Lois E Vansell

Lifelong Versailles resident, Lois E. Vansell, passed away with her family by her side on Tuesday evening, July 7, 2020, at the Good Shepherd Care Center, where she had been a resident for the past few months following a stroke in December.

On April 3, 1941, in Morgan County, Cecil Wray and Flossie Riggs Stevenson, along with older sister Doris, welcomed their newest addition to the family, a baby girl they named Lois.

Lois grew up in Versailles, spending her days playing with her sister. As a young girl she met her lifelong friend, who was more like a brother, Corky and he and Lois spent the next seventy plus years as part of each other’s families.

She was a graduate of Versailles High School and very early on it was evident Lois had a knack for numbers.  This led her to her working for various banks in the area, namely, Morgan County Bank and US Bank in Versailles, Mercantile Bank in Eldon and Concordia Bank in Laurie, where she retired as the Vice-President of Finance.

On June 5, 1959, at the parsonage of Rev. Jim DeLong, Lois married James “Frank” Vansell; which meant Lois became part of the very large Vansell family.  Frank and Lois never had children of their own but she dearly loved Frank’s siblings and her many Vansell nieces and nephews.

If you knew Lois you knew how talented she was, from learning to play the piano at a very young age to quilting in her spare time.  Lois’ faith sustained her throughout her life and she was the first to say how important her church and church family at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and Ritchie Baptist Church were to her.  From the time she was a young girl she played the piano on Sunday mornings, at the New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church; playing the last time the Sunday prior to her stroke.

Lois had a knack for technology; using it in her work at the bank but also enjoying it for personal use.  She loved family history and looking up information about people from her past and staying in touch with friends.  If you met her you couldn’t help but notice her smile and her sparkling eyes.  She always had a kind word for everyone she met and a trip to the local store may take an hour or two because she always made time to visit with old friends and new acquaintances.

On November 2, 2014, Lois lost her beloved Frank and within the past two years she lost her special friend Corky Vogt, her dear sister Doris Thomas and her brother-in-law, Skip Thomas.  She was also preceded in death by her father, Wray Stevenson, her mother, Flossie Stevenson Williams and her stepfather, Norman Williams.

She is survived by her beloved family, which consists of two nieces, Lokeene Bowersox and husband Rodney of Versailles and Kara Webb and fiance’ Chuck Dipasquale of Camdenton; her great nephews and a great niece, Russell Sebren, Necole Olmstead Sherwin and husband Gary, Adam Khachi and Remington Webb; her great-great nephews and  a great-great niece, Gary Daniel, Hunter and Lyla Sherwin, Jacob Sebren and Kaspen Khachi, her friend of 65 years, Emma Vogt and her sons, Rick and Rodney and their families, Frank’s siblings and their children, along with other relatives and many friends.

The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon on Friday, July 10, at the Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home in Versailles.

Funeral services will be 12:00 noon on Friday, July 10, at the Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home in Versailles with Bro. Richard Willis and Bro. Paul Cofer officiating.

Memorial contributions are suggested to New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church or Ritchie Baptist Church.

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