Archive By Section - Obituaries
Erma Lorene Moore
HUTCHINSON- Erma Lorene Moore, 83, of Hutchinson, formerly of Great Bend, passed away Dec. 16. Erma was born Dec. 18, 1926, in Great Bend, the daughter of Herman and Clare (Henning) Warnken. Erma was a lifetime resident of Great Bend before moving to Hutchinson. In Great Bend, she was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She worked as a secretary for Beneficial Finance for 15 years as well as at Montgomery Ward for 24 ...
Beverly Louise Kolb
Beverly Louise Kolb, 80, of Great Bend, died Dec. 18 at Great Bend Regional Hospital. Born Feb. 22, 1930, in Ottawa, she was the daughter of Leo Clarence and Frances Louise Doty Howard. A former resident of Pawnee Rock, moving to Great Bend in 2008, she was a telephone operator for the South Western Bell and Larned State Hospital. On June 12, 1949, she married E. Dean Kraisinger in Lawrence. On Sept. 28, 1978, ...
Naomi E. (Pete) Soeken
CLAFLIN - Naomi E. (Pete) Soeken, 75, died Dec. 18 at her home in Claflin. Born Oct. 1, 1935, in Manhattan, she was the daughter of Earl and Oneita (Crook) Stadel. On Dec. 19, 1954, she married Howard Lee Soeken in Pratt. A resident of Claflin since 1955, coming from Manhattan, she was a homemaker.
Emma E. Klima
GREAT BEND - Emma E. Klima, 89, went to be with the Lord surrounded by her family Dec. 18. She was born March 28, 1921 in Barton County, the duaghter of Joseph and Hattie K. (Houska) Sulc.
Naomi E. (Pete) Soeken
CLAFLIN - Naomi E. (Pete) Soeken, 75, died at her residence Dec. 18. She was born Oct. 1, 1935 Services are pending and will be announced by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home.
Walter H. Stewart “Stu” O’Brien
ALINA - Walter H. Stewart "Stu" O'Brien, 64, of Salina, died Friday at the Kaye Pogue Hospice Center, Salina, KS.
Marguerite Stricker
Marguerite Stricker, 87, of Great Bend, died Thursday at Cherry Village Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 10, 1923 in rural aArgonia, the daughter of Ray and Gertrude(Brown) Medlam.
Kiah Kay Mead
Kiah Kay Mead, 21, was called to be with her Heavenly Father on Dec. 14, at her parents' home in Great Bend, surrounded by family. She was born Jan. 18, 1989, in Great Bend, the daughter of Vonda Halfhill and Stephen R. Mead. She lived in Great Bend with her husband Doug Freeman and two daughters, Haevyn, 3, and Nayomi, 1. She graduated from Great Bend High School in 2007, and had attended Barton ...
Letha D. Wells
WOOSTER, Ohio - Letha D. Wells, 81, passed away quietly early Monday morning, Dec. 14, 2010, following a short illness at Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.
Delores Jean Piper
MISSOURI CITY, Texas - Delores Jean Piper, 75, died Dec. 14 at Atrium Medical Center in Stafford, Texas. She was born Feb. 23, 1935, at Great Bend, the daughter of Harley Ray and Ruth Ann (Alefs) Evers. She married Ronnie Piper on Sept. 25, 1955, at Great Bend. She was a nurse. A Missouri City, Texas, resident since 1988, she moved from Great Bend in 1962, living in Tulsa, Okla., and New ...
Norma Lee Garrett
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Norma Lee Garrett. 82, died Dec. 4 at Christus Saint Patrick Hospital, Lake Charles, La. She was born May 10, 1928, at Great Bend, the daughter of Harry M. and Mary Anna (Weber) Schartz. She married Thomas Burke Garrett Dec. 29, 1948, at Ellinwood. He died May 19, 1982. Mrs. Garrett was a Lake Charles, La., resident since 1982, coming from Great Bend, moving to Corpus Christi, ...
Chad Rex Roberson
Chad Rex Roberson, 22, died Dec. 13 at his home in Great Bend. He was born Nov. 10, 1988, at Great Bend, the son of Norman Rex, Jr. & Faith (Wagner) Roberson. A lifetime Great Bend resident, he was a brick tender for Devine Masonry. Mr. Roberson was a member of First Street Church of God, Hoisington. Survivors include his father, Rex Roberson of Ellinwood; mother, Faith Jacobs of Augusta; ...
Marilyn Kay McCluskey
NEWCASTLE, NEB. - Marilyn Kay McCluskey, 70, died Dec. 9. Survivors include her children, Paula Clark and husband Joseph of Omaha, Neb., Patrick McCluskey and wife Tish of Great Bend, John McCluskey and wife Chris, Cecilia Hodde and husband James D., and Catherine Crotts and husband Neil, all of Dodge City; grandchildren, William and Whitney Hodde, Megan Rome and husband John, Erica Stos and husband Shane, Marcella, Patrick, Reace, Matthew McCluskey, and Robbie ...
Ben Walter Turner
HOLYROOD - Ben Walter Turner, 84, died Dec. 10 at Holyrood. Born Oct. 1, 1926, in Pawhuska, Okla., he was the son of Harold Clifford and Rachel Irene (McNatt) Turner. A resident of Holyrood for 16 years, coming from Herington, he was a laborer. On Sept. 23, 1950, he married Cornelia Joyce (McBride) at Red Lodge, Mont.
David F. Ellis
David F. Ellis, 58, of Great Bend, died Dec. 11 at Great Bend Regional Hospital. He was born Nov. 21, 1952, at Great Bend, the son of Clifford John and Laverne L. (Lewis) Ellis.
Articles by Section - Obituaries
Bette M. Billinger 1916 - 2013
HOISINGTON - Bette M. Billinger, 96, died Feb. 28, 2013 at Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington. Born July 30, 1916, she was the daughter of Fred and Alice Alt. On April 11, 1942, she married Edmund Raymond Billinger in Tacoma, Wash. He died on Oct. 23, 2011. A resident of Hoisington since 2011, she came from Denver Colo., living at Country Place Living. She was a registered nurse, working both in hospitals and private practices ...
Larry J. Vink 1935-2013
Larry J. Vink, 78, Topeka, entered into eternal peace on June 8, 2013 at Lexington Place Care Home. He was born Feb. 22, 1935 to Lloyd and Mary (Grow) Vink in Great Bend. Larry ran heavy equipment for Barton County Hi-way starting at age 16. He ran it for four years. He farmed and worked in oil fields until he started his own business, L-V Excavating in Hoisington. In 1976, he moved his family to ...
Melvina Mary Francis 1928 - 2013
Melvina Mary Francis, 85, died June 10 at Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire. Born Feb. 7, 1928 in Liebenthal, she was the daughter of Adam and Mary (Gaube) Kreutzer. On Sept. 14, 1948, she married Thaine "T.C." Francis in Great Bend. A resident of Great Bend for 48 years, she was a homemaker.
Daniel James “Danny” Otipoby 1975 - 2013
ELLINWOOD - Daniel James "Danny" Otipoby, 37, of Ellinwood, died Monday, June 10, 2013 at Great Bend Regional Hospital, Great Bend, from injuries received in a motorcycle versus deer accident, two miles east of Great Bend.
Betty June Dewey
Betty June (Mrs. Devon) Deey, 89, died on Sunday following an automobile accident in Colby. Survivors and arrangements are pending and will be announced by Kimple Funeral Home in Ellinwood.
Michael Wayne Kirkman 1950 - 2013
Michael Wayne Kirkman, 62, died June 7 at his home in Midwest City, Okla. Born Nov. 6, 1950 in Great Bend, he was the son of Wayne and Carolyn (Nowles) Kirkman. On Aug. 12, 1972, he married Gail Broadbooks in Great Bend. They later divorced. A longtime resident of Great Bend and Pratt, residing in Midwest City, Okla. for three years, he was an oilfield salesman for W.L. Kirkman, Inc., until his retirement.
Gladys Voos - Service correction
HOISINGTON - Gladys Voos, 86, died June 6 at the Kansas Medical Center in Andover. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, July 20, at the First United Methodist Church in Hoisington. A full obituary will appear at a later date.
Melvin L. Krom 1930 - 2013
ELLINWOOD - A celebration of life memorial gathering for Melvin L. Krom will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the First Southern Baptist Church in Great Bend with Pastor Doyle Smith officiating. Military honors will be presented by the Fort Riley Honor Guard. A lunch for family and friends will be served at 1 p.m. before services.
Melvin L. Krom 1930 - 2013
ELLINWOOD - Melvin L. Krom, 83, died June 6 at the Good Samaritan Center in Lyons. Born March 24, 1930 in Galatia, he was the son of Conrad H. and Nima Schafer Krom. On Nov. 6, 1953 he married Bessie Weber in Galatia. They later divorced. A resident of Great Bend, formerly longtime Ellinwood resident, he worked as an oil field supervisor for Stevens Well Service and maintenance supervisor for Grove Park Golf Course in Ellinwood.
Lela May Urban 1936-2013
GARDEN CITY - Lela May Urban, 77, died June 7, 2013 at Homestead Health & Rehabilitation Center in Garden City. No services are planned at this time.
Michael Wayne Kirkman
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. - Michael Wayne Kirkman, 62, died June 7, 2013 at Midwest City, Okla. Services are pending with Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Road, Great Bend.
Amy K. Zielke
LARNED - Amy K. Zielke, 68, died June 6, 2013 at Diversicare of Larned. She was born Dec. 12, 1944 at Laredo, Texas, the daughter of Bernard and Alice Wallace Weller. A lifetime area resident, she was an office assistant for the Department of Corrections.
Carlos Salvador Torres Reyes 1989 - 2013
Carlos Salvador Torres Reyes, 23, died June 6 at his home in Great Bend. Born June 7, 1989 in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico, he was the son of Salvador and Luz Elena (Reyes) Torres. A resident of Great Bend since 2000, coming from Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico, he was an assembly line worker.
Mantord Edwin Dellinger
LARNED - Mantford Edwin Dellinger, 85, passed away June 7, at Hays Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Beckwith Mortuary in Larned.
