Otis Malone Divine
Otis Malone Divine, 97, of Greenfield, MO, peacefully passed away on Friday November 22, 2013, at the Dade County Nursing Home after a brief illness.
He was born October 1, 1916 in Greenfield to Otis Malone and Josephine (Clabaugh) Divine. Otis was united in marriage to Dorothy Francis Harper on December 25, 1935. This union was blessed with two sons. Following Dorothy's death in 1990 he married Margaret Grider in 1991.
Otis was the third generation of Divine's to farm on the Sac River Bottoms. After being forced to move the family farm as a result of the building of Stockton Lake, they moved to Turnback creek near Halltown, MO. A progressive farmer who milked cows, raised hogs and Polled Herford cattle, as well as row crops. He brought the second Vermeer big round baler to Southwest Missouri, in April of 1973.
Following retirement from farming, Otis and Dorothy built a home north of Greenfield. He enjoyed traveling, fishing, and making furniture for his family. Otis often said "he never lived in a house he hadn't built." A true Christian man, he was a member of the Mount Olive Christian Church. Otis Divine truly lived by the saying, "a man is as good as his word."
He was preceded in death by his parents, Otis and Josephine (Clabaugh) Divine; his first wife, Dorothy (Harper) Divine; his second wife, Margaret (Grider) Divine; one son, Larry Malone Divine; one brother, Rayma Divine; and one sister, LaVerna Wycuff.
Otis is survived by his sister, Eddys Kimbrough of Greenfield, MO formally of Lindsay, CA; his son, Dan D. Divine and his wife Sheila of Hartville, MO; five grandchildren, Danny D. Divine of Hartville, MO, Russell Malone Divine and his wife LaDon of Hartville, MO, Kimberly D. Williams and her husband Jeff of Hartville, MO, Jeff Malone Divine and his wife Melinda of Arcola, MO, and Lisa Gillen and her husband Brian of Golden City, MO; twelve great-grandchildren, McKenzi Divine, Skylar Divine, Cassidy Williams, Weston Williams, Wyatt Williams, Courtney Harrison, Jeremy Harrison, Jerrod Divine, Brad Gillen, Ashley Gillen, Zach Gillen, and Micala Gillen; and two great-great grandchildren, Ryder Ann Harrison and Bailey Gillen.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 in Greenfield Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow in Greenfield Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the funeral chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Olive Christian Church. Online condolences may be shared at
www.greenfieldfuneralchapel.com. Services are under the care of Greenfield Funeral Chapel.
Published by News-Leader on Nov. 24, 2013.