August 31, 2008

Irv Gotsche 80th

Irv Gotsche celebrated his 80th birthday on Aug. 24 at StoneRidge Country Club in Great Bend with his family. Hosts for the celebration were his children, Kurt Gotsche of Wichita, Pam Gabel of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Steve and Linda Gotsche and Eric and Carol Gotsche, all of Great Bend. He has five grandchildren.

Irv Gotsche was born on Aug. 24, 1928, in Racine, Wisc. He married Jeanne Gotsche on Nov. 27, 1954. He retired in 1988 from NCRA, where he was the drilling superintendent.

Cards may be sent to him at 5335 Quail Creek Drive, Great Bend, KS 67530.

August 17, 2008

Vernon Steinert 80th

Vernon Steinert will celebrate his 80th birthday with a family dinner. He was born Aug. 18, 1928, in Galatia to Edward and Emma (Tittel) Steinert.

A lifetime resident of Great Bend, he was a bulk agent for Texaco and owner of Steinert Oil Company. Vernon and his wife Geneva have been volunteers with the Mobile Missionary Assistance Program for the past 22 years. He has three children, David Steinert and wife Sarah of Oregon City, Ore., Mary French and husband Terry and Marty Steinert and wife Kim, all of Great Bend; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at P.O. Box 756, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Joe Clarke 80th

Joseph “Joe” Clarke of Hoisington, will celebrate his 80th birthday with family. Born Aug. 23, 1928, in Norton, he worked in road construction and then in all parts of the oil fields.

On July 22, 1950, he married Carol Humphrey in Jetmore. His children are Alice Clarke of Barnwell, S.C., Iris Clarke of Oklahoma City, Okla., Mary Brewer of Hoisington and the late Joseph Clarke Jr. He has four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him 853 South Main St., Hoisington KS 67544.

August 10, 2008

Leland Keil 80th

Leland B. Keil will celebrate his 80th birthday on Aug. 13. He was born Aug. 13, 1928, near Galatia. He married Roberta Ramsey on Sept. 8, 1950. Employed by the Galatia Co-op/United Ag for 20 years, he is still actively engaged in farming with his son David.

His children and their spouses are Mike and Barb Keil of Topeka, Barb and Leroy (Lee) Menninga of Wichita, David and Becky Keil of Russell, Becky and Andy Money of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Kristy Gerhardt and fiancé Lloyd Scheck of Great Bend. He has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Cards may be sent to him at 210 W. Newcombe, Galatia, KS 67565.

James Rossman 80th

James Rossman will celebrate his 80th birthday with a reception for family and friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 23 at the Albert City Building, 2006 Main Street. The family requests no gifts.

James was born on Aug. 29, 1928, at Scipio, in Anderson County. A resident of Albert since 1957, he has been employed in the oil field 51 years. James was also self-employed with a firewood business for 28 years.

James and his wife Betty have four children, Verlyn and wife Kathy of Albert, Illeen Becker of Casa Grande, Ariz., Dianna Cushenbery and husband Rod of Albert and Tammy Rodie of Phoenix, Ariz. He has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at Box 52, Albert, KS, 67511.

July 27, 2008

Earl Schmidt 80th

Earl Allen Schmidt will celebrate his 80th birthday with a reception for family and friends from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 2 at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 2123 Forest, Great Bend.

He was born Aug. 20, 1928, in Great Bend. A lifetime resident of the Pawnee Rock area, he is a retired farmer and school bus driver. Earl and his wife Janice have three children, Michael and wife Janet of Corneleus, Ore., Dennis and his wife Terrie of Athens, Texas, and Brenda Girard of Hays. He has eight grandchildren and one stepgreat-grandson.

The family requests no gifts.

July 13, 2008

Helen Dexter 80th

Helen Dexter of Ellinwood will celebrate her 80th birthday on July 19 with a family dinner. She was born July 18, 1928.

Cards may be sent to her at 204 South Main, Ellinwood, KS 67526.

Elsie Clowers 80th

Elsie Clowers of Claflin celebrated her 80th birthday on June 28 at Perkins in Great Bend. Guests included: Rex and Lynn Meek, Alyx and Peyton Bullard, all of Hoisington; Michael Stueder of Claflin; Derrick and Tami Hoch of Great Bend; Debbie Long and Sy Hileman, both of Ulysses; Brenda Campbell of Preston; and Ryan Pozalek of Salina. After dinner the guests had cake at Elsie’s home in Claflin.

June 28, 2008

Tillie Schremmer 90th

Tillie Schremmer of Hoisington will celebrate her 90th birthday July 5 with a family gathering. She was born on July 5, 1918, to Fred and Anna Zom of rural Odin.

She married Walter Schremmer in 1939 and lived in the Beaver/Odin area. He passed away in 1980. They had four children: Kenneth and Rosie Schremmer of Hoisington, Marilyn Stapleton of Greeley, Colo., Eldon Schremmer of Odin, and Jan and Keith Frenzl of Great Bend; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at: 516 Crestview Dr., Hoisington, KS 67544.

Archie Beller 100th

Archie L. Beller, former Great Bend resident, turned 100 years of age on May 16. He and his wife, Jo Beller, and daughter Margaret moved to Great Bend in 1949.

Mr. Beller was in partnership with Charles Hulme of the Southwest Sand & Gravel Co., which was located south of 10th Street and the railroad tracks. In 1958, Mr. Beller formed his own company, the A. L. Beller Construction Co. The company did highway surfacing and built bridges throughout western Kansas, including one of the first series of bridges on the Kansas Turnpike. Mr. Beller retired in 1971, selling his company to the L & M Construction Co. of Great Bend. He moved to Newton in 1998 to be near his daughter’s family and grandchildren. His wife of 74 years died in 2002.

Archie and Jo Beller lived in Great Bend 49 years. They were members of the Great Bend Methodist Church and the Great Bend Petroleum Club. Mr. Beller was a board member of the Petroleum Club for four years and has been a member of the Elks Club for over 50 years. He served as a city councilman from May 1976 to April 1979.

Family and friends celebrated with Archie over the Memorial Day weekend. Cards may be sent to his home at 5423 NW 12th St., Newton, KS 67114.

Ruth Hoard 80th

Ruth Hoard will celebrate her 80th birthday today. She was born on June 29, 1928, in Hoisington.

She married the late Don Pound and the late Richard Hoard. A resident of Great Bend most of her life, she now resides in Tucson, Ariz., where she enjoys gardening and volunteering at UMC, in the NICU, bloodmobiles, flu clinics and admitting. She was a secretary for CRA and Terra Resources.

She has two daughters, Donna and her husband R.C. Williams of Great Bend and Shannon and her husband Ron DeHaan of Pawnee Rock; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at 5681 N. Camino Del Sol, Tucson, AZ 85718.

Norma Blakeslee 80th

Norma Blakeslee of St. John will celebrate her 80th birthday with an open house for family and friends from 1 to 3 p.m. on July 4 at the Community Hall in Hudson. Born July 4, 1928, in rural St. John, she has been a resident of Stafford County all her life.

She married Charles Blakeslee on Aug. 6, 1950, at Peace Church in rural Hudson. A homemaker, she is a piano accompanist for her church. She has three children, Charla and Gary Bornholdt and Emily and Sid Arpin, all of Hutchinson, and Kerwin Blakeslee of Ellinwood; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at 411 East 2nd Street, St. John, KS 67576.

June 22, 2008

Willie Creed 95th

Willie Creed will celebrate her 95th birthday from 7 to 10 p.m. on June 24 with a free dance at the Larned Community Center. Music will be provided by Chris Calhoun. Homemade ice cream and cake will be provided. The public is invited to attend.

Lena Wharton 95th

Lena Wharton will celebrate her 95th birthday with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on June 29 at the Highland Hotel Gold Room, 3017 W. 10th.

Born July 5, 1913, she was a resident of the Timken and Bison area for most of her life. She was employed by Thies Packing Company for 20 years. She has four children, Wanda and Jack Luft, Roxie and John Crawford, Nelson and Donna Wharton and Lyle and Connie Wharton, all of Great Bend; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

June 15, 2008

Esther Jenkins 80th

Esther Jenkins will celebrate her 80th birthday on June 17. Her family requests a card shower. Cards may be sent to her at: Cherry Village, 1401 Cherry Lane, Room 415, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Sara Deines 90th

Sara Deines of Otis will celebrate her 90th birthday on June 22 with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Otis. She requests no gifts please.

She was born on June 25, 1918. She married Herman Deines, who died in 1999. A resident of the Galatia/Otis area, she was employed at the Otis elevator.

Mrs. Deines has seven children, Kathryn and Richard Ahlvers of Great Bend, Marcia and Lee Brewer of Edwardsville, Ill., Vickie and Martin Riedl of Woodward, Okla., Jim and Marsha Deines of Wichita, and the late H. Franklin Deines Jr., Robert Deines and Elizabeth Deines; 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

June 8, 2008

Jack L. Merten 80th

Jack L. Merten of Great Bend celebrated his 80th birthday on June 6. Born in Great Bend on June 6, 1928, the son of Ralph and Audra Merten, he attended schools in Great Bend, Rozel and Wichita. He started work in 1949 for the local power company and in 1951 joined the Navy CB's. He was stationed on Adak in the Aleutians and on Guam in the South Pacific. After his discharge from active duty in 1953, he went back to work for the power company, where he retired on Oct. 1, 1991, after 42 years of service. He is married and has two children and five grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at 3121 Meadowlark, Great Bend, KS 67530.

June 1, 2008

Lavon Sessler 90th

Lavon C. Sessler will celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on June 14 at the St. John Lutheran Youth Center, 5th and Wilhelm, in Ellinwood. Hosts for the event will be her daughter, Rosalyn Borchers, and her son Marvin and his wife Karen Sesslor. No gifts are requested.

A lifetime resident of Ellinwood, she was born on June 13, 1918, to Otto and Lydia Soeken. She was to married Charles W. Sessler for 58 years and was actively involved in the family farm operation and excelled in gardening.

Cards may be sent to her at 605 N. Main, Ellinwood, KS 67526.

May 25, 2008

Elnita E. Jezek 90th

Mrs. Elnita E. Jezek of Holyrood will celebrate her 90th birthday with a reception for family and friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on May 31 at the United Church of Christ Fellowship Hall, 301 E. Nassau. She requests no gifts.

She was born on May 31, 1918, in Barton County to Elizabeth and Herman Ehler. A 1939 graduate of Kansas State University, she worked as a General Motors accountant until 1947, when she married Charles Jezek, Jr. On April 18, 1961, her husband and parents were killed in a car accident near Topeka. She continued to live in Holyrood, where she served as Worthy Grand Matron of Kansas Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star from 1966 to 1967. She then served as Grand Treasurer of the Grand Chapter for 21 years.

Cards may be sent to her at P.O. Box 81, Holyrood, KS 67450.

May 18, 2008

Bernardine Leiker 80th

Bernardine Leiker will celebrate her 80th birthday with a reception for friends and family from 2 to 4 p.m. on May 24 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center, 1560 K-96 Highway in Great Bend. She was born May 20, 1928.

Cards may be sent to her at the center, 1560 K-96 Highway, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Pearl White 80th

Pearl White will celebrate her 80th birthday with a reception for friends and family from 2 to 4 p.m. on May 25 at the Senior Center.

The event is hosted by her children, Becky Carlson, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard White, Mr. and Mrs. Bob (Connie) Ashley, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Denney and Mr. and Mrs. Brian (Gladys) Snow. The honoree requests no gifts.

Henry Nordman 80th

Henry Nordman of Albert will celebrate his 80th birthday today with a family dinner. He was born May 17, 1928, to Frank and Margaret Nordman. He married Anna Oberle in 1955.

Helping celebrate are his children, Marlene Coker, Evelyn Brown and husband Roy, and Gary Nordman and wife Pensri, all of Wichita; Alan Nordman and wife Lucinda of Redfield, Iowa; and Janet Liston and husband Kevin of Larned. He has seven grandchildren, Mckayla Nordman, Justin and Jessica Prodromides, James and Kolby Nordman, and Sarah and Patrick Liston; three stepgrandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one stepgreat-granddaughter.

Cards may be sent to him at 576 NW 100 Ave., Albert, KS 67511.

May 11, 2008

Harold Walter 80th

Harold L. Walter will celebrate his 80th birthday with an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on May 17 at the Baltzell Motel, 705 10th Street. Hosts for the event will be his three children and their spouses. They request no gifts.

Born on April 28, 1928, he grew up south of Great Bend in Stafford County. He graduated from Great Bend High School in 1946. He attended college in Hutchinson before enlisting in the service in 1948. He joined the Great Bend Fire Department on Aug. 11, 1950. He was elevated to captain in 1957 and became assistant fire chief in 1958. He was appointed to fire chief in 1967. Chief Walter served for 38 years. He married Margaret Darlene Baltzell in 1951. They were married for 56 wonderful years.

May 4, 2008

Nadine Amerine 90th

Nadine (Johnson) Amerine will celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on June 1, hosted by her family at River Bend Assisted Living, 3820 Broadway, Great Bend.

She was born May 31, 1918, and grew up in rural Great Bend with two brothers, Cedric and Eldon, and two sisters, Florence and Jean Smith of Hoisington. She graduated from Great Bend High School and, after raising her family, she completed her degree at Fort Hays State University, where she received a teaching certificate. She then taught in a rural one-room school. She married Loren E. Amerine in 1940. He passed away in 1996. They had four sons: Kent (deceased), Marvin and Deanne Amerine of Lake Jackson, Texas, Glen and Pat Amerine of Great Bend, and Clyde and Janet Amerine of Conway Springs; and one daughter, Elaine and Glenn Mull of Pawnee Rock. She has 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Amerine has been active in the Great Bend community and the First United Methodist Church. She loved her work in Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts and has a legacy of hundreds of children and adults that she taught to swim. Whenever the family tells people that this will be her 90th birthday, an interesting thing happens. Each person has a story to share and each story is special. A fun way for everyone to share in these memories is to send an e-mail to namerine90.stories@blogger.com. To view the memories, go to http://namerine.blogspot.com. Photos may be included as an attachment to the e-mail and will appear in the blog alongside the story.

Cards may be sent to her at River Bend Living, 3820 Broadway, Great Bend, KS 67530.

April 20, 2008

Maxine Heueisen 75th

Maxine Heueisen, of Great Bend, will celebrate her 75th birthday on April 26 with a family dinner. She was born April 23, 1933, to Earl and Jesse Carr of Larned. On Nov. 26, 1955, she married Charles Heueisen. He died April 17, 1979.

She has three children, Debra Hamlin and husband Greg of Wichita, Donna Zimmerman and husband Ray of Great Bend and Dean Heueisen and wife Jackie of Blue Springs, Mo.; and seven grandchildren, Jason, Justin and Joel Hamlin of Wichita, Sara Zimmerman of Wichita, Cory Zimmerman of Manhattan, Rachel and Gage Heueisen of Blue Springs.

Cards may be sent to her at 731 Wilson Street, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Norma McCurdy 80th

Norma Folkerts McCurdy will celebrate her 80th birthday on April 27. She will be celebrating in Keller, Texas, with her daughters, Klela and Zola; granddaughters, Lindsey and Sonja; and great-grandchildren, Emma and Sam.

Cards may be sent to her at 501 Bourland, Apartment 3303, Keller, TX 76248. She misses her friends in Kansas and will be happy to hear from everyone

Maxine Murray 95th

Maxine Murray of Larned, celebrated her 95th birthday with a large family gathering at the Methodist Church in Trousdale.

Born April 19, 1913, on a farmstead near Gentry, Ark., she was the daughter of Ples and Amanda Givens The family moved to Seward when she was 2 years old. She married C. Kenneth Murray in Rozel on May 13, 1933. He died on Jan. 1, 1979. She is a homemaker.

Her children and their spouses are: Barbara and Simon Root of Lyons, Beverly Cornelison of Larned, Bonnie and Clinton Russell of Trousdale, Betty Gardner of Hoisington and the late Gary Murray; 16 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and four step-great-great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at P.O. Box 162, Larned, KS 67550.

Lloyd G. Lewis 90th

Lloyd G. Lewis of Larned will celebrate his 90th birthday on April 27. He was born in Jamestown to Minnie and George Lewis on April 27, 1918. He graduated from Jamestown High School.

He served in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II in the Army. After the war, he worked for the Curtis Candy Company and, for many years at A.A. Doerrs in Larned. A member of the American Legion for many years, he enjoys fishing, gardening, playing pool and watching sports. He is a great University of Kansas basketball fan.

He married Naomi Bedwell on July 21, 1939, at Bisbee Ariz. She died in March 2001. He has two surviving sons, Gerald (Gerry) and wife Jewell of Larned and Steven of Roeland Park. His son Richard died in February 2003. Richard's wife Karen lives in Larned. He has two grandchildren, Carla Batten of Larned and Dana McGovern of St. Louis, Mo.

Cards may be sent to him at 117 South Santa Fe, Larned, KS 67550.

April 13, 2008

Luella Mericle 80th

Luella (Truex) Mericle will celebrate her 80th birthday on April 19. Born April 19, 1928, in Great Bend to Adelbert and Ida Marie Truex, she grew up with two sisters, Virginia and Alberta. She graduated from Great Bend High School. Her father was a police officer in Great Bend.

She married Carl Mericle. He died Nov. 9, 1995. A resident of Moravia, Iowa, she was a housewife. She has five children, Russell, Mark, Carla, Curtis, and Daniel; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. A son, Mark, is deceased.

Cards may be sent to her at 1415 South B. Street, Lot #31, Albia, IA 52531.

Zorn twins 80th

Elmer Zorn of Hoisington and Alvin Zorn of Smith Center will celebrate their 80th birthday with card showers. The twins were born on April 19, 1928, to Fred and Anna Zorn in the Odin area. They both served in the Army in Korea.

Elmer worked for the Barton County Highway Department for 37 years. He married Emily Podlena on Oct. 7, 1952, in Wilson. They have three sons, Dennis and Brenda Zorn of Denver, Colo., Ron Zorn of Crystal Lake, Ill., and James and Donna Zorn of Great Bend; and five grandchildren. Cards may be sent to him at Country Place Home Plus, 520 N. Vine St., Hoisington, KS 67544.

Alvin worked at and owned Alkar Tire Service in Smith Center. He married Bernice Tinkel on Sept. 16, 1952, in Dubuque. They have three children, Joan and Richard Kuhlman of Derby, Marvin and Robin Zorn of Athen, Ill., and Randy and Julie of Ottumwa, Iowa; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Cards may be sent to him at 206 E. St., Smith Center, KS 66967.

April 6, 2008

Viola Wagner 80th

Viola Wagner of Otis will celebrate her 80th birthday on April 10 with a family gathering in Great Bend. She was born April 10, 1928, to Solomon and Lydia Wegele. On Aug. 15, 1948, she married Ray Wagner in Otis. A homemaker and active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Otis, she enjoys cooking, making quilts and volunteering in various local activities. She has two sons, Dale and wife Marta of Littleton, Colo., and Larry and wife Charlotte of Hutchinson, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at Box 331, Otis, KS 67565.

Isabelle Dumler 85th

Isabelle (Karst Deutsch) Dumler will celebrate her 85th birthday with a family meal on April 12. Hosts for the celebration will be her children, Barb and Roy Nolte of Hoisington, Jo and Paul Hindman of Claflin, and Mel and Di Deutsch of Lawrence. Her step-children are Verna and Al Maier of Great Bend and Larry and Judy Dumler of Dodge City. She has eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and eight stepgreat-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at 1108 Park, Hoisington, KS 67544.

March 30, 2008

Louise Hejny 85th

Louise Hejny of Great Bend, formerly of the Otis/Olmitz communites, will celebrate her 85th birthday with a come-and-go reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 5 at the Great Bend Recreation Center, 1214 Stone.

Hosts for the event will be her daughters and their families, Donna Urban and Phil Feist of Gardner, and Norma and Richard Kraisinger of Otis, and her nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

She requests no gifts.

Dolores Kaiser 80th

Dolores Kaiser is celebrating her 80th birthday on March 30 with a champagne lunch at The Club at StoneRidge. Helping her celebrate this milestone are her children, Paul and Kathy Kaiser and Eldon and Beth Foster, all of Great Bend, and Kent and Mary Kaiser of Bushton; along with her grandchildren, David and Kim Bollig of Topeka, Eric Kaiser and Kayla Kaiser, both of Great Bend, Chad and Keri Suppes of Hays, Brian and Christie Foster and Karl Kaiser, all of Manhattan, and Kyle Kaiser of Bushton; and her great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Kale Suppes of Hays.

She was born March 31, 1928, the daughter of Joseph and Marie Zink. Cards may be sent to 365 Avenue B, Bushton, KS 67427.

Bob Littrell 80th

Bob (Shaky) Littrell of Hoisington will celebrate his 80th birthday with a reception for friends and family from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 6 at The Lodge Cafe in Hoisington. Hosts for the celebration are his children and their spouses, Mike and Jozet Littrell, Debbi and Mike Davis, Sandy and Jim Ray and Marte Littrell and daughter Shelby, all of Hoisington, and Christa and Jerry Beck of Claflin. He has 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. He requests no gifts.

He was born on April 7, 1928, in Hoisington to George and Gladys Littrell. He married Betty Durand on June 20, 1950. She died May 22, 2001. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1947 to 1951 and was an electronic technician aboard the USS Gurkey in the Korean War. An employee of the oil field, he retired from Terra Resources in 1986. He spends his days on the golf course with his friends or in his wood shop making sawdust.

Cards can be sent to him at 344 N.W. 70 Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530.

March 23, 2008

Patricia Burnett 80th

Patricia (Pat) Burnett will celebrate her 80th birthday with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on March 30 at 2005 Kansas Ave. in Great Bend. Hosts for the celebration will be her children, Mike Burnett, Sue Parks, Barbara Bowers and Patrick Burnett.

Cards may be sent to her at 1208 Baker Ave., Great Bend, KS 67530.

March 16, 2008

Joe Lapka 80th

Joe Lapka celebrated his 80th birthday with a reception on March 15 in Great Bend. Host for the celebration was his daughter, Dina Heier.

Mr. Lapka was born on March 14, 1928. A resident of Barton County for most of his life, he managed Bailey’s Farm Supply Store for 32 years. He has 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at 1401 Tyler, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Mary Ann Wondra 70th

Mary Ann Wondra of Great Bend will celebrate her 70th birthday with a family dinner followed by an open house, from 2 to 4 p.m. today at the Great Bend Senior Center, 2005 Kansas Ave.

The daughter of Anton F. (Tony) and Louise (Maneth) Huslig, she was born on March 12, 1938, near Fowler. She married Arthur A. Wondra on Nov. 14, 1959, in Cunningham. They moved to Great Bend in 1959 and have resided here since then. A graduate of the Dominican School of Nursing in Great Bend, Class of 1959, she is a registered nurse and has worked at Central Kansas Medical Center, Cherry Village Nursing Center and Barton County Home Health and Hospice, retiring in 2000. She is a member of Prince of Peace Parish, St. Rose Church, the Altar Society and Daughters of Isabella.

Mrs. Wondra has five children, Kevin and Teresa Wondra of Great Bend, Kathy and Eric Walsten of Mulvane, Alan and Karen Wondra of Wichita, Korey and Leann Wondra of Hutchinson and David and Valerie Wondra of Derby. She also has 11 grandchildren, Brice, Kyle and Andrew Walsten; Jennifer and Aaron Wondra; Alisha, Lucas and Evan Wondra; and Zachary, Joshua and Emma Wondra.

Cards may be sent to her at 6 NW 50 Road, Great Bend KS 67530.

Dorothy Matlack 90th

Dorothy Lambel Matlack will celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house from 2 to 5 p.m. on March 22 at the Methodist Church Education Building in Lyons. Hosts for the event will be her children, Sandy and Ron Atteberry and Wade Lambel, and her grandchildren. She would appreciate cards but no gifts, please.

Leona Klein 86th

Leona M. Klein will celebrate her 86th birthday on March 21. Relatives request a card shower. Cards may be sent to her at 583 NE 100 Ave., Ellinwood, KS 67526-9029.

March 9, 2008

Dixie Ewert birthday

A birthday card shower is requested for Dixie Ewert on March 12. A longtime resident of Great Bend, she recently moved to Missouri to be with her daughter.

Cards may be sent to Dixie Ewert, in care of Linda Heitland, 318 Teston Drive, Ferguson, MO 63135.

Agatha Reeves 89th

Agatha Reeves will celebrate her 89th birthday on March 9. She was born March 9, 1919, in Great Bend. She has three children, Nancy and Larry Perriera of Oceanside, Calif., Joyce and Tom Lewis of Great Bend and Geary and Gaylene Cuzick of Plainville; seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at The Crossing at Malvern, attn: Agatha Reeves, 720 Walco Rd., Apt. 218, Malvern, AR 72104.

Vera Wilkens 90th

Vera Wilkens of Claflin will celebrate her 90th birthday with a family dinner on March 15 at her home. She was born on March 16, 1918, to Coy and Nona Vance of Stafford. They later moved to Coldwater, where she graduated from high school. On May 3, 1939, she married Leo Wilkins. He died June 7, 2000.

Her children are Don Wilkins and wife Jerilyn of Excelsior Springs, Mo., and Carol Carson of Hutchinson. She has four grandsons and four great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at P.O. Box 427, Claflin, KS 67525.

February 24, 2008

Peacock 85th

Connie Peacock celebrated her 85th birthday on Feb. 21. She was born on Feb. 21, 1923, in WaKeeney. She married Thomas Peacock in 1941. They moved to Great Bend in 1945, where she has resided for the past 63 years.

She worked alongside Tom at the old Standard Station on 10th and Main and then the Conoco Station at 10th and Grant until she opened Connie’s Yarn Center in 1972. She operated her shop, conducting classes and selling knitting machines and quality yarn, closing the shop in 1995 when Tom passed away. She continues to enjoy knitting and other hand work and meeting with her “knitting” group.

She was a Rebekah Lodge member, and a member of Bissell Point Extension Homemakers Unit until it disbanded. She continues to be active in Pilot Club and is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

She has four children, Claudia Bibber of Carmel Valley, Calif.; Robert Peacock of Midland, Utah; Sheldon Peacock and wife Kristie of Great Bend; and the late David Peacock and wife, Cathy, who lives in Fayetteville, Ark.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at 2215 Van Buren, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Beulah Weeks 90th

Beulah Weeks of Great Bend will celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on March 2 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center, 1560 K-96 Highway.

The daughter of Henry Clinton and Lily Ellen Woodyard, she was born March 3, 1918, in Marshall County. She graduated from Luray High School. On Jan. 1, 1941, she married Glenn E. Weeks. He died July 31, 1995. She lived in Russell County on the family farm for 54 years, moved to Hoisington in 1995 and then to Great Bend in 2007. She has two daughters, Lou Ann and Chuck Hinze of Clarkston, Mich., and Ruth and Robert Lanterman of Great Bend; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at 1560 K-96 Highway, Great Bend, KS 67530.

February 10, 2008

Reichuber 97th

Caroline Reichuber will celebrate her 97th birthday on Feb. 16 with a card shower.

Cards may be sent to her at: 1115 Kansas, Larned, KS 67550.

February 3, 2008

Luella Schwager 85th

Luella Schwager celebrated her 85th birthday in the Cardiac Care Unit at Wesley Hospital in Wichita on Dec. 29. All eight of her children, spouses and several of her grandchildren were present to help celebrate this special day.

She was born on Dec. 29, 1922, Luella Pauline Burhenn, to Paul and Bertha (Langrehr) Burhenn at a farm south of Ellinwood in Stafford County. She graduated from Ellinwood High School in 1940 and married George J. Schwager on Nov. 7, 1940, at the St. Rose of Lima Rectory. He died on May 25, 2002. She has eight children; 21 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren, with one more on the way; and six great-great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. One grandson, Jerry Emerson, passed away in 1993.

Mrs. Schwager spent three weeks and two days in the Wichita hospital and is now back at Central Kansas Medical Center for rehabilitation to return home. Cards may be sent to 5924 Birchwood, Great Bend, KS 67530.

January 27, 2008

Watts 80th

Junior Raymond Watts will celebrate his 80th birthday with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the Great Bend Senior Center, 2005 Kansas Ave. He was born on Feb. 3, 1928, in Quincy to Charley and Ruby Watts.

He married Ruth Schwintz on Aug. 10, 1950, in Yates Center. They now reside in Eureka. His children and their spouses are Ron and Connie Watts of Great Bend, Sue and David Stanely of Kinsley and Chris and Kenny Beakey of Great Bend; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

Disque 70th

Wally Disque will celebrate his 70th birthday with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the Claflin Community Center. He was born Feb. 7, 1938, to Adam and Margaret Disque. He married Joyce Lindenmuth on May 14, 1961.

A lifetime resident of the Claflin area, he is a substitute bus driver for the Claflin Schools and a lifetime farmer. His hobbies include riding his whizzer motorbike and collecting Crosley cars. Hosts for the reception will be his children, Mark and Kelly Disque of Wylie, Texas, Doug and Jacquie Disque of Great Bend and Sheri and Joey Girard of Claflin. He has seven grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at 1561 N.E. 130 Ave., Claflin, KS 67525.

January 20, 2008

Betty Huenergardt 80th

Betty Huenergardt will celebrate her 80th birthday on Jan. 21 with a card shower. She was born Jan. 21, 1928, in Albert to Otto and Ellen (Arnold) Oetken. She married Maurice Huenergardt. He died May 19, 2004.

Her children and their spouses are Sharon and Ron Fuller and Heidi Huenergardt, all of Wichita, Gwen and Martin Wareham of Calabasas, Calif., and Maureen Huenergardt of Great Bend. She has one grandchild.

Cards may be sent to her at 615 Locust St., Apt. 106, La Crosse, KS 67548.

Ruth H. Nuss 92nd

Ruth H. Nuss of Great Bend will celebrate her 92nd birthday today. She was born on Jan. 20, 1916, in Bemidji, Minn., to the Rev. and Mrs. Otto J. Brauer.

She married Melvin O. Nuss, a Great Bend attorney, in 1941 and moved to Great Bend at that time. Mr. Nuss died in 1998. A homemaker, she has shown a lifetime interest in beauty, trees and anything sweet.

Mrs. Nuss has four children, Kathryn Nuss of Tangier, Morocco, Barbara Nuss of Great Bend, Frederick and wife Candace Nuss of Hoisington and Joanne Nuss of Santa Fe, N.M. She has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: Garth and Lamia and a young Youssef of Orlando, Fla.; Christopher Bauer of New York City, N.Y.; Khalil and Halima Soodi and baby Lina, and Abdelaziz Soodi and Yasmina Soodi, all of Tangier, Morocco.

Cards may be sent to her at P.O. Box 2080, Great Bend, KS 67530.

January 13, 2008

Kenny Sellens 91st

Kenny Sellens will celebrate his 91st birthday on Jan. 14 with a card shower. He moved with his wife Berdena to Great Bend from Hoisington after the tornado. They now live in Ellinwood. He was employed by Murdy Motors.

His children are Judy Harmon of Austin, Texas, Jim Sellens of Wasilla, Alaska, Jan Westrum of Monument, Colo., Jayne Klir of Denton, Texas, and Jolene Boys of Great Bend. He has seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at Woodhaven Care Center, 510 W. 7th St., Ellinwood, KS 67526.

Anthony Hoffman 80th

Anthony “Tony” Hoffman of Claflin celebrated his 80th birthday with family and friends on Dec. 29. He was born Dec. 9, 1927, in Claflin. He married Caroline Birzer on June 1, 1950, in Hoisington. He was a farmer, stockman and insurance adjuster until he retired.

His children and their spouses are: Linda Hoffman and Robert Hasler of Oakland, Calif., Larry and Chris Hoffman of Shawnee, Pam and Dave Wirth of Ellinwood, Mark and Gina Hoffman of Kempton, Ill., Brian and Bernie Hoffman of Claflin, Keith and Ann Hoffman of Raymore, Mo., Craig and Shelly Hoffman of Wichita, and Brent and Elizabeth Hoffman of Spring Hill. He has 29 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Ruth Aeschliman 97th

Ruth Aeschliman will celebrate her 97th birthday on Jan. 19 with a card shower. Born at Sabetha, she enjoyed a career of teaching in elementary schools in Kansas. The last 27 years of her teaching career were spent in the Great Bend school system.

Cards may be sent to her at 1608 SW 37th, Apt. 202, Topeka, KS 66611.

Ruth Ochs 80th

Ruth Ochs of Otis will celebrate her 80th birthday from 2 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 20 with a reception at the Senior Center, 105 W. Fisher, in Otis.

She was born Jan. 20, 1928, to Wilhelm and Freda Maier in rural Ellis County. She married Wilmer Ochs on June 24, 1951. He died April 7, 1981.

Hosts will be her children and their spouses, Stan and Ann Ochs of Hutchinson and Terry and Sandra Wilkerson of Woodward, Okla. She has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to her at P.O. Box 108, Otis, KS 67565.

January 6, 2008

Robert Boele 80th

Robert L. Boele will celebrate his 80th birthday on Jan. 7 with a card shower. He has lived in and around Great Bend most of his life. He married Nelda Boele. He has three children, John C. Boele of Sterling, Tammula L. Boele of Great Bend and Stacy Trivinio of St. John; and three grandchildren.

Cards may be sent to him at: 1479 NW 80th Ave., Radium KS 67550.