Doris Stout

Funeral services for Doris Stout, 88, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 6, 2012, at the First United Methodist Church, West Plains, Missouri, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

An angel, Doris Stout, departed her earthly life on July 3, 2012.  Doris was born September 22, 1923 in Dora, Missouri.  She was educated in the rural one room school of Bethany and graduated from Dora High School.  She continued her education by attaining her Bachelor of Science degree from Missouri State University (at the time, State Teachers College) in 1957 and her Master’s Degree in Education from Drury University in 1962.  Doris started her teaching career in Douglas County, in the one room school at Buckhart followed by three years at Jewell School (“Pole Pen”, as she and Curtis liked to call it after they met there).

She and Curtis, the first and only love of her life, married on February 5, 1949.  Moving to Dora they started their life together while she was teaching first grade at Dora School while Curtis farmed.  During their years together, Doris and Curtis loved to dance, cook, sew, watch Cardinal baseball, and spoil children together- they were inseparable.

The second love of Doris’ life was the students that she taught throughout her thirty-five year teaching career.  After moving to West Plains in 1962, she continued her career by teaching first grade at Foster School and later Reese School.   Doris always insisted that it was not the children who benefited from her, but she who benefited from them.  While Doris and Curtis did not have children of their own, they in fact had thousands- some of whom were first graders, some were neighbors, and some were relatives.  Doris would say she never met a child that she didn’t like; only a few children with bad behavior which she attributed to the lack of love in their life which she quickly undertook to correct.    Not only was she committed to her students, but also education related activities and organizations, including:  Delta Kappa Gamma, Missouri State Teacher’s Association, West Plains Community Teacher’s Association.  For her commitment to education at her retirement in 1978 she received numerous awards from state and local organizations.

The third love of Doris’ life was caring for others.  She exemplified this with her membership at the First United Methodist Church in West Plains which she and Curtis joined in 1964.  Doris taught Sunday school at every available opportunity, served in The Guild- United Methodist Women, The Esther Circle, and The Hannah Circle.  Since Doris loved to cook she had Curtis delivering food to many in the church and community.  She further extended her belief in God by doing good works in the community through membership in The Order of Eastern Star, Hope Shrine, Headstart and White Oak Camp.

Doris was preceded in death by: her beloved husband, Curtis Stout; her parents, Norton W. Pease and Christena Moritz Pease; and infant brother, Dallas Norton Pease.  Doris is survived by her sisters: Joyce Bell of West Plains and Louise Southards, and husband, James, of Sycamore,  and a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces all of whom she adored.

Visitation will be at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home on Thursday, July 5, 2012 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Interment will be at Blanche Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to The First United Methodist Church, Blanche Cemetery or charity of choice, and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.