Archive By Section - Obituaries
Mary Frances ‘Dolly’ Gabel 1926-2011
Mary Frances 'Dolly' Gabel 1926-2011
Sister Frances Marie Heitz, OP 1914-2011
Sister Frances Marie Heitz, OP 1914-2011
Betty Wondra
Betty Wondra, 80, died June 9 at Great Bend Regional Hospital. Services are pending with Bryant Funeral Home.
George “Bob†Robert Defenbaugh 1926 – 2011
STARK - Bob Defenbaugh, 84, of rural Stark passed away June 7 at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Born on Dec. 5, 1926 in Stark, he was the son of George Robert Defenbaugh and Pearle (Kelso) Defenbaugh. He graduated from Grant Township in 1944. On Jan. 2, 1945, he married Ula Wright in Stark. She survives. Bob was a lifelong farmer.
Loretta Margaret Ross 1921 - 2011
RUSSELL - Loretta Margaret Ross, 89, of Russell, died June 7 at the Main Street Manor of Russell. Born Dec. 2, 1921, in Dubuque, she was the daughter of J. Henry and Philomena (Eckart) Casey. She graduated from Bunker Hill High School. On June 15, 1943, she married Leo J. Ross in Dubuque. He died on July 6, 1993. She was employed by Russell Regional Hospital for 19 years in medical records. She retired from the hospital in 1984.
Matilda J. (Tillie) Schremmer 1918 - 2011
HOISINGTON - Matilda J. (Tillie) Schremmer died June 8 at Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood. Born July 5, 1918, in rural Odin, she was the daughter of Fred and Anna (Kirmer) Zorn. On May 23, 1939, she married Walter R. Schremmer at Holy Family Church in Odin. He died March 19, 1980. A longtime resident of Hoisington, coming from the Beaver and Odin area, she was a homemaker.
Jean Weathers 1927 - 2011
Jean Ann Weathers, 84, of Great Bend, died June 2 at St. John's Hospice in Lakewood, Colo. Born April 17, 1927, in Carthage, Mo., she was the daughter of Joseph and Mabel Bruce.
Marjorie Ann (Cochrane) Barrett 1922 - 2011
HOISINGTON - Marjorie Ann (Cochrane) Barrett, 88, died on June 1, at Via Christi St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Wichita. Born on Nov. 2, 1922, in Ellsworth, she was the daughter of Joseph Lichen Cochrane and Lillian Alice (Lawson) Cochrane. Marjorie grew up in Hoisington, graduating from Hoisington High School in 1940. She graduated from Chillicothe Business School in Chillicothe, Mo., in 1942 with an Associate Degree in Business. On Nov. 22, 1941, she married James Edward Barrett in Kansas City, Mo. He died in 1989. During World War II she worked as an administrative assistant in Kansas City ...
Ron A. Radke 1945 - 2011
Ron A. Radke, 66, died June 7 at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. He was born March 28, 1945, at Great Bend, the son of LaVerne F. and Beatrice C. (Hull) Radke. He married Jeanie Becker Sept. 11, 1965, at McPherson. A lifetime Great Bend resident, he was owner and operator of Discount Trading.
Kolita Ann Hullett 1944-2011
LARNED - Kolita Ann Hullett, 66, died June 5 at the Leisure Homestead, St. John. She was born Sept. 27, 1944, in Larned, the daughter of William F. and Viola M. Marlett Kirchgassner. She was a juvenile correctional officer for the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility. She was a lifetime area resident of Larned.
Evelyn Margaret Folkerts Mazurkiewicz 1924 - 2011
ALMOGORDO, N.M. - Evelyn Margaret Folkerts Mazurkiewicz, 87, passed away June 2, in Alamogordo, N.M. Born March 27, 1924 in Larned, she was the daughter of Harm and Mabel (Simmons) Folkerts. Evelyn Mazurkiewicz began her schooling in a one room school, West Point, close to the family farm. She graduated from Larned High School in 1942. In 1945 she graduated from Wesley Nursing School. To serve our country, she joined the Civil Service as a nurse during the end of World War II and served the army in Korea. She spent 20 years in the Panama Canal Zone as ...
Judith Ann Phillips
Judith Ann Phillips, 68, retired Boeing Aircraft Co., supervisor, passed away June 2, after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
Articles by Section - Obituaries
Peggy J. Thompson 1953 - 2015
LARNED - Peggy J. Thompson, 61, passed away Jan. 19, 2015 at Via Christi Hospital St. Francis in Wichita. Born July 6, 1953, in Hoisington, she was the daughter of John H. and Marjorie Wagner Niewald. On Dec. 17, 1983, she married Kelly Thompson. They later divorced. A longtime area resident, she worked at the Larned State Hospital for 23 ½ years as a LMHT.
Marilou Axman 1930 - 2015
OLMITZ - Marilou Axman, 84, died Jan. 20, 2015 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born Nov. 1, 1930, in Odin, she was the daughter of William and Eleanor (Hickel) Linsner. On April 20, 1949, she married Frank W. Axman in Odin. He died on May 17, 1994. A resident of Olmitz since 1949, coming from Odin, she was a retired nurses' aide, working for the Hoisington Hospital.
Joseph John Zecha 1925 - 2015
Joseph John Zecha, 89, died Jan. 21, at Great Bend Regional Hospital. Born Oct. 25, 1925, in Claflin, he was the son of Emil R. and Mary Theresa (Kinzel) Zecha. A Great Bend resident for the past year and half, living in Denver, Colo. for 50 years, he was an auto mechanic for Montgomery Ward, retiring in 1990. He was a fine example of charity to almost everyone he met, befriending numerous persons in need throughout his life. He was an animal lover, especially dogs.
Joseph E. Hlavaty
OLMITZ - Joseph E. Hlavaty, 77, died Jan. 19, 2015, at Locust Grove Village, La Crosse. He was born Nov. 8, 1937, the son of Erwin J. and Clara Elizabeth (Riedel) Hlavaty. He married Justina Maneth Oct. 6, 1958, at La Crosse. A lifetime Olmitz resident, he was a dairy farmer and stockman and also the postmaster for Olmitz for 25 years.
Zaden Phillip Lee Finnigan
LA CROSSE - Zaden Phillip Lee Finnigan was delivered and passed on Jan. 18, 2015, at Hays Medical Center.
Matilda P. "Tillie" Hoth 1916 - 2015
SALINA - Matilda Pauline "Tillie" Hoth, 98, formally of Holyrood, died Jan. 18, 2015. Born Aug. 30, 1916, in Ellsworth County, she was the daughter of Fred and Anna (Kempke) Hoffman.
Garry L. Simpson 1954 - 2015
CLAFLIN - Garry L. Simpson, 60, died Jan 19, 2015, at his home in Claflin. Born July 18, 1954, in Columbia, N.C., he was the son of Howard and Beulah (Stevenson) Simpson. A resident of Claflin since 2002, coming from Roper, N.C., he was a nurse, working for Washington County Hospital and Central Kansas Medical Center, and formerly owned and operated Prairie House Flowers and Gifts.
Joseph “Joe” Hlavaty
OLMITZ - Joseph "Joe" Hlavaty, 77, died Jan. 19 at Locust Grove Nursing Home, LaCrosse. Services are pending with Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, Kansas.
Solomon “Sam” Maier 1911 - 2015
Solomon "Sam" Maier, 103, died Jan. 18, at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born June 3, 1911, in rural Barton County, he was the son of Henry Jacob and Anna Marie (Daubert) Maier. On Sept. 24, 1947, he married Betty Jo Mangum in Lubbock, Texas. She died on Dec. 7, 2000. A resident of Great Bend since 1964, coming from rural Susank, he worked for Producers Gas Company, retiring in 1976. He enjoyed fishing, and pheasant, dove and rabbit hunting.
Rose Bryant 1942 - 2015
HOISINGTON - Rose Marie Bryant, 73, died Jan. 17, at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born Jan. 7, 1942, in Chase, she was the daughter of George and Georgia (Moore) Bird. She was a graduate of Lincoln High School in Lincoln. On Jan. 27, 1961, she married Carl Lee Bryant in Lincoln. A longtime resident of Hoisington, she was employed for 17 1/2 years as a CNA on the night shift at Cheyenne Meadows Nursing Home. She and her husband both shared a love of fishing.
Jan Carpenter Sink 1935 - 2015
MCPHERSON - Jan Carpenter Sink, 79, wife, mother and grandmother, died Jan. 16, at Galichia Heart Hospital in Wichita. Born May 12, 1935, McPherson, she was the daughter of Fred D. and Evelyn M. (Sward) Carpenter. In 1953, she graduated from McPherson High School. On Jan. 28, 1956, she was united in marriage to Edwin L. Sink, Jr. in McPherson. He preceded her in death on Feb. 11, 1999. She had worked for State Farm Insurance and Tri-County Special Education Co-op, both in Independence, before retiring from Commerce Bank in Bonner Springs, and relocating to McPherson. She volunteered at Save N ...
Gregory Alan “Greg” Bitter 1959-2015
HOISINGTON - Gregory Alan "Greg" Bitter, 55, died Jan. 19 at Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington. Born Sept. 6, 1959, he was the son of Harry and Irene (Deutsch) Bitter.
Richard E. Johnson 1937 - 2015
HOLYROOD - Richard E. Johnson, 77, died Jan. 18, at his home. Born Oct. 18, 1937, in West Grove, Pa. he was the son of Samuel H. and Blanche A. Johnson. He grew up in Rising Sun, Md. On Aug. 30, 1958, he married Grace Wilkens Johnson in Lorraine. She survives. A resident of Holyrood since 2005, having moved from the farm 3 miles east of town, he was a farmer and rancher.
Velma V. Stieben 1924 - 2015
OTIS - Velma V. Stieben, 90, died Jan. 17, at Locust Grove Village in La Crosse. Born May 28, 1924, in rural Galatia, she was the daughter of Henry and Anna M. (Koch) Miller. In 1942, she graduated from Otis Rural High School. On Aug. 29, 1943, she married Lester M. Stieben at Otis. He preceded her in death on Nov. 28, 2004. A lifelong resident of Rush County, she was a homemaker.
William Francis “Bill” Maneth 1933 - 2015
William Francis "Bill" Maneth, 81, died Jan. 16, 2015, at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was born March 13, 1933, at Great Bend, the son of William Leo and Mary Teresa (Mauler) Maneth. He married Kay Ellen Dorfshaffer Aug. 24, 1957, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great Bend. A lifetime Great Bend resident, he worked for various retail firms around Great Bend as a counter parts man, retiring from Great Bend Farm Equipment in 1996.
