Obituary of Vivian Maxine DeGraffenreid

Vivian Maxine (Neill) DeGraffenreid, age 91, of Brumley, Missouri, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Vivian was born April 3, 1927 in Buffalo, Missouri, the oldest of six children, to Argus Dee Neill and Gladys Hazel (Gregg) Neill.

She attended grade school at Engle, a rural school in Dallas County. At the age of 6, she began walking over two miles to get to school from the family farm until her younger brothers and sisters could walk with her.

Vivian graduated from Buffalo High School in 1944 at age 17.  She attended Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) for one year.  She then taught the upper grades at Engle School for two years beginning at age 18.  She returned to college and graduated from SMS in 1950. 

Following graduation, she got a job teaching home economics at School of the Osage.  She then met and later married Tennyson (T.A.) DeGraffenreid on May 17, 1953 at the First Christian Church in Buffalo, Missouri.  They had shared 65 years of marriage at the time of her death. 

In her after-work hours she helped with the Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts when her children were members.  She also served as President of the School of the Osage PTA.  In 1975 she was presented by the Osage PTA an honorary life membership in the Missouri Congress of Parents and Teachers as a mark of appreciation for valuable service provided to children and youth.  She also served as President of the Eldon Branch of the Association of University Women (AAUW).  She was selected as the 1979 “First Lady of the Year” by the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority for her years of service to her community and church. 

She made her profession of faith in Jesus Christ as a teenager at the First Baptist Church in Buffalo, Missouri.   After moving to the lake area, she became an active member of the Lake Ozark Christian Church, having served many years as Christian Education Chairman, Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School teacher, Fellowship Chairman and President of Christian Women’s Fellowship.  She was also known for her dedication to cooking and coordinating meals for numerous church activities and was honored when they named the church kitchen after her.

Vivian was a caring mother and grandmother and had a deep love for her younger siblings.  She always felt the family was most important.  She enjoyed gardening, attending auctions, cooking, sewing, and playing cards.  She is now healthy, healed, and perhaps playing at the heavenly card table with dear friends and family that have gone before her.

She is survived by her husband Tennyson, her daughter Marla Allman of Lake Ozark, Missouri and son Jon Eric DeGraffenreid and girlfriend Mary Beth Lachner of Jefferson City, Missouri; her sisters Ruth Reaves of Bridgeton, Missouri, Mary Lou Duckworth of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Virginia Davis (Sonny) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; three granddaughters, Erin Steck (Matt) of St. Charles, Missouri, Abby Harmon (Marcus) of Ozark, Missouri, and Tara Mueller (Robbie) of Springfield, Missouri; three great granddaughters, Aubrey Steck, Bailey Steck, Maggie Harmon, and a grandson on the way; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Services will be held on Friday, June 8, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Lake Ozark Christian Church, Lake Ozark, Missouri. The family will welcome friends for visitation from 12:00-2:00 p.m. prior to service at the church.  A family burial will be held at Boltz Cemetery in Brumley, Missouri.   

Memorials are suggested to Lake Ozark Christian Church.