Lois Allene (Alger) Zeller

Lois Allene Loveall Alger Zeller, age 88, of Raymore, MO, passed away December 24, 2025. Lois was born on September 28, 1937, in Greenfield, MO, to Warren T. Loveall and Julia Cooper Loveall. She was raised on an Ozark farm in Dade County until moving into town at age 16. She graduated from Jewell Elementary School, and to Greenfield High School in 1955, as Valedictorian of her class. She then attended Draughon's Business College in Springfield, MO, where she received an award for taking shorthand at 160 words per minute. She also received an appointment to the Federal Bureau of Investigation from J. Edgar Hoover, but passed it up to remain closer to home.

In Kansas City she met and fell in love with Melvin Lee Alger from Chanute, KS. They were wed on June 27, 1958, and together they raised two children: Cheryl and Mark. Mel passed away suddenly on August 21, 1998. On January 1, 2000, she was married to Kenneth Raymond Zeller, a longtime family friend. She retired from the Investment Department of UMB Bank on December 31, 1999. While employed there, she served two terms as the Secretary of the American Institute of Banking.

Lois was an avid square dancer for many years as a member of several different clubs, dancing everything from mainstream to challenge, along with some round dancing. She was most recently a member of the Live Wires Square Dance Club of Belton, MO. Lois and her husband, Mel, had served as President of the Heart of America Federation of Square Dance Clubs from 1997 to 1999, and then Lois and Kenny served as Presidents from 2008-2010, and again from 2019-2021. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Peculiar Senior Citizens, HABOT Blue Grass Club, St. Paul's United Methodist Church and its OWLS group, and the "Lois Club International". She was active in all of these organizations. She loved crossword puzzles, reading, old movies, embroidery, and traveling the world, including all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, the four British Isles, eight countries in Europe, and she walked on top of the world at the Arctic Circle. Most of all, she loved her family. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her late husbands Melvin Alger and Kenneth Zeller; son, Mark Alan Alger; brothers: Leon, Truman and Wayne; and her sister, Virginia.

She is survived by her sister, Rachel Ball; her daughter, Cheryl (Joe) Brown; grandchildren: Jeremy, James, Christina, Timothy, Christopher, Tiffany, Vicki, and Gregory; great grandchildren: April, Jeremy Jr., Ali, Kyria, Sydney, Kaiden, Jesse, Shayanne, Aubrie, Ella-Marie, and Mark Richard; great great grandchildren Rekker and Adeline Scarlett, as well as several other great grandchildren.

Upon marriage to Kenneth, she added to her family children: Barbara, Beverly, Janice and Don; grandchildren: Brian, Sarah, Jennifer, Jason, Michaela and Adam; great grandchildren: Alexa, Tyler, Bryce, Sadie May, Abigail Rose and Gage. Beverly preceded her in death.

Services will be Saturday, January 17, 2026, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1111 W. Foxwood Dr., Raymore, MO 64083. Visitation will begin at 9:30am with funeral services starting at 11:00am. Committal services will follow at Green Lawn Cemetery in Kansas City, MO. 

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the following organizations:

American Heart Association National Center, 7272 Greenville, Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231, or www.heart.org 

St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1111 Foxridge Drive, Raymore, MO 64083.

Wayside Waifs, 3901 Martha Truman Rd., Kansas City, MO 64137.

A Limb Fallen

A limb has fallen from the family tree.

I keep hearing a voice that says

Grieve not for me.

Remember the best times, the laughter, the song.

The good life I lived while I was still strong.

Continue my heritage, I'm counting on you.

Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through.

My mind is at ease, my soul at rest.

Remembering all, how I truly was blessed.

Continue traditions, no matter how small.

Go on with your life, don't just stare at a wall.

I miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin.

Until the day comes we're together again.

(Author Unknown)