Alumni Spotlight
Betty (Maudlin, '49) Dunfee
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Billy Arch Dunfee was born March26, 1931, to Arch and Bernice Prugh Dunfee in Grant City, Missouri. Bill had one sister, Marianne. Betty Yvonne Maudlin was born September 22, 1931, Walter and Jocie Fletchall Maudlin near Allendale, Missouri. Betty has one sister, Joyce (Maudlin) Ridge.
Bill and Betty entered Grant City High School in September 1945, and graduated May 12, 1949. Bill was senior class president, and Betty was class Valedictorian. Bill especially enjoyed his wood working class, which he continued in college, along with the classes he needed for mortuary college. He |
Front from left to right: Sharon, Valeri, Cynthia
Back: Neal, Norman, Betty and Bill
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used these skills the rest of his life. Betty’s favorite teacher was Mrs. Hausheer, the English and literature teacher. Her example of kindness and patience was amazing. Betty also enjoyed Dortha Martin who was the accounting and typing teacher. Betty used these skills her entire life. Bill and Betty believed all their teachers were teaching because they cared about the students and wanted them to learn and become good citizens.
Bill and Betty were married on August 21, 1949, in the Allendale Baptist Church. They lived in Maryville and St. Louis while Bill continued his education. After Bill’s graduation from St. Louis College of Mortuary Science, they returned to Grant City joining his parents in the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in late 1951. In November 1952, they opened a small children’s store, “The Pixie Shop” in Grant City. This grew to be a family clothing, footwear, and dry goods store serving the community for 44 years.
Bill and Betty are the parents of six children: Sharon Lynne,1950; Norman Vance,1952; Teddy Lyle,1955, died in infancy; Cynthia Lenore, 1958; Neal Bradley, 1961; and Valeri Denise, 1965. All five of the children attended and graduated from Worth County R-III. They were all especially active in the music programs of the school; all were in the band, piano, choir, and theater. Spring music contests were an important event in their home for many years. All are college graduates.
The family members were all active in the Grant City Baptist Church. Bill served as Deacon and Sunday school teacher. He helped in building the new church and served in many other ways. Betty served as a Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teacher, and she was active in the Women’s Missionary Union. The children grew up participating in the worship services and in the many activities of learning and fun provided for them at that time.
Following an accident, Bill went home to be with the Lord on January 22, 1983, at 51 years old. Betty continued to operate the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home and Pixie Shop until selling the Pixie Shop in 1996. She continued to operate the funeral home until age 88 when she decided maybe she should retire. Her nephew Rick Ridge and his wife Jackie had worked with her for several years, and they decided that they would like to continue the tradition of service that was first established in1868. They purchased the funeral home in January 2019, and they continue to serve the community with compassion and care.
Sharon graduated from William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, in 1973. She worked as a caseworker for Disabled Adults in Los Angeles County, California, for 19 years. Following a serious disabling accident, she returned home to Grant City.
Norman graduated from William Jewell College in1974. He graduated from Conservatory of Music in Kansas City with a Masters and a Doctors Degree in 1980. He remains active in bringing concerts to Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Cynthia graduated from William Jewell College in 1980. After working in Healthcare Marketing for many years, she is now a licensed realtor in Missouri and Kansas. Her husband, Robert Thomas is a retired United Sates Postal Worker. They live in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Their son, Joshua, graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, and works for AKASA.
Neal graduated from Missouri Western College, St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1983. He attended graduate school in Wichita, Kansas, and Colorado University in Boulder. He is Director of Music at Boulder Dinner Theater, and Staff Accompanist at Longmont High School. He lives in Lyons, Colorado, with his daughter Samantha Prugh, who performs with Honor Band and Honor Choir.
Valeri graduated from Missouri Western College in 1987. She moved to Annecy, France, and graduated from Grenoble University, France, in 1993. She is a Clinical Psychologist at Regional Hospital of Annecy in Child Psychiatry. Valeri married Claude Gicquel and they have two children. Valeri’s son Zachary is studying carpentry and working in Annecy, and her daughter Lucia is a graduate student in Journalism at the Sorbonne in Paris, France.
One of the Dunfee family’s favorite things to do is spend a few days together in Estes Park Colorado. Bill loved the Rocky Mountains, and they took family vacations there almost every summer when the kids were growing up. They still enjoy spending time together there. Betty said, “We are thankful for the community we live in, the education we were able to have, and the many wonderful people we were able to serve."
Bill and Betty were married on August 21, 1949, in the Allendale Baptist Church. They lived in Maryville and St. Louis while Bill continued his education. After Bill’s graduation from St. Louis College of Mortuary Science, they returned to Grant City joining his parents in the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in late 1951. In November 1952, they opened a small children’s store, “The Pixie Shop” in Grant City. This grew to be a family clothing, footwear, and dry goods store serving the community for 44 years.
Bill and Betty are the parents of six children: Sharon Lynne,1950; Norman Vance,1952; Teddy Lyle,1955, died in infancy; Cynthia Lenore, 1958; Neal Bradley, 1961; and Valeri Denise, 1965. All five of the children attended and graduated from Worth County R-III. They were all especially active in the music programs of the school; all were in the band, piano, choir, and theater. Spring music contests were an important event in their home for many years. All are college graduates.
The family members were all active in the Grant City Baptist Church. Bill served as Deacon and Sunday school teacher. He helped in building the new church and served in many other ways. Betty served as a Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teacher, and she was active in the Women’s Missionary Union. The children grew up participating in the worship services and in the many activities of learning and fun provided for them at that time.
Following an accident, Bill went home to be with the Lord on January 22, 1983, at 51 years old. Betty continued to operate the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home and Pixie Shop until selling the Pixie Shop in 1996. She continued to operate the funeral home until age 88 when she decided maybe she should retire. Her nephew Rick Ridge and his wife Jackie had worked with her for several years, and they decided that they would like to continue the tradition of service that was first established in1868. They purchased the funeral home in January 2019, and they continue to serve the community with compassion and care.
Sharon graduated from William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, in 1973. She worked as a caseworker for Disabled Adults in Los Angeles County, California, for 19 years. Following a serious disabling accident, she returned home to Grant City.
Norman graduated from William Jewell College in1974. He graduated from Conservatory of Music in Kansas City with a Masters and a Doctors Degree in 1980. He remains active in bringing concerts to Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Cynthia graduated from William Jewell College in 1980. After working in Healthcare Marketing for many years, she is now a licensed realtor in Missouri and Kansas. Her husband, Robert Thomas is a retired United Sates Postal Worker. They live in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Their son, Joshua, graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, and works for AKASA.
Neal graduated from Missouri Western College, St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1983. He attended graduate school in Wichita, Kansas, and Colorado University in Boulder. He is Director of Music at Boulder Dinner Theater, and Staff Accompanist at Longmont High School. He lives in Lyons, Colorado, with his daughter Samantha Prugh, who performs with Honor Band and Honor Choir.
Valeri graduated from Missouri Western College in 1987. She moved to Annecy, France, and graduated from Grenoble University, France, in 1993. She is a Clinical Psychologist at Regional Hospital of Annecy in Child Psychiatry. Valeri married Claude Gicquel and they have two children. Valeri’s son Zachary is studying carpentry and working in Annecy, and her daughter Lucia is a graduate student in Journalism at the Sorbonne in Paris, France.
One of the Dunfee family’s favorite things to do is spend a few days together in Estes Park Colorado. Bill loved the Rocky Mountains, and they took family vacations there almost every summer when the kids were growing up. They still enjoy spending time together there. Betty said, “We are thankful for the community we live in, the education we were able to have, and the many wonderful people we were able to serve."
From left to right: Betty’s
granddaughter Lucia, her
father Claude (Valeri’s
husband), Valeri, and son
Zachary, Norman, Joshua
(Cynthia and Bob’s son),
Bob and Neal
Front left to right: Sharon,
Betty, Cynthia and Prugh
(Neal’s daughter)
