Leola Fern Tuttle

Leola Fern Tuttle, age 86, of Tipton, formerly of Cotton, passed away Friday, January 16, 2015, at the Moniteau Care Center in California, Missouri, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born in Cooper County on October 19, 1928, at the farm of her grandparents, Henry and Sadie (Scott) Williams. Leola lived in the Cotton community the majority of her life. She was the daughter of the late Porter Lee and Lydia Lou (Williams) Long. On March 22, 1951, she was united in marriage to Warren "Gene" Tuttle, in Aiken, South Carolina, while he was serving in the Army during the Korean War. In their 49 years of marriage they were blessed with nine children. Gene preceded her in death on July 15, 2000. Leola attended Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg and Lincoln University in Jefferson City, where she earned her degree in education. During her teaching tenure of 36 years, she taught at many elementary schools in both Cooper and Moniteau counties including Gill School, which was a one room school. Her love of teaching was passed on to many of her grandchildren as they have also chosen various teaching professions. Leola also continued the legacy of her great aunt, Lottie B. Hunt by continuing to write the "Cotton Items" for many years in the California Democrat and the Tipton Times newspapers. Leola was a member of the Oakland Baptist Church in Clarksburg, where she was an active member of WMU and also a member of the Cotton Community Club. She enjoyed gardening, but most of all, she loved her family. She is survived by her sons: Charles Tuttle and wife Patty, David Tuttle and wife Debbie, Richard Tuttle and wife Sherry, and Mike Tuttle and wife Jeannie, all of Cotton; her daughters: Judy Oppermann and husband Steve of Tipton, Bonnie Allee and husband Larry of California, Rhonda Miller and husband John of Syracuse, and Rita Pace and husband David of Fortuna; her daughter-in-law: Margaret Tuttle of Tipton; 39 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren. She was awaiting the arrival of three great-grandchildren due to be born in the months of March and April 2015. She is also survived by her sisters: Peggy Borghardt of Jamestown and Frances Evans of Oak Grove; her sisters-in-law: Katherine Long, Sally Vogel (Bill), Donna Ferguson and Joyce Crook (Charles); and her brother-in-law: John Tuttle; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Dean Tuttle, and brother, Henry Lee Long. Quote by Leola Tuttle: "Life has been close to the way I wanted, I don't think of old times as hard times, I think of them as happy times." Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 21, at the First Baptist Church in Tipton with Brother Andrew Kuttenkuler and Brother Steven Strauch officiating. Graveside services and interment will follow in the Tipton Masonic Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Oakland Baptist Church Building Fund or the Price James Library in Tipton. Expressions of sympathy may be left online at www.kidwellgarber.com. Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Kidwell-Garber Funeral Home of Versailles.