Niva Belle Compton Lancaster, 84, of Springfield, Missouri, died March 7, 2023. She was born May 16, 1938, in Fox, Arkansas, the daughter of late W.A.(“Os”) and Elsie Morris Compton.  On January 11, 1958, she married Douglas Lancaster, who proceeded her in death.

Niva is survived by her daughter, Belinda Baldus of Springfield, MO; son and daughter-in-law, Reece and Kay Lancaster of Joplin, MO; daughter and son-in-law, Sonya and Charlie Daniels of Anna Maria, FL; daughter and son-in-law, Vickey and Don Vance  of Marshfield, MO; brother, JT Compton of Mountain View, AR; sister-in-law, Claudine Cartwright of Tulsa, OK; grandchildren Brandon Baldus, Brent Baldus, Cole Baldus, Brandy Lancaster, Brooke Pearce, Drew Lancaster, Doug Clark, Jordan Clark, Don Vance III, Andrea Vance, Savanna Vance; and 15 beloved great-grandchildren.

Niva married young to her great love, Doug, and together they lived an adventurous life. They created, they traveled, and they embraced change.  They were entrepreneurs, with Doug being the visionary and Niva the operator. They lived in motion, Doug taking lead and Niva eagerly following.  They made friends easily and kept them for a lifetime.

Her faith and love of people kept her living after he passed. She spent 10 days riding shotgun cross country in a semi-truck driven by her grandson, cruised Alaska and Hawaii, toured and camped the northwest big sky country, bussed New England during leaf season, gambled many casinos across the US, and beached many many days in Florida. She was always game for fun.

Aptly dubbed “the hub” many years ago by a son-in-law because, somehow, all family communications ran through Niva.  When anyone wanted a status update on family members, they could find out with one call.

Several words uniquely describe Niva:

• Love. You knew you were loved when you were in her presence. She saw and accepted people where they were and for whom they were.
• Delagator. Niva had roles and responsibilities for everyone close to her. This simultaneously made people feel special and kept them coming around.
• Game player. She was fiercely competitive and fun loving. Many memories were made around the game table.
• Businesswoman. Niva was a life-long learner and quietly applied her savvy skills in the business realm, starting young owning and managing businesses and later investing. She kept meticulous records, learned how to use Excel in her 80’s to improve her efficiency, and leaves a legacy of hard work.
• Cards and money. That’s how she stayed in touch throughout the year with offspring and their family members. Once you joined the family, through marriage or birth, you could expect a card with money every birthday and Christmas. She may not spell your name right, but she knew who you were.
• Laughter. A lifestyle she and Doug cultivated early in their relationship and remains the family culture today.
• Faith. Niva’s faith ran deep and, when asked, loved to share about it. Doug gave her a Bible for their 25th wedding anniversary and she read it through every year from then forward. This last year marked her 40th complete reading.
• Diamond Niva. Everyone who knew Niva knew how much she loved wearing the diamonds Doug bought her. She just needed more fingers.
• Friend. Friends kept Niva’s world vibrant. From her Panera group to Bible study circle to special neighbors, lifelong friends, and other close friends Niva loved as family.
• Mom, Honey, Nana, Momo Niva, and Aunt Niva. Those were her favorite handles.

Niva Belle Compton Lancaster lived well and will joyfully live on through the lives she’s touched.

Graveside services will be held Friday, March 10^th, 9AM at Missouri Veteran’s Cemetery, Springfield, MO.

If desired, memorial donations may be made to: Elsie Morris Compton Scholarship Fund, 13237 AR-263, Fox, AR 72051