Loretta Fern Dobyns

Loretta Fern Dobyns, age 92, of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, passed away September 16, 2025, at Mt. Vernon Place Care Center in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. She was born June 18, 1933, in Dixon, Missouri, the daughter of Earl and Anna (Forthman) Roberts.

Loretta was a 1951 graduate of Dixon High School. She attended Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri after high school, where she met and married James (Jim) H. Dobyns on May 22, 1954, in Joplin. He preceded her in death on August 30, 2002.

Jim and Loretta served in ministry with several Christian churches during their marriage. Osceola, Missouri, Walnut Grove, Missouri, Holyoke Colorado, King's Way Christian Church (Mt. Vernon, Missouri), Lockwood Missouri, Stony Point Christian Church (Kansas City, Kansas), and Hancock Missouri. She moved back to Mt. Vernon in 2004 where she enjoyed being part of Mt. Vernon Christian Church and Elm Branch Christian Church.

Loretta loved serving for 20 years as an office manager at Turner's Ben Franklin, Calico Country, and Turner Advertising. She also enjoyed working at Burlington Coat Factory in the Kansas City area. She valued all the people she got to know in all the places she served and worked.

Loretta is survived by one son, James R. Dobyns (Donna Miller) of Morton, Illinois, and two daughters, Connie Stephens (Mike) of Bartlett, Tennessee, and Brenda Turk (Fil) of Mt. Vernon, Missouri; five grandchildren, Joshua Dobyns, Jenna Gallardo, Nathan Jester, Jonathan Jester, and Dustin Turk; six great-grandchildren; her sister, Norma Williams, and brother, Bob Roberts (Helen).

Loretta was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, her parents, and brothers-in-law, Donald Dobyns, Victor Dobyns, and John Williams.

A visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with a funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Dixon Cemetery, Dixon, Missouri

Memorial contributions may be made to any of the following, Ozark Christian College, American Rehabilitation Ministries, or Pioneer Bible Translators (ministry of Cody Baker), in care of the funeral home.

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