souri to serve as a missionary in Tightwad, Leesville, and Surprise. Later she served
as a local pastor in the Oak Grove, Coal, Mt. Zion, Lucas and White Oak churches,
retiring in 1982. Norma was active in United Methodist Women and taught Sunday
School in the churches she served and in the Clinton United Methodist Church
where she had been a member since 1993. On August 29, 1942, she married Hobart
Sell. He preceded her in death. She was employed by the Clinton Eye newspaper
for 24 years. She married Bernice Chastain May 17, 1978. They made their home in
Clinton until he died in 1991.
Davis, Robert W.
Robert W. Davis died February 24, 2009 at St. John’s Hospital in
Springfield, Missouri. He was born in Blackwater, Missouri
December 30, 1927. He graduated from Blackwater High School
and Drury University and attended Eden Theological Seminary.
Robert served 11 United Methodist charges over his 39 years of
ministry until his retirement in 1991. He was married to Sharon
Hays Davis on October 5, 1953 in Springfield, Missouri. Sharon lives in Springfield.
Dillinger, Sidney
Sidney Clyde Dillinger was born in a sod house in Sherman
County, Kansas on July 3, 1912. He died October 18, 2008 in
Mankato, Kansas. Sidney was the middle child in a family of nine
children. He graduated from Brewster, Kansas high school,
Kansas Wesleyan University and Garrett Biblical Institute. His
first appointment was in the former Northwest Kansas Confer-
ence. He was married to Eva Tedrow on June 30, 1934. Until Eva’s death in 1976, he
served in the Kansas West Conference and was known for youth ministry and H
preaching from horseback. Sidney transferred to the Missouri West Conference in
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1976 and married Hilda Bird on Christmas day of that year. He served at Osceola,
Lowry City, Sheldon and Bronaugh until his retirement in 1982. He later served the
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Flemington-Weaubleau charge for ten years. He moved to Mankato, Kansas
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i
following Hilda’s death in 1997. There he married Vesta McCammon Dillinger who
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a
lives in Mankato. He was active in the Optimist Club and Masonic Lodge.
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Firestone, Lyman
Rev. Dr. Lyman Challes Firestone passed away September 5, 2008
at the Ozarks Methodist Manor in Marionville, Missouri. He was
born May 4, 1915 in Fair Grove, Missouri, to Rev. and Mrs. O.S.
Firestone. He graduated from Marshfield high school, received a
bachelor of arts from Central Methodist College and a Master of
Divinity from Vanderbilt University. He was ordained elder in
1942 and later received an honorary doctorate from Central Methodist University.
In June, 1941, he married Sarah Virginia Harrell. Rev. Firestone’s entire ministry
was in the Southwest Missouri/Missouri West Conference where he served Hu-
mansville, Corder, Malta Bend, Odessa, Versailles, Mt. Washington (Independence),
Clinton, Avondale (Kansas City North), and Monett. He also served as superinten-
dent of the Springfield District. He directed youth camps and served on a number
of conference and district boards and committees. He was a delegate to General
2009 Missouri Conference Journal H-3
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