Hester Hasseltine (Shrable) Pendergrass

Funeral services for Hester Hasseltine (Shrable) Pendergrass, 99, Bakersfield, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 27, 2021 at Central Church of Christ, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  

Mrs. Pendergrass passed away at 12:54 p.m., Saturday, November 20, 2021, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

She was born July 9, 1922 at Vidette, Arkansas, to Ralph Emerson Shrable and Lillie Leeann Worsham Shrable.  On January 29, 1938, she was married at Salem, Arkansas, to Roy Lester Pendergrass, and to this union eight children were born.  They made their home in the Bakersfield, Missouri, community.  Roy was a farmer, barber, and schoolteacher.  Hasseltine was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker to her husband, children, and grandchildren.  Hasseltine still resided on the family farm until her departure, spending many wonderful hours with her immediate family of seventy-five plus members.  She was a member of the Central Church of Christ in West Plains, Missouri.  As the matriarch of a huge family, her greatest legacy to her present and future generations will be the Christian examples of her daily walk with her Lord.  She studied her Bible and followed God’s commandments, and was ready for her long-awaited reward.  Hasseltine loved her children and grandchildren with all her heart.  She had the ability to make each individual feel very loved and spoiled them as much as she dared do.  Spending countless hours in the country on the farm with Grandma and Grandpa, the grandchildren will be able to reminisce about requesting their favorite grandmother signature foods consisting of cocoa (chocolate) gravy and chocolate rolls.  As they shared grandma and cousin time, they will remember afternoon popcorn breaks, swimming in the creek, playing games, feeding the birds and endless kittens, and adventures on the farm.  Perhaps most of all, they witnessed Grandma’s undying love for their grandpa, and her love for Jesus and her family.  Hasseltine also leaves behind her treasured caregiver, Shawn Kimbrough.  She loved Shawn with all her heart, and Shawn remained faithful to Hasseltine to the end.  The Pendergrass family enveloped Shawn as one of their own.  Today we lost a core staple that we have known our entire lives, leaving us with a massive heartbreak.  However, she leaves us with her faith, wisdom, and precious memories to last a lifetime.

Hasseltine is survived by six children, daughter Helen Harber and husband, Russell, Battlefield, Missouri, daughter June Campbell and husband, Joe, Raymore, Missouri, son R.A. Pendergrass and wife, Connie, Bakersfield, Missouri, son Larry Pendergrass and wife, Carol, Caulfield, Missouri, daughter Joy Holloway and husband, Dan, West Plains, Missouri, and daughter Cathy Baird and husband, Jackie, Rogersville, Missouri; twelve grandchildren and spouses; twenty-seven great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; three siblings, Lessie (Shrable) Clay, Joyce (Shrable) Hodges and husband, Leon, and Jodie (Shrable) Sutherland and husband, Ronnie, all of Viola, Arkansas; two sisters-in-law, Wanda (Pendergrass) Shurtleff and husband, Ross, Marysville, Washington, and Faye Shrable, Lawrence, Kansas; and son-in-law, Darrell Ricky Davidson. 

Her parents, husband, Roy Lester Pendergrass, son Roye Kenneth Pendergrass, daughter, Peggy Sue Pendergrass Davidson, eight siblings, Lorene, Rudolph, Lucille, Lehman, Curtis, Audine, Betty, and infant brother, Judgee, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Horton and Fannie Pendergrass, and special niece, Bonita Reynolds, preceded her in death.  

Mrs. Pendergrass will lie in state from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be at Bakersfield Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, because of Hasseltine’s love for children and family, memorial contributions may be made to Fair Haven Children’s Home or Paragould Children’s Home, and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.  Memorial contributions also may be made to Bakersfield Cemetery.