Bessie Irene Colson (Buffalo)'s Obituary
Bessie Irene (Helmley) Colson, 93, passed away on January 1, 2023 in Lebanon, MO. She was born to Charles and Belle (Webb) Helmley on June 24, 1929 in Kiowa, KS.
Bessie and her brother and sister attended a country school three miles from their farm. Her high school years were at Kiowa High School. She attended three years of college in Emporia, KS before returning home to Kiowa where she worked at the newspaper office. While working at the newspaper, she met her husband, John Colson, and they were later married on May 16, 1954. John’s two sons, Willis and Richard, lived with them and they were blessed with two more children, Marilyn and Douglas. They moved from Kiowa to Moscow, KS, where John farmed for 17 years. Bessie was active in the Church. They finally retired to Louisburg, MO where she continued her activities in the Church.
Bessie was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; one son, Douglas; one stepson, Richard; and one step-granddaughter, Linda Sullivan. She is survived by her daughter, Marilyn & husband Gale Zimmerman; grandchildren, Heather and Jason Stepp, Gale and Jennifer Zimmerman, Kylee and Shane Buzzell, Hanna and Tyler Sharp and Megan Colson; great-grandchildren, Justice, Chance, and Damian Stepp, Tyler Zimmerman, Abigale Archer, Isabella Kennedy, Harper Buzzell, Kane Sharp, and Sean and Isabella Sullivan. She also leaves other family members and many friends who will all truly miss her.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2023 in the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home with Pastor Keith Pyles officiating. Escorts will be Shane Buzzell, Justice Stepp, Chance Stepp, Damian Stepp, Gale Zimmerman, Jr., and Jason Stepp. Interment will be in the Memorial Gardens of Memory Cemetery under the care and direction of the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home of Buffalo. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday at the Funeral Home.
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