Irene (Needham) Breshears (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Irene (Needham) Breshears, 91, of Blue Springs, Missouri, passed away at home on Sunday night, February 8, 2026. She was born on December 25, 1934, near Birch Tree, Missouri, to John D. and Augusta Marie (Poe) Needham. She was a 1952 graduate of Halfway High School. On June 27, 1953, in Cliquot, Missouri, Irene wed Adrian Lee Breshears of Goodson, Missouri. They were married for 62 years before Adrian’s passing, 10 years and four days before Irene. They lovingly raised six children. Irene was very involved with her children’s activities, particularly the Blue Springs Powderpuff (girls) Softball and Little League organizations. She also, for many years, greatly enjoyed bowling in community leagues at the local bowling alleys. She was a member of the Lindley Creek Baptist Church in Louisburg, Missouri. She is preceded in death by her parents, John D. and Augusta Marie (Poe) Needham; and her two siblings, a sister, Oma Juanita Parks of Plano, Texas, and a brother, Eugene Paul Needham of Independence, Missouri. Six children survive Irene: Gwen Brunelli (Ted) of Burlington, North Carolina; Adrianna Breshears of Grain Valley, Missouri; Melody Bromley (Tom Casey) of Bates City, Missouri; Al Monty Breshears of Chilhowee, Missouri; Mitzi Hackett of Independence, Missouri; and Monica Breshears of Blue Springs, Missouri; and grandchildren: Sierra Richmond (Jason) of Mebane, North Carolina; Craig Monks of Independence, Missouri; Michelle Bromley of Bates City, Missouri; Ben Laster (Rachael) of Kansas City, Missouri; Derrick Breshears (Bobbi) of Kansas City, Missouri; Ryan Hall (Nicole) of Odessa, Missouri; Jeff Bromley (Emily) of Eudora, Kansas; and Steven Alex Hall of North Kansas City, Missouri; and,16 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Butler Funeral Home Chapel in Bolivar, Missouri. Immediately following the visitation, a funeral service will be conducted, starting at 11 a.m. at the Butler Funeral Home Chapel in Bolivar, Missouri. Burial will occur shortly thereafter at the Mt View Cemetery in Polk, Missouri, behind the Mt. View Missionary Baptist Church. In place of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Association, or the Mt. View Cemetery in Polk, Missouri.
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