ALOYCE MAYBERRY BARNHILL, Age 81, a resident of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, January 29, 2014, at the Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff.

Born March 24, 1932, in the small community of Crane Roost near Qulin, MO, to the late Julius and Mable Gunnels Mayberry, she was always proud to say she was from "Crane Roost". She was reared in the Qulin area and attended elementary and high school in Qulin. Aloyce was a retired school teacher. After working at the Gossard Garment Factory and rearing three children, she went back to school and became a nurse and worked at the Poplar Bluff Hospital.

After finding the love of her life, James Barnhill, they were married on November 21, 1973, and she moved to East Prairie, MO, where he was the Director of Elementary Education of the East Prairie Schools. She was employed as the school nurse, a position she held until they moved to Hayti, MO, when James accepted the position of Superintendent of Schools. At Hayti she was employed as a teacher assistant. She loved the job and it inspired her to attend Southeast Missouri State University at Cape Girardeau where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Education while working as a nurse at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. After completing her degree, she was employed at the Bunker Schools and taught 4th grade. She then was employed at the Iron County C-4 Schools where she taught 2nd grade for 11 years. Retiring in 1997, they moved back to Poplar Bluff in 1999.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and its Wesleyan Sunday School Class. Before her illness, she was a member of the Red Hat Society, the Green Thumb Garden Club and was a lover of nature. When she was working in her flower garden, she was also bird watching. Her hands were always busy as she loved to sew and do any type of needle work as well as ceramics.

Aloyce will be remembered as a loving, devoted wife, mother and grandmother, who took great pride in her family.

Aloyce is survived by her husband of 40 years, James L. Barnhill of Poplar Bluff.

Also surviving are two daughters, Sherry Rush and her husband Charles " Danny" and Vicky Hoover, all of Poplar Bluff; one stepson, James A. Barnhill and his wife Becky of Grandin, MO; one grandson, Major Scott Rush and his wife Carla of Texas; one sister, Catherine McClellan and her husband Larry of Madison, Virginia; two brothers, William Mayberry of Escondido, CA and Eugene Mayberry and his wife, Louise of Augusta, GA.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Gary Welty; one stepson, Mark Barnhill; one sister, Evelyn Sisco and one brother, Edward Mayberry.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 30, 2014 at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Visitation will also be from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 31, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff. Rev. David Stewart, pastor, and Rev. David Huck, will officiate.

Interment will follow in the Qulin Cemetery under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Pallbearers will be Scott Rush, Cody Rush, Brad Barnhill, Justin Hayward, Charles Sweeza and Larry Roberts.

The family requests memorials be given to:
First United Methodist Church
500 N. Main Street
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901