A Dexter woman, 68-year-old Lena Cantrell, died of natural causes on Friday, Sept. 12 and was taken to Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.
Funeral Home Director Greg Mathis has tried unsuccessfully to reach a family member of the woman in order to proceed with funeral arrangements.
Mathis believes the woman has two children in the Stoddard County area -- a daughter, Carolyn Matthews and a son, Billy Joe Gaskin. Neither has come forward since their mother's death and authorities, including the Stoddard County Sheriff's Office, have been unable to locate either of them.
Lena Cantrell was a client of Stoddard County Pubic Administrator Pam Lape and was housed in a local nursing home facility at the time of her death.
Mathis says that through the use of local government records, all leads have been exhausted, and he is asking for the public's help in locating a family member.
Anyone with information leading to a family member of Lena Cantrell is asked to contact Greg Mathis at 573-624-4533.