Archive By Section - Obituaries
June Hammer Klepper 1916 - 2011
ELLINWOOD - June Hammer Klepper, 94, died at Woodhaven in Ellinwood on Friday. She was born Dec. 30, 1916 in Seward, the daughter of Patrick L. Keenan and Mary Hall.
Johnetta G. Rolfs 1924 - 2011
GENESEO - Johnetta G. Rolfs, 87, died May 5 at the Ellsworth County Medical Center. Born Jan. 21, 1924, in Rush County, she was the daughter of John and Sarah Scheuerman Kaiser. A 1942 graduate of Otis Rural High School, she then attended Fort Hays State College, receiving her teaching degree. On June 10, 1948, she married Alvin D. "Pete" Rolfs in Otis. He died on Dec. 9, 1995. A longtime resident of Geneseo and Lyons, she was a homemaker and elementary school teacher in Geneseo.
Rolla Gaylen Renfro 1937 - 2011
LARNED - Rolla Gaylen Renfro, 73, died May 4 at the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital in Larned. Born Oct. 14, 1937, at Great Bend, he was the son of Rolla G. and Viola B. (Elmore) Renfro. A Larned resident most of his life, he was a guard at the Larned Correctional Metal Health Facility, retiring in 2005.
Ellen L. Boyd 1922-2011
LARNED - Ellen L. Boyd, 88, died Monday, May 2 at her son's home in Great Bend.
Billie Lou Burgardt 1950 - 2011
Billie Lou Burgardt, 61, died April 1 at Rock Island Rehab and Nursing Center in Rock Island, Ill. Born Feb. 18, 1950, in WaKeeney, she was the daughter of Fred J. and Christina (Mai) Mai. She married Elmer S. Burgardt on Aug. 11, 1989, in WaKeeney.
David N. Presley 1945 - 2011
HOLYROOD - David N. Presley, 65, died April 30, in Ellsworth. Born May 12, 1945 in Baltimore, Md., he was the son of Mack Lee and Ruby Jessie (Minor) Presley. On Aug 17, 1990 he married Linda Diane Heglin in Kodiak, Alaska. She survives. He retired from the Federal Aviation Administration as an electrician and recently worked at Orscheln's in Great Bend.
Billie Lou Burgardt
Bille Lou Burgardt, 61, died April 1 at Rock Island Rehab and Nursing Center in Rock Island, Ill. Born Feb. 18, 1950, in WaKeeney, she was the daughter of Fred J. and Christina (Mai) Mai. She married Elmer S. Burgardt on Aug. 11, 1989, in WaKeeney.
Retta "La Rhue" Gilman Rosner 1921 - 2011
LARNED - La Rhue Gilman Rosner, 90, died April 1 at her daughter's home in Mulino, Ore. Born Jan. 13, 1921, in Larned, she was the daughter of John H. and Anna Schwier Gilman. She graduated from Larned High School. On Nov. 11, 1945, she married Harold D. Rosner in Hutchinson. She worked for her father, John Gilman, DDS in his dental office.
Joseph R. McLaughlin
LAWRENCE - Joseph R. McLaughlin, 88, died April 30 at Brandon Woods at Alvamar, Lawrence. Born March 5, 1923, at Cambridge, Mass., he was the son of Cornelius R. and Louise D. (Gerry) McLaughlin. He married Grace McCarthy on Feb. 2, 1946, at Hays. She died Jan. 9, 1999. He married Bernice Alexander on Sept. 30, 2006, at Lawrence. He retired as Stafford Postmaster in 1983. He was a Lawrence resident, coming from Great Bend.
Leonard Staudinger 1943 - 2011
HOISINGTON - Leonard Staudinger, 68, died May 1 at his residence in rural Hoisington. Born April 8, 1943, in Great Bend, he was the son of Anton and Agnes (Zeman) Staudinger. On June 13, 1970, he married Mary Ann Jacobs at Russell. A lifetime resident of rural Barton County, he was a hunter safety instructor for 25 years.
Keith Wayne Benker 1958 - 2011
Keith Wayne Benker, 53, died May 1 at Great Bend. He was born Feb. 20, 1958, at Deshler, Neb., the son of Kenneth and Connie (Ingles) Benker. He married Maribeth Taylor Fradd on Jan. 1, 1996, at Great Bend. A Great Bend resident since 1988, coming from Cunningham, he owned and operated Keith Benker Irrigation Service.
Diana Lynn Larkin 1955 - 2011
SKELLYTOWN, Texas - Diana Lynn Larkin, 55, died April 29 in Pampa, Texas. She was born Aug. 23, 1955, in Great Bend. She married Gary Larkin on Aug. 25, 1973, in Hoisington. In 1974, she graduated from Great Bend High School. She was the postmaster at Briscoe Post Office for the past 15 years and had been employed with the U.S. Postal Service for the past 25 years. She had been a resident of Skellytown, Texas, since 1979.
Violetta Louise Karst 1930 - 2011
MESA, ARIZ. - Violetta Louise Karst, 81, died April 26, surrounded by her loving family, after a brief illness. She was a loving Wife, Mother, and Nana.
Mark Edward Smith 1953 - 2011
HOISINGTON - Mark Edward Smith, 57, died April 27 at Via Christi St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Wichita. Born May 8, 1953, in Hoisington, he was the son of Charles and Ruby (Payne) Smith. He was a lifetime resident of Claflin.
Articles by Section - Obituaries
Marian ‘Ann’ Bahr
CLAFLIN - Marian "Ann" Bahr, 86, died July 16, 2014 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Carolyn L. Heinz 1942 - 2014
SHAWNEE - Carolyn L. Heinz, 72, of Shawnee, passed away July 15, 2014.
Eleanor M. Adams 1924 - 2014
LARNED - Eleanor M. Adams, 90, died July 14, 2014.
Leonard Loraine Mullenix 1919- 2014
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Leonard Loraine Mullenix, 94, died July 13 at his home in Las Cruces, N.M. He was born Dec. 9, 1919 at Chase, the son of George and Lola (Fuson) Mullenix.
Willa Mae Springfeldt 1920-2014
Willa Mae Springfeldt, 93, died July 10, at Almost Home in Great Bend. Born July 11, 1920, in Springfield, Mo., she was the daughter of William and Ethel Mae (Renfro) Teem. On Nov. 23, 1940, she married Virgil L. Springfeldt in Cottonwood Falls. He died on June 7, 1992. A resident of Great Bend since 1972, coming from Bushton, she and her husband were owner and operator of IGA of Bushton and Kwik Shop in Great Bend. She enjoyed playing the piano and cello.
Dennis A. Munoz 1947
Dennis A. Munoz, 66, longtime resident of Great Bend, passed away at his Great Bend home on Wednesday afternoon, July 9. Born Dec. 10, 1947, in Great Bend, he was the son of Frank and Katherine (Pyles) Munoz. In 1965, he graduated from Great Bend High School.
Esther Dunham 1924-2013
HOLLYWOOD, FLA.- Esther Dunham, 89, died Dec. 2, 2013 at Golfcrest Health Care Center, Hollywood, Fla. Born July 16, 1924 at Scottsbluff, Neb., she was the daughter of Lee Selby and Alice Butler. She married Jack Dunham June 9, 1945 at Hays, Kan. A former resident of Great Bend before moving to Florida, she was employed at J. C. Penney and the Barton County Health Department until her retirement.
Joyce Fullbright 1930-2014
ELLINWOOD--Joyce Marie Fullbright, 83, passed away in Ellinwood on July 10. Born Oct. 1, 1930 in Georgetown, Ark., she was the daughter of Briles and Myrtle (Chambers) Andrews.
Connie Peacock 1923-2014
Connie Rosalie Peacock, 91, died July 11 at Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood. Born Feb. 21, 1923 at WaKeeney, she was the daughter of Pete and Antonia (Solowski) Gregorcyk.
Larry Miller 1959-2014
Larry Randall Miller, 55, died May 31, in San Diego, Calif. Born March 10, 1959 at Great Bend, he was the son of Harold S. and Dorothy J. Miller. He joined the Coast Guard in 1978, working as a corpsman and was awarded a letter from President Ronald Reagan for saving a life. He attended Wichita State University on the GI Bill and later worked as a respiratory therapist and cardiology technician. He married Bernadette Alison December 31, 1990 at San Diego.
