorado Springs, Gary and Claudia moved back and she began working at Witt Printing as office manager until 1993. After this, she took on a new challenge and began working at Farm and Home (currently U.S. Bank) in Nevada where she was a department supervisor. She was there for over 25 years and received multiple awards including Employee of the Month on multiple occasions and lead of various projects. She was there until she became unable to work.

She was an active member of the First Baptist Church where she was involved in Awanas, vacation bible school, helping with meals and video operator.

Claudia is survived by her husband of 49 years, Gary; her children, Dawn and Randy Merryman of Springfield and Rindi Burns of Bolivar; six grandchildren – Camden Burns (21), Elizabeth Burns (18), Grant Merryman (16), Will Merryman (12), Matthew Burns (11) and Kellen Merryman (8); one sister, Kathy (Gordon) Pierce of Lexington, MO; and one brother, Richard (Glenda) VanBummel of El Dorado Springs. She is also survived by two aunts, several nieces and nephews and cousins and a host of friends.

Services were Thursday, May 2, in First Baptist Church, El Dorado Springs, with Rev. Ron Marsh officiating.

Soloists Paige Stevens and Morgan DeClue, with Rita Farris on piano, and Ema Lue Spencer on the organ, sang “It Is Well,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “Blessings.” The congregation sang “Amazing Grace.”

Casketbearers were Ken Perridin, Greg Becker, Mert Fogler, Erik Pierce, Steven Probert and Ryan Pierce.

Interment was in El Dorado Springs City Cemetery under direction of Sheldon Funeral Home, El Dorado Springs. www.sheldonfh.com.

Family suggests contributions to be made to the First Baptist Church Scholarship Fund or First Baptist Bus Fund in care of the Sheldon Funeral Home P.O. Box 408 – El Dorado Springs, MO. 64744.