Nellie Claire Ater, age 89, resident of Pittsburg, Kansas, died Thursday, August 30, 2012, at Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg. She was born March 17, 1923, in McFall, Missouri, the daughter of O. C. Salmon and Ethel Tull Salmon. Nellie graduated from Kincaid High School. While in high school she played on the basketball team and also played the piano for the Boys’ Glee Club. She first married Warren F. Stewart on December 18, 1941. He preceded her in death. She later married Eugene Williams on November 16, 1973. They were married for two years prior to his death in 1975. She later married Ivan Ater on September 6, 1977. He died August 17, 2008. Nellie helped her husband with the family farm. She also operated grocery stores in both Xenia and Blue Mound. She later worked for the Fort Scott Tribune, the Western Insurance Company and the Bourbon County Courthouse. Nellie played the piano, guitar and violin. She enjoyed gardening and embroidering. She was a member of the Mt. Orum Baptist Church near Redfield, Kansas and was currently attending the Independent Bible Baptist Church in Pittsburg.

Survivors include a son, Chuck Stewart and wife, Nancy, Ft. Scott, Kansas; two daughters, Linda Day, Arma, Kansas, and Cory Havice and husband, Don, Pittsburg, Kansas; two daughters-in-law, Karen Stewart, Fort Scott, Kansas and Janie Stewart Robertson, California, Missouri; three step-sons, Ronald Ater, Timothy Ater, and Don Williams; and a step-daughter, Dixie Kalm. Also surviving are a brother, Frank Higdon and wife, Ruby, Benson, Minnesota; fourteen grandchildren, Michael Stewart, Darren Stewart, Tracy Michael, Charles Stewart, Jr., Michael A. Stewart, Donald Stewart, Jr., Brent Stewart, Rex Henry, Chris Henry, Miste Maschino, Scott Young, Ashley Creamer, Rebecca Young, and Justin Young; and several great and great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by two sons, Michael Stewart and Donald Stewart; a grandson, Lenny Stewart, a great-granddaughter, Brenna Bollinger and a son-in-law, James Day.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, September 4th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Mt. Orum Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Independent Bible Baptist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.