Ona Cruts

Ona Marie Cruts, age 84, of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, passed away at 7:44 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. She was born on December 10, 1940, in Dovre, Wisconsin, the daughter of Olin and Mildred (Davis) Brekken.

Ona was a 1959 graduate of New Auburn High School, in New Auburn, Wisconsin. She was a manager for Auto Stop Convenience Stores, in Barron, Wisconsin, for 25 years. She was a former member of Calvary Baptist Church in Barron, Wisconsin and of the First Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, Missouri.

On March 4, 2006, she married Melvin Cruts, in Aurora, Missouri.

Ona is survived by her husband, Melvin; her daughter, Dawn Derr and her husband, Marc of Rice Lake, Wisconsin; her son, Ward Taber and his wife, Suzette, of Amery, Wisconsin; her five step-children: Cheryl Cruts, of Acres Green, Colorado; David Cruts and his wife, Andria, of Scotts Valley, California; Duane Cruts and his wife, Lori, of Cameron Park, California; Doug Cruts and his wife, Valerie, of Bastrop, Texas; and Jeremy Cruts; her brother, Clyde Brekken and his wife, Connie, of New Auburn, Wisconsin; sister-in-law, Mary Brekken, of New Auburn, Wisconsin; sister-in-law, Shirley Glaser; brother-in-law, Bruce Taber; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and dear friends Ann and Duane Nelson

Ona was preceded in death by her parents, Olin and Mildred Brekken, her late husband, Gene Taber, and two brothers, Charles and Wayne Brekken.

A celebration of Ona’s life, under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, in Mt. Vernon, was held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made payable to the Lawrence County Manor, in care of the funeral home.

Online condolences may be shared at www.FossettMosherFuneralHome.com.