Joni Kezer

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Bessie Joan "Joni" Kezer, 65, of Columbia and resident of Lakeview Health Care & Rehab nursing home in Boonville, Missouri, passed from this side of Heaven to the next Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, at 1:01 p.m. in the University of Missouri Hospital with her son, Joshua Kezer, at her bedside. She was born in Los Angeles, California, July 26, 1955, the daughter of Hadley and Jane Menz James.

She graduated from Herscher High School in Herscher, Illinois, in 1973; received an associates degree from Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Illinois, in 1985, and received her bachelor of science degree with a major in psychology and minor in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau in 1992.

She worked in customer service and patient therapy.

Joni was a born-again Christian, "One of God's kids by His Grace," an artist and the most well-read person her son has ever known. She loved reading true crime and criminal fiction books, played scrabble and word puzzles, loved the people in her life, loved spending quality time with her son and grand-dog, Titan, and was well known for her creative, contagious and sidesplitting humor. She loved to make others laugh. She had planned a costume this year for Halloween: "An accident waiting to happen." Joni was unrestrained and openhearted. Knowing her, her costume would have made everyone shake their heads and laugh.

For her son, Josh, Joni should be known for her fight to save his life when he was falsely accused and convicted of murder. Josh was exonerated in 2009 after being wrongly defamed and incarcerated for 16 years. Joni believed in her son. She fought for him when the American justice system failed him. For Josh, Joni deserves recognition for being his most enduring, loving, faithful, selfless, recalcitrant and committed champion. "Scott County, Missouri, tried to take my life for a murder I didn't commit. My mother fought tirelessly, sacrificially, and obstinately to save my life."

Joni is survived by her son and closest friend, Joshua Kezer of Columbia; mother, Jane James of Arbor, Missouri; sisters, Deborah Story of Advance, Missouri, and Kathryn Smith of Bradley, Illinois; and grand-dog and buddy, Titan.

She was preceded in death by her father, Hadley James, and brother, Hank James.

Family and friends will be received from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Free Trinity Pentecostal Church of Randles, 181 County Road 265 in Chaffee, Missouri. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. at the church, with interment to follow at Kenyon Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker-Millard Funeral Service and Crematory, 12 East Ash St., in Columbia, Missouri; (573) 449-4153.

Condolences may be sent directly to Joshua Kezer, 2101 W. Broadway, Suite 103, PMB 171, Columbia, MO 65203 or left online for the family at www.ParkerMillard.com.