OLMITZ — Dolores R. Lindsay, 79, died March 9 at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. Service arrangements are pending with Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, and will be announced.

ALTUS, Ark. — Coyle “Junebug” Detherage, Jr., 69, died March 8 at the VA Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, and will be announced.

Sharon A. Stevenson, 53, of Great Bend, died March 8 at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. She was born Oct. 18, 1956, at Great Bend, the daughter of Elmer and Doris (Crawford) Boyd. She married Larry Stevenson on May 18, 1980, at Great Bend. He survives. She was a department store manager for Wal-Mart and a lifetime Barton County resident.

Survivors, in addition to her husband, of the home, include four sons, James Stevenson and wife Jennifer, Matthew Stevenson and wife Cassie, Craig Stevenson and wife Staci, and Shane Stevenson, all of Great Bend; one daughter, Ashley Stevenson of Great Bend; one brother, Mike Boyd of Colorado; and seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, Donald Boyd.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with Pastor Don Paden officiant. Interment will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to service time Friday at the funeral home. Memorial fund donations for Barton County Relay for Life or the CKMC Foundation for the Benefit of the Heartland Cancer Center may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 10, 2010

GARFIELD — Harold A. Nelson, 80, died March 9 at his rural home, Garfield. He was born Feb. 8, 1930, in Larned, the son of Harold V. and Edith M. Johnson Nelson. A lifetime resident of Pawnee County, he was a farmer/rancher. He served in the U.S. Army.

Mr. Nelson belonged to the Father’s House, Larned.

On Sept. 15, 1954, he married Odessa M. Johnson at Hutchinson. She survives.

Other survivors include one son, William, Garfield; three daughters, Jean Menard, Kinsley, Ruth Rodrigues and husband Martin, Hobbs, N.M., and Rita Winter and husband John, Kinsley; one brother, Don Nelson and wife Carol, Bellville, Ill., three grandchildren, Jake Menard, Luke Menard and Arheal Carillo, and four great-grandchildren, Andrea and Keaira Menard, Alyssa Carillo and Hugo Carillo Jr. He was preceded in death by one brother, Arlyn Nelson.

Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Morell Funeral Home Chapel, Larned. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Garfield Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home. Personal condolences may be left at www.morellfuneralhomellc.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Morell Funeral Home*
1016 Broadway/P.O. Box 124
Larned, KS 67550-0124
620-285-2177
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 10, 2010

LORRAINE — Melvin V. Splitter, 67, died March 8 at Promise Regional Medical Center in Hutchinson. Born Dec. 5, 1942, in Wellington, he was the son of Louis Vernon and Melva F. Janssen Splitter. He graduated from Lorraine High School in 1960 and attended Sterling College. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree and in 1966 with a master’s degree. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1972. On June 7, 1966, he married Janet L. Janssen in Geneseo. A longtime resident of Lorraine, formerly of Ithaca, N.Y., Mexico City, Mexico, and Katmandu, Nepal, he was a farmer and crop consultant.

Mr. Splitter was a member of the First Baptist Church in Lorraine, a trustee of Green Garden Township, a member of the Board of Directors of Smokey Hills Charitable Foundation, Rice-Ellsworth Camp of Gideons International, Republican Committee Chairman for Green Garden Township and president of North Central Farm Management Association.

Survivors include his wife, Janet L. Janssen, of the home; a daughter, Elizabeth Splitter of Milbank, S.D.; a son, Matthew Splitter and wife Janna of Manhattan; and a sister, Rosalie Splitter of Athens, Ga..

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in Lorraine with Pastor George Redington officiating. Burial will be at the Lorraine Cemetery. Friends may visit from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Mission Fund at the First Baptist Church in Lorraine or the Gideons International, all in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Birzer Funeral Home*
14 West Ave. South/P.O. Box 89
Lyons, KS 67554
620-257-2211
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 10, 2010

RUSSELL — Adam Henry “Hank” Pohlman II, son of Adam Frederick, Sr. and Irene Gladys (Kaiser) Pohlman, was born Jan. 23, 1930, at Hays. His death occurred March 5 at Russell Regional Hospital. Henry, or Hank as his family and friends knew him, lived his early life in the Natoma community where he attended school, graduating from Natoma High School with the Class of 1947. As a young man he was active in the family business, Pohlman Home Furnishing Company and Pohlman Funeral Service.

Henry attended Fort Hays Kansas State College from September 1947 to December 1950. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Kappa. In December of 1950 during his senior year he was called for military service and joined the United States Navy. He served his boot camp and was assigned to the Hospital Corps School at San Diego, Calif. In November of 1952 he was transferred to the Hospital Ship USS Consolation AH-15, serving in Korea. For the next 21 months he served aboard this ship with duty in Pusan, Chin Hae and Inchon, Korea. On return of the ship to Long Beach, Calif., he was discharged from the U.S. Navy on Aug. 24, 1954, with the rating of HM2. At this time he returned to his hometown of Natoma.

He immediately enrolled in the St. Louis College of Mortuary Science, where with his combined classes at Fort Hays he completed his studies and his degree in Mortuary Science with distinguished honors. He returned to Natoma to begin his apprenticeship with his father and received his licenses in the family business.

On April 19, 1959, Henry was united in marriage to Marjorie Lee Dumler at Russell. To this union was born two children, Barbara Ann and Harold Lee. The family made their home in Natoma until the decision was made to close the home-furnishing portion of the family business. During the closing process, Henry and Marge made an offer to purchase the Russell Mortuary in Russell from D.J. Helm and his wife Josephine. They took over this business on Jan. 1, 1966, and moved to Russell to make their home at that time.

Henry continued to assist his father with the funeral home operation in Natoma until 1975 when he purchased the Natoma Funeral Home from his father. For nearly 40 years Henry and Marge owned and operated the family business together. During these years Henry was very involved in monument sales and installation, which was always an integral part of the funeral business operation both at Natoma and Russell.

Henry was very active in the community, a member of St. John Lutheran Church, and served nine years on the church council, member and past president of Russell Rotary Club, past president of the Russell Chamber of Commerce, and served as a division chairman of the Prairiesta celebrations in 1971, 1981 and 1991.

Mr. Pohlman was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star of Russell, Consistory and ISIS Shrine of Salina and member of the 100 million dollar club, supporter of the Kansas Shrine Bowl for more than 25 years, York Rite Bodies of Hays, member and past president of the Russell Shrine Club and served as editor of the Club FEZ for a number of years, as well as the Onion Sales Chairman for several years. He was a life member of both the Russell Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6240 and American Legion Post No. 99, member of the Russell Elks Lodge, a life member of the Russell County Historical Society and served on the board for about 25 years. For about 17 years he served on the local Red Cross Board and was chairperson for a number of years before the local chapter was absorbed by the Golden Belt Chapter of Great Bend. He was a founding donor and director for the Russell County Area Community Foundation. In 2006, Henry was recognized by the Kansas Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association for 50 years of service to the funeral industry. He was very much a part of getting the Russell County Veterans Memorial funded and installed. In January 2010, Henry received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Russell Area Chamber of Commerce for his dedicated service to the Russell community.

Survivors include his wife Marjorie of the home in Russell; daughter, Barbara Ann Krug and husband Bradley of Russell; son, Harold Lee Pohlman of Russell; grandchildren, Christina Kerns of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Brett Pohlman and Heather Pohlman, both of Russell; stepgrandchildren, Lindsey and Timothy Krug, both of Russell; brother, George Pohlman and wife Margaret of North Tustin, Calif.; sister-in-law, Carol Pohlman of Kansas City, Mo.; and a number of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; older brother Fred Pohlman, Jr.; and daughter-in-law Londa Pohlman.

Celebration of Henry’s Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John Lutheran Church of Russell with Pastor Roger Dennis and the Rev. Earl Haggard officiating. Interment will follow at Russell City Cemetery with the Russell VFW Honor Guard performing military rites. Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. today and all day Wednesday. The family will be present to greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the mortuary in Russell with a prayer service following. Contributions may be made to St. John Lutheran Church or the Pohlman Family Scholarship with R.C.A.C.F. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell. Condolences may also be sent via email at www.pvpmortuary.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary*
610 N. Maple
Russell, KS 67665
785-483-2212
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 9, 2010

WELLINGTON — Sandra Ann Brashear, of Wellington, homemaker and artist, died March 7 at Via Christi-St. Francis in Wichita, at the age of 66. Sandra was born the daughter of Ernest Earl McMillin and Thelma Mercidean (Moyer) McMillin on April 15, 1943, in Wellington. On Oct. 3, 1961, Sandra and Leland Brashear were united in marriage at Wellington. Together they celebrated 49 years of marriage.

Survivors include her husband, Leland Brashear of the home; children, Tammera Lee Ward and her husband Les of Anthony, Tina Louise Barragan and Michael Keith Brashear and his wife Jennifer of Wellington, and Karrie Anne Miller and her husband Jason of Purcell, Okla.; grandchildren, Katrina Garrison, Brandon Ward, Hope Catron and her husband Damien, Trenton Barragan, Tristan Brashear, soon to be granddaughter Kellie Miller, and great-granddaughter Shanese Ward; and sisters, Earlene Brown, Darlene Woods and Elaine Brown of Wellington and Betty Mraz of Grove, Okla. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Merle Lee Patterson.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 1 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral services for Sandra will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Day Funeral Home, Wellington, with Dane Massey officiating. Interment will follow in Sumner Memorial Gardens, Wellington. For further information or to leave condolences, please visit www.dayfuneralhome.info. Funeral arrangements provided by
Day Funeral Home & Crematory*
1030 Mission Road
Wellington, KS 67152
620-326-5100
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 9, 2010

Louis N. “Nat” Gould, 96, of Great Bend, died March 6 at Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood. He was born April 26, 1913, at Leroy, Mich., the son of Walter Ray and Dora Ethel (Sarver) Gould. He married Muriel Mildred Taylor on Nov. 1, 1937, at Angola, Ind. She survives. He was a rancher and a Michigan state policeman. He was a Great Bend resident since the mid-1980s, coming from Gunnison, Colo.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, Muriel, of Ellinwood, include two sons, Louis Nathan Gould Jr. of Warnbo, Australia, and Walter Gould of Dodge City; one daughter, Natalyn C. Davis of Great Bend; five sisters, Joy Johnson, Gae Caron and Gloria Campbell, all of Luther, Mich., Katherine Bendig of Wewoka, Okla., and Jane Schilling of New Athens, Ill.; 12 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Rachelle K. Davis Warren.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the Rev. Jeffrey Slater officiant. Private family inurnment will occur at the Great Bend Cemetery at a later date. There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place. Memorials are suggested to Sunflower Diversified Services in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 9, 2010

ANTHONY — Jeffrey A. Jenkins, 33, died March 5 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born May 17, 1976, at Hoisington. He married Chelsa Renner on July 8, 2000, in Anthony.

Survivors include his parents, John and Sharon Jenkins of Great Bend, and Judy and Jim Fields; four children, Denver Jenkins, Dylan Jenkins, Jenna Jenkins and Sarah Jenkins; three brothers, Mike Jenkins, Clyde Jenkins and Jim Fields; a sister, Jody Ramos; a half brother, Andrew Jenkins, and a half sister, Alicia Jenkins.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Prairie Rose Funeral Home in Anthony, with Pastor Mike McAbee officiating. Interment will be at Forest Park Cemetery, Anthony. Friends may register from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to service time Thursday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Jeff Jenkins Memorial Fund. Funeral arrangements provided by
Prairie Rose Funeral Home
602 East Main
Anthony, KS 67003
620-842-5142
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 9, 2010

Elizabeth Mendez, 25, of Great Bend, died March 8 at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. She was born Feb. 5, 1985, at Miami, Fla., the daughter of Manuel and Hortencia (Morado) Mendez. She was a Great Bend resident since 1997, coming from Miami.

Miss Mendez was a member of La Cosecha, Great Bend.

Survivors include her parents, of Great Bend; two brothers, Juan Mendez and Jorge Mendez, both of Great Bend; and one sister, Maria Martinez of Great Bend.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with Pastor Mario Aviles officiant. Interment will be at Golden Belt Cemetery, Great Bend. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Donations to the Elizabeth Mendez Funeral Expense Fund may be made in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 9, 2010

CLAFLIN — Dale Dean Seyfert, 74, died March 5 at his rural Claflin residence. He was born March 26, 1935, in Claflin, the son of Ted and Emma (Janda) Seyfert. He married Shirley R. Smith on Dec. 8, 1963, at Bushton. She precededhim in death on Oct. 30, 1987. A farmer/stockman, he was a lifetime resident of the Claflin area.

Survivors include a son, David Seyfert, of Great Bend; and three brothers, Don Seyfert of Colby, Ivan Seyfert of Salina and Kenneth Seyfert of Hoisington. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Gene Seyfert and Elvin Seyfert.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, with the Rev. Gene Langhofer officiating. Burial will be at the Claflin Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Claflin Ambulance Service or the Dale Seyfert Memorial Fund, both in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main/P.O. Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 7, 2010

ELLINWOOD — Carol Sue Hartenbower, 53, died Feb. 25 after a short illness at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus in Wichita. Born Nov. 30, 1956, in Ellinwood, she was the daughter of Harold Alfred Hartenbower and Leonainie M. DeBusk Hartenbower. She graduated from Ellinwood High School in 1975 and in 1979 from Barton Community College with an associate’s degree. A longtime resident of Ellinwood, she was employed in customer service at National Billing in Ellinwood and formerly by the Ellinwood Community Library.

Ms. Hartenbower was a member of the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Ellinwood

Survivors include a brother, Tom and wife Tami Hartenbower of Gilbert, Ariz.; a sister, Mary Miles and husband Jim Dickson of Pratt; five nephews, Matthew and Kevin Hartenbower of Gilbert, Ariz., Eric and wife Michelle Miles of Lewisville, Texas, Adam Miles and wife Kelli Wilhite of Bethesda, Md., and Ian Miles of Wichita; and a grand-nephew, David Edward Miles of Lewisville, Texas.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Immanuel United Church of Christ in Ellinwood with the Rev. Larry Young officiating. Burial will be at the Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery in Ellinwood. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at Kimple Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the Ellinwood School and Library Foundation or to Immanuel United Church of Christ. Funeral arrangements provided by
Kimple, Inc. Funeral Home*
113 N. Main
P.O. Box 246
Ellinwood, KS 67526
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 7, 2010

SEQUIM, Wash. — Martin E. Harshberger, 72, died March 4 in Sequim, Wash. Born Oct. 24, 1937, in Wichita, he was the son of Donald Harshberger and Isabel Benedict Harshberger Streit. A 15-year resident of Sequim, Wash. He was a retired regional vice president of Trans America Insurance. On July 6, 1963, he married June I. Spacil in Ellinwood. She died on Oct. 6, 2009.

Mr. Harshberger was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Ellinwood and Knights of Columbus in Sequim, Wash.

Survivors include a son, Michael Harshberger of Kansas City, Mo.,; a daughter, Judith Alewel and husband Reed of Henderson, Nev.; a sister, Kathy Marcheitti of Wichita; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; a stepfather, Bernard Streit; and a brother, Donald Harshberger.

Altar Society Rosary will be at 3 p.m. and Vigil Service at 7 p.m., both Thursday at Kimple Funeral Home, Ellinwood. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Ellinwood with Father Charles Mazouch officiating. Burial will be at the Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery in Ellinwood. Friends may visit from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Promise of Hope Foundation in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Kimple, Inc. Funeral Home*
113 N. Main/P.O. Box 246
Ellinwood, KS 67526
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 7, 2010

YUKON, Okla. — Randy Steven McAtee, 56, Yukon, Okla., passed away March 3 at OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. He was born in Great Bend on Nov. 18, 1953, a son of Lorna (Groth ) McAtee and the late Victor McAtee. Randy was a graduate of Claflin High School and then attended Fort Hays State College. He married Kathryn Ann Lust on July 23, 1977, in Hoisington. They lived in central Kansas where he worked for Doonan Truck Equipment, Great Bend. Moving to Oklahoma in 1989, Randy worked for Oklahoma Kenworth and OKC Freightliner before opening McAtee Truck Sales in 1999, which he owned and operated until his death.

A man of many interests, he enjoyed golf, fishing, boating, hunting, riding motorcycles and helping others, but his family always came first. He will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him.

Mr. McAtee was a member of the First United Methodist Church of the Good Shepherd, Yukon, Okla.

Randy is survived by his wife Kathy of the home; sons, Jarad McAtee of Yukon and Neal McAtee of Mustang, Okla.; mother, Loma McAtee of Lyons; two brothers, Terry McAtee and wife Jean of Great Bend and Farrell McAtee and wife Becky of St. Francis, Kan.; mother-in-law, Joyce Lust of Hoisington, as well as numerous other relatives and many friends.

Memorial contributions in Randy’s name may be made to the United Methodist Church of the Good Shepherd, 10928 SW 15th, Yukon, OK 73099 or to the charity of your choice. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church of the Good Shepherd, Yukon, Okla., with interment following at the Yukon Cemetery. Online condolences may be signed at www.yandaandsonfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Yanda & Son Funeral Home*
1500 W. Vandament Ave.
Yukon, OK 73099
405-350-7101
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 5, 2010

GROVE, Okla. — Duane L. Rankin, 76, passed away Feb. 28 in Joplin, Mo. He was born May 19, 1933, in Great Bend. His parents were Ruth Deon Miller Rankin and Louis Albert Rankin. Duane grew up on a farm near Albert and helped his father with farming until his graduation from Great Bend High School. He became involved in the oil business and worked as a roughneck, driller and tool pusher on jobs in Oklahoma, Kansas and Alaska. He retired from the Kansas Corporation Commission after 25 years of service. Duane married Winifred Litton Anderson in 1974 and they resided in Great Bend and Wichita. They retired to Crane, Mo., and later to Grove, Okla.

Duane served his country in the Kansas National Guard in the 1950s.

He is survived and mourned by his wife, Winifred, of Grove, Okla., and Great Bend; sons Stephen (Michele) Rankin of Augusta, Stanley (Becky) Rankin of Garden Plain and John (Peggy) Rankin of Aberdeen, S. D.; two grandchildren; one sister, Deon Lupton of Great Bend; his stepchildren; and many stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 5, 2010*

ALVA, Okla. — Darrell Dean, son of Paul and Hazel (King) Surface, was born on the family farm north of Alva on April 16, 1936. He went to be with the Lord on March 3 at the age of 73 years, 10 months and 15 days. He attended Alva Public Schools, where he served as FFA secretary, Key Club secretary, and played third base for the Alva Goldbugs. He graduated from high school in 1954. While attending Oklahoma A&M, he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and the Block and Bridle Club. After graduating from college in 1958, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science, Darrell worked for many ranches in west Texas as a herdsman of registered show Herefords.

On June 4, 1960, he married Sandra Brown in Rhome, Texas. To this union were four children; Virginia Lee, Patricia Louise, D. Dean and Marianna Lizabeth.

Darrell began his 38-year career in the farm implement field in 1967 with John Deere. He served more than 20 years of his career as owner and manager of Kiowa Service, Inc. Darrell enjoyed flying single-engine, multi-engine and turbo-prop planes. He earned his private pilot’s license in 1976, leading him to become a Cessna dealer in Seiling, Okla. He was an experienced pilot, logging more than 3,000 hours in more than 30 different airplanes. Darrell was elected mayor of Kiowa and held that position from 1992-2000. He later worked for 6-L Trucking. At the time of his death, he worked for High Sierra Energy, LP out of Zenda.

In addition to flying, Darrell enjoyed several hobbies. He loved to golf with his wife and family. He was an excellent pianist and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. One of his favorite times of the year was Grand Week in which all of his grandchildren came to visit.

Darrell attended Grace and Faith Fellowship in Alva, Okla.

Darrell is survived by his wife Sandra of the home; three daughters, Virginia Rose and Tricia Reiser and her husband, David, all of Great Bend, and Marianna Farney and her husband, Brandon, of Kiowa; one son, Dean and his wife, Kristi, of Owasso, Okla.; grandchildren, Priscilla, Melissa, Nicholas, Genesis and Abigail Rose, Dillon, Bethany, and Kaylee Reiser, Devin and Jillian Surface, Shania, Brian and J.T. Farney; two brothers, Dwight and his wife, Irene, of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Joe and his wife, Jeannie, of Alva, Okla.; several cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law. Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Hazel Surface; mother-in-law, Alice Willis; father-in-law, Samuel Crouch; stepfather-in-law, Melvin Brown and sister-in-law, Barbara Surface.

Funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Alva First United Methodist Church with Fred Kirkpatrick and Max Ridgeway officiating. Burial will be at the Alva Municipal Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Dry Gulch USA children’s camp in Pryor, Okla., in care of

the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Whatrons Funeral*
1302 Oklahoma Blvd.
Alva, OK 73717
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 5, 2010

SALINA — Dr. Kenneth C. Jeffrey, 83, of Salina, died March 1. Born April 3, 1926, in Snyder, Colo., he was the son of Louis and Nettie (Cowles) Jeffrey. During World War II, he served with the United States Marines in the South Pacific. On Sept. 25, 1946, he married Juanita Hamilton in Nickerson. For 50 years, he was a chiropractor in Claflin, retiring on Dec. 31, 1999. He had been a resident of Salina since 1995.

Dr. Jeffrey was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Salina, where he was past president of the Methodist Men and the Peacemaker’s Sunday School Class; a 59-year member of the Claflin Masonic Lodge No. 424; member of York Rite, Scottish Rite, Isis Shrine and Red Cross of the Constantine; past Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of Kansas of O.E.S.; life member of the Claflin Veterans of Foreign Wars; life member of the Great Bend American Legion; member of the Tri-Rivers Marine Corps League; Past Patron of Harmony Chapter of O.E.S. of Salina; Past Patron of the Lindsborg Chapter of O.E.S.; and was a past mayor of Claflin.

Survivors include his wife, Juanita, of the home; three sons, Gary Jeffrey and wife Shirley of Merriam, Tully Jeffrey and wife Bonnie of Claflin, and Troy Jeffrey and wife Melinda of Newton; a daughter, Bennidetta Krier and Sheldon Rous of Claflin; a sister, Blanche Houston of Tribune; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church in Salina with the Rev. Troy Bowers officiating. Private inurnment will be at a later date. There will be no visitation. Memorials may be made to the church or ESTARL Grand Chapter of Kansas or to the charity or organization of the donor’s choice. Funeral arrangements provided by
Ryan Mortuary*
137 N. 8th
Salina, KS 67401
785-825-4242
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 4, 2010

PRAIRIE VILLAGE — Nancy Davis Burnside, 81, died March 2 at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. Born Jan. 21, 1929, in Great Bend, she was the daughter of Lee A. and Nina Mary (Charles) Davis. On Oct. 21, 1950, she married Clyde O. Burnside in Great Bend. He died Dec. 27, 2003. A lifetime resident of Great Bend, moving to Wichita in 2004 and then to Prairie Village in 2010, she was a homemaker.

Mrs. Burnside was a member of the First Congregational United Methodist Church of Christ, Panhellenic, P.E.O. Chapter DU, all of Great Bend, and Chi Omega Social Sorority of the University of Kansas.

Survivors include a son, Bradley D. Burnside and wife Beverly of Overland Park; a daughter, Carolyn Lopez and husband Nathan of Gillette, Wyo.; five grandchildren, Bradley Burnside, Adam Lopez, Andrew Burnside, Grant Burnside and Evan Lopez. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Martha Barclay and Marjorie Rouse.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend with the Rev. Stan Crawford officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the First Congregational United Church of Christ or Central Kansas Medical Center Foundation for the Benefit of the Heartland Cancer Center. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 4, 2010

SALINA — Florence H. Fick, 92, Salina, died Feb. 25 at her home. Born Dec. 2, 1917, at Minneapolis, Minn., she was the daughter of Harry and Francis (Swift) Adams. She moved to Abilene as a child, and attended the local schools and Abilene High School. On April 29, 1943, she was united in marriage with Gilbert E. Fick in Hope. She was a homemaker and they lived and farmed in Dickinson County. Following retirement they moved to Fairfield Bay, Ark., to make their home. They returned to Kansas and made their home in Salina in 1990.

Mrs. Fick was a member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, rural Abilene.

Survivors include four sons, Marvin Fick and wife Sheryl of Newport, N.C., John Fick and wife Mary of Kipp, Neldon Fick and wife Katen M. of Ellsworth, and Mark Fick and friend Darleta of Great Bend; three daughters. Karen Wenger and husband Ronald of Denver, Colo., Lynette Snyder and husband Jim of Bartlesville, Okla., and Marlene Frederick and husband Richard of Salina; one sister, Gail Nordman of Charles City, Iowa.; a brother·in~law, Wayne Fick of Overland Park; 19,grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gilbert, on March 31, 1998; her parents, two brothers and one sister.

Funeral services were held at the Martin-Beeker-Carlson Funeral Home in Abilene on Monday. Burial was at the Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery. The family of Florence Fick suggests that friends may contribute to the Ebenezer Baptist Church in her memory. Contributions may be left at the funeral home.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 4, 2010#

Leonard Aaron Moore, 89, of Great Bend, died March 1 at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. He was born Dec. 13, 1920, on the family farm southwest of Hays, the son of Richard Aaron and Clara Maude (Smith) Moore. He married Marjory Telford Aug. 7, 1945, at Downham Market, England. Marjory was a three-year LACW British Royal Air Force veteran of World War II and Leonard was a staff sergeant in the 49th Station Complement Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps, serving as air traffic controller. Married 63 years, Marjory died Nov. 1, 2008.

After the war, Leonard and Marjory returned to the family farm for a short time before moving to Ellis, where he learned the trade of heating, air conditioning and sheet metal. In 1947 they moved to Great Bend, where he managed Hickey Sheet Metal for 30 years.

Mr. Moore was a members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3111, Great Bend.

Through his lifetime, his interests included inventing, fishing, hunting, construction and striving for perfection. Leonard will always be remembered as a devoted husband and beloved father and grandfather, and will be dearly missed.

Survivors include one son, David A. Moore and wife Leticia of Milliken, Colo.; two daughters, Sherry A, Winters and husband Gail of Greeley, Colo., and Tina M. Duryee and husband Jim of Great Bend; one brother, Richard Aaron Moore of Hays; two grandchildren, Justin H. Winters and Jennifer B. Merck; and two stepgrandchildren, Matt Salazar and Jennifer Salazar. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Wilma Groff and Hilda Eaton.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Great Bend, with the Rev. Phyllis Flory officiant. Interment will be at the Great Bend Cemetery, with military honors conducted by a Fort Riley Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Bryant Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Make a Wish Foundation in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 3, 2010

HOISINGTON — Charles L. (Chuck) Doeden, 82, died March 1 at the Kansas Heart Center, Andover. He was born Feb. 16, 1928, in rural Odin, the son of George H. and Amanda (Christians) Doeden. He worked in the oilfield for Brackeen Line Cleaning in Claflin for many years, helped with Schremmer Auction Service and also farmed and raised cattle. He was a longtime resident of Hoisington after coming from Claflin.

Mr. Doeden was of the Lutheran faith. He was a member of Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever, and a former member of the Claflin Fire Department.

Survivors include three sons, John Doeden of Houston, Texas, Rick Doeden and his wife Lynn of Oberlin, and James Doeden and his wife Kelly of Hoisington; two daughters, Linda Womble of Perryton, Texas, and Lana Cline and her husband Sam of Kingston, Ark.; a brother, Harold (Boots) Doeden of Yates Center; a sister-in-law, Annabell Doeden of Grand Junction, Colo.; a close friend, Joyce Steiner of Topeka; grandchildren, Taylor, Micah, Erin, Kellen, Ashley, Jennifer, Savannah, Nathan and Kebby; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, two sisters, a daughter-in-law and a son-in-law.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, with Pastor Steve Little officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. today and 9 a.m to service time Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Hoisington Ambulance Fund or to Kans for Kids. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 3, 2010

OLATHE — Allan Dean Loomis, 78, died Feb. 27 at Olathe Medical Center. He was born Jan. 25, 1932, at Stafford, the son of Walter and Leila Loomis. He graduated from high school in Stafford and served in the Kansas National Guard. He retired from Grosch Irrigation in Savannah, Ga., in 1997 and moved to Olathe to be closer to his family in 1998.

Survivors include a brother, five children, 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Verna Loomis, in 2004.

Graveside service will be held Wednesday at New Lancaster (Kan.) Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. today at McGilley and Frye Chapel, Olathe. Memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans.

Arrangements provided by

McGilley & Frye Chapel

105 East Loula St.

Olathe, KS 66061

913-782-0582

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 2, 2010

Vernon Edward Schrater, 86, of Great Bend, died Feb. 28 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. He was born April 8, 1923, in rural Timken, the son of Edward and Marie (Hofbauer) Schrater. He married Marjorie Elizabeth Yost on Oct. 7, 1944, at Alexander. She survives. He was a farmer and machinist. He was a resident of Great Bend since 1960, coming from Timken. He was a United States Army veteran of World War II, serving in the Aleutian Islands. He received the Bronze Star for his military service.

Mr. Schrater was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Great Bend; a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion, both of Timken; Tired Iron Club, and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers.

He built and raced cars, having a specific interest in modified and stock cars, which was also an interest shared with the entire family. In all of his pursuits, he strove for perfection.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, Marjorie, of the home, include twin sons, Steven Kent Schrater and wife Kathy of Roy, Utah, and Roger Vernon Schrater and wife Jeanita of Albany, Ore.; one sister, Velma Schneider of Atlanta, Ga.; five grandchildren, Mike Schrater and wife Jo, Jared Schrater and wife Kerri, Kristtoffer and wife Melissa, Karsten Schrater and wife Misty, and Terri Jo Glover and husband Brent; and eight great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church, Great Bend, with the Rev. Jeffrey Slater officiant. Interment will be at the Larned Cemetery, Larned, with military honors conducted by a Fort Riley Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the family to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Donations to a memorial fund for the church may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 2, 2010

RUSSELL — Louis Paul Ehrlich, 86, of Russell, died Feb. 24 at his home. He was born on Oct. 29, 1923, in Russell County, the son of Godfred B. and Regina (Boger) Ehrlich. He attended school in Russell, and when he was old enough, he joined the United States Army from 1943 to 1945. During his time in the Army he fought during World War II in the European Theater and worked with the 126th EVAC Hospital. Several years later, after being discharged from the Army, he met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Dorothy Juanita Bean. They were married at the Bender Hill Church on April 21, 1952. From this union Louis and Juanita were blessed with two sons, Leslie and Melvin. He worked for Russell County as an equipment operator in the Noxious Weed Department for 30 years. He also worked as a farmer and a laborer for some of the oil companies in the Russell County area.

Mr. Ehrlich was a member of St. John Lutheran Church of Russell and was proud to be a lifetime member of the Russell VFW Post No. 6240.

Surviving family include his two sons, Leslie Ehrlich and wife Mary of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Melvin Ehrlich and wife Janet of north of Victoria; two brothers, Walter Ehrlich of Great Bend and Edward Ehrlich and wife Lynda of Omaha, Neb.; and four grandchildren, Timothy, Stephanie, Rick and Bobbi. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Juanita on Aug. 10, 1998, brother Leon Ehrlich and twin siblings who died at birth.

A celebration of Louis’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at St. John Lutheran Church with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Red Cross, Great Bend Chapter, or the Alzheimer’s Association and may be sent in care of Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell. Condolences may be sent via email by going to www.pvpmortuary.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary*
610 N. Maple
Russell, KS 67665
785-483-2212
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 2, 2010

TOPEKA — Joanne C. Pomeroy, 77, Topeka, passed away on Feb. 26 at Midland Hospice House. She was born Jan. 30, 1933, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, the daughter of Eldo and Evelyn (Nay) Bunge. She graduated from Topeka High School in 1950 and attended Washburn University.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she had served on the church council, participated in Pricilla Circle, and loved serving as a home communion assistant. She had been secretary/treasurer of the Topeka Knife & Fork Club; was a past president of Chapter GJ of P.E.O., where she was a member for over 50 years, and had received the Golden Girl award. She was active in many community affairs, enjoying political activities while her husband served in the State Senate; served as President of the Legislative Wives; was a co-founder of the College Hill Association, serving as its first president. She was a long-time member of the Nautilus Club. She had twice been co-president of the Kansas State Twins Association. She enjoyed playing bridge and family card games and had been a champion tennis player.

Joanne married Elwaine Pomeroy on Sept. 30, 1950. He survives. Other survivors include two sons, Duane and wife Deborah Pomeroy, of Topeka, Carl and wife Deborah Pomeroy, of Tulsa, Okla; seven grandchildren; two great grandchildren; three step-great grandchildren; and identical twin sister, Jeanine (William) Laughlin, Great Bend. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Janella Evans; and grandson, Alex Evans.

Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church. Joanne will lie in state at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel after 1 p.m. today and the family will receive friends from 2 to 5 p.m. Private family inurnment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 725 SW Buchanan, Topeka, Kansas 66606. condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.PenwellGabelTopeka.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel*
1321 SW 10th
Topeka, Kansas 66604
785-354-8558
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 28, 2010

ELLINWOOD — Carol Sue Hartenbower, 53, died Feb. 25 in Wichita following a short illness. Memorial service arrangements are pending with Kimple Funeral Home in Ellinwood.

Betty L. Mortimer, 71, of Great Bend, died Feb 25 at her residence. She was born March 1, 1938, at Soper, Okla., the daughter of Frank T. and Dovie (Lemon) Short. Mrs. Mortimer was a waitress at Ralph Wallace’s and later at the Club at StoneRidge, Great Bend.

Survivors include three sons, Marlon Wayne Halzle, Joliet, Ill., Scott L. Halzle, St. John, and Alan C. Halzle, Bentonville, Ark.; two daughters, Susan K. Brough, Great Bend, and Angela Thomas, Derby; one brother, John Short of Arizona; three sisters, Grace Jones of Dierks, Ark., Joyce Rust of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Frankie Pritchett of Arkansas; 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Kathy Marie Halzle, and one brother, ElRoy Short, and one grandson, Shane A. Halzle.

Graveside ervice was at 2 p.m. Friday at Great Bend Cemetery with the Rev. Dwight Dozier officiant. Memorial donations are suggested to the CKMC Foundation for the Benefit of the Heartland Cancer Center. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 28, 2010

CUSHING, Okla. — Jack Lackey, longtime Cushing resident, retired from Phillips Petroleum Company, passed away Feb. 24 at his residence at the age of 79 years. The son of the late Jiles Logan Lackey and Mildred Ethel Maple Lackey, Jack was born on April 18, 1930, in Douglas, receiving his education in Gordon and graduating from High School in Arizona. He was united in marriage to Doshia Maudine Bowman on Sept. 25, 1948, in Glendale, Ariz., and to this union five sons, Jack Jr., Robert, Randy, Kenneth and David were born. He worked the voting booth during elections, drove the school bus for Norfolk schools and also taught defensive driving in Cushing. He enjoyed square dancing, hunting for deer and pheasant, fishing and spending time with his many friends and family.

Jack was a member of the First United Methodist Church; was active with the church mission work and had always been very involved in the community where he had lived. He had served on the town council, was a Scoutmaster and was a PTA president in Great Bend and PTO president at Norfolk School. He had been a Mason since 1959, currently belonging to the Cushing Lodge where he had served several years as Worshipful Master, receiving his 50-year-pin this past year; was a former member of the Elks, Eagles and Moose Lodge. He loved volunteering; was a member of the Cushing Regional Hospital Auxiliary; served several years on the Senior Citizen Advisory Board and had volunteered many hours with the local blood drive.

Survivors include his wife, of the home; his children, Bob Lackey and wife Betty of Yale, Okla., Kenneth Lackey and wife Nancy of Conway Springs, and David Lackey and wife Donna of Paoli, Okla.; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandson; several nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sons, Jack Jr., who was killed in Vietnam, and Randy, who passed away in July of 2008; two sisters, Eva Josephine McKinty and Freda Elviria Gable, and one granddaughter.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday at the First United Methodist Church with the Reverend Ted Uhlig, pastor, and Chaplain Marvel Barron, with Sol-A-Mor Hospice, officiating. Burial will be in the Great Bend Cemetery, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday with Masonic Services being held at the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the Lackey family at www.davisfh.net. Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 930 S. Little, Cushing, OK 74023 or to the Sol-A-Mor Hospice, 5401 S. Sheridan, Suite 304, Tulsa, OK 74145. Funeral arrangements provided by
Davis Funeral Home*
402 East Broadway
Cushing, Okla. 74023
918-225-3103
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 28, 2010

NORMAN, Okla. — Marilyn Jo Becker (Querry) died Feb. 24, peacefully at her home surrounded by her family. She fought her battle with sarcoma cancer with an enduring strength granted to her by God. She lost this earthly battle only to claim victory in Jesus. She was 61.

She was born on April 12, 1948, in Guthrie, Okla., the daughter of Kenneth Jay and Gwendolyn Marie Querry. Marilyn attended elementary school in Palco and junior high in Plainville. Her family moved to Great Bend, where she graduated in 1966. In Great Bend, she met her high school sweetheart and on Aug. 9, 1969, she married Robert Eugene Becker, son of Winnis and Evelyn Becker of Great Bend. She graduated from Kansas State University in 1970, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She began her teaching career in Abilene. In 1978, she and Bob moved to Ponca City, Okla., where she taught at Garfield and Liberty elementary schools. She retired from her teaching career in 2003 after 32 years of teaching.

She loved participating in her grandchildren’s activities, as well as creating artistic pieces, taking digital photography, scrapbooking, singing, playing the piano and traveling. She cared for all her school kids and loved teaching with her fellow teachers.

Marilyn had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal savior. She was committed to participating in church activities. She was dedicated to reading, studying the Bible and sharing the Gospel with others.

She is survived by her husband, of the home; son Michael Becker and his wife Amy (Gorczyca); daughter Jaime Bagg (Becker) and husband Chad; sister Karen Demory and husband Gerald of Bentonville, Ark., sister Kim Sheets and husband Will of Perry, Okla.; six grandchildren, Jonah, Maegan, Canaan, Ethan, Gabriel and Chloe; as well as her nephews and niece, Breen and Brad Haywood, Jay and Brandan Sheets and Maranda Wilson (Sheets). She left one uncle, Ray Gambill, and his children Mark Gambill and Rayma Brandt, and cousin, Janet Calvin. She was preceded in death by her parents; mother-in-law, Evelyn Becker, and brother-in-law Gary Becker.

Funeral services were held Saturday with burial at the Tonkawa IOOF Cemetery in Tonkawa, Okla. Following the interment, a memorial service was held at the Hartford Avenue Church of Christ in Ponca City, Okla. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Hope Ranch, 522 N. 14th, Box 233, Ponca City, OK 74601. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.andersonfunerals.com Funeral arrangements provided by
Anderson Funeral Home*
505 Thunderbird Road
P.O. Box 337
Tonkawa, OK 74653
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 28, 2010

HOISINGTON — Lillian Hunter, 67, died Feb. 24 at Hays Medical Center in Hays. She was born Jan. 27, 1943, at Ellis, the daughter of Jacob and Anna Marie Bieker Begler. She married Archie Hunter on Jan. 11, 1960, at Ellis. She had been a hostess and office manager for K-Bob’s restaurant in Great Bend. She had been a Hoisington resident for 40 years, coming from Ellis.

Mrs. Hunter was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hoisington.

Survivors include her husband, of the home; three sons, Wesley Hunter and wife Debi of Rush Center, Gary Hunter of Ava, Mo., and Curtis Hunter of Hoisington; two daughters, Lily Fry and husband Chris of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Susan Lang and husband Dean of Great Bend; a brother, Gerald Begler of Broomfield, Colo.; three sisters, Luella Lambrecht of Ellis, Margaret Bryan of Mineola, Texas, and Beverly Elliott of Tulsa, Okla.; and six grandchildren, Jonathon Hunter, Seth Hunter, Joshua Hunter, Muriel Hunter, Phillip Fry and Lydia Fry. She was preceded in death by one sister, Laura Rellins.

Graveside memorial service will be at noon Saturday at St. John Catholic Cemetery in Hoisington, with Father Dwight Birket officiating. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. The register will be available to sign from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home.

Memorials are suggested to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Altar Society. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www. nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
P.O. Box 146; 415 Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 26, 2010

FRONTENAC — Lois V. Hohl, 70, of Frontenac, died at 5:40 p.m. Feb. 23 at Sunset Manor in Frontenac. Lois was born May 13, 1939, in Great Bend, the daughter of Jacob J. and Della Mae (Petersen) Schneider. She attended Larned schools, graduating from Larned High School with the Class of 1957. On Nov. 24, 1956, in Larned, she married Melvin O. Hohl. He survives, of the home.

Lois worked as a mental health worker at Larned State Hospital for numerous years. She became a homemaker, and later worked for Respite of Crawford County. Lois was active in her earlier years in the PTA and as a Den Mother.

She was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene of Pittsburg, where she was formerly the Sunday school secretary, and involved in children’s ministries. She was very instrumental in the organization of the Mission Kits provided by the church.

Additional survivors include her sons, Melvin J. Hohl and wife Della of Pittsburg, Kurtis Hohl and Pam of Weir, and Neil Hohl and wife Angey of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughter Linnea Knisely and husband Rick of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; six grandchildren, Stefanie Beesley and husband Greg, Sam Hohl, Amanda Knisely, Kirsten Hohl, John Jacob “J.J.” Knisely and Seuris Hohl, along with one great-granddaughter, Peyton Beesley. Lois was preceded in death by her parents and granddaughter, Kara Hohl.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, Pittsburg, with the Rev. Jim Sukraw officiating. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m., at the Fort Scott National Cemetery in Fort Scott. The family will receive friends from 6:30 until 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Friends may call the funeral home after 2 p.m. on Sunday. E-mail condolences may be left at their Web site, www.bathnaylor.com. The family suggests expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorials to Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center Cancer Center. Memorials may be left at or mailed to the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bath-Naylor Funeral Home*
522 S. Broadway
Pittsburg, KS 66762
620-231-4700
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 26, 2010

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Pat Meek, 69, of Independence, Mo., died Feb. 24, following complications from brain surgery. Pat was born on Aug. 7, 1940, to William Max and Mildred Mathis in Jerome, Idaho. She lived in several cities, but the place she felt most at home was Claflin. She graduated from Claflin High School and received her Associate of Arts degree from Barton Community College. Her passions were her grandchildren, country music and sports, especially Kansas basketball. Pat also enjoyed traveling, especially to New Mexico and Colorado. She worked for HyVee for the past few years but is best known for owning her own restaurant, Pat’s Cafe. Everyone in her family enjoyed Pat’s cooking, and we will miss her chicken and noodles, potato soup, Jell-O salads, fudge, cookies and brownies.

Survivors include her daughter, Teri Tapscott; son-in-law, Terry Tapscott; son, Michael Brungardt; daughter-in-law, Stacy Brungardt; sister, Donna Wooten and her husband Horace; six grandchildren, Josh, Rachel, Reba, Jennifer, Cori and Taylor; one great-grandchild, Mikala; and other family members and friends. Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Larry Meek; a sister, Kathryn Marshall; and brother, Wes Mathis.

The family is planning a mid-March memorial service for friends and family to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care, 12000 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64145. We particularly thank all the caregivers from Centerpoint ICU and the KC Hospice Center who cared for her with such competence and compassion.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 26, 2010*

HOISINGTON — Elizabeth Francis Kaiser, 78, died Feb. 24 at her residence in La Cygne. She was born May 3, 1931, at Redwing, the daughter of George A. and Frances Louise (Gerritzen) Hoeffner. She was a homemaker.

Survivors include three daughters, Dolores Kaiser and Helen Perkins, both of La Cygne, and Frances Adams of Wyandotte; a son, John Kaiser of Merriam; and five grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Frederick G. Kaiser, Jr., a brother, Sonny Hoeffner, and a sister, Marie Jones.

An altar society rosary will be conducted at 7 p.m. today at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington. A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the St. John the Evangelist Church Cemetery, Hoisington, with Father Dwight Birket officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to service time Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Elizabeth Kaiser Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 25, 2010

LA CROSSE — Dessie L. Wikel, 86, of La Crosse, died Feb. 21 in Albany, Ore. She was born Aug. 22, 1923, in Casa, Ark., the daughter of William Edwin and Florence Annie (Mitchell) Cravens. She married Cecil Willis Wikel Nov. 17, 1945, in Hominy, Okla. He died Jan. 24, 1981. She moved to Oklahoma with her family by covered wagon in 1923. She lived in Hominy, Okla., until 1947, when she moved with her husband to Kansas. They lived in several places including Hanston, Great Bend and La Crosse. She graduated from Prue (Okla.) High School in 1942. She babysat for many local families and worked as a cook at La Crosse High School for 14 years before her retirement.

Mrs. Wikel was a 58-year member of First Christian Church, La Crosse, and a member of the VFW Auxiliary.

Survivors include three sons, Roger Wikel and his wife, Connie, of Albany, Ore., Mel Wikel and his wife, Debi, of Salem, Ore., and Paul Wikel and his wife, Marijo, of Port Angeles, Wash.; one daughter, Elaine Meyer and her husband, Mark, of Great Bend; her twin sister, Tressie Gossett of Chanute; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sons, Terry E. Wikel on Dec. 2, 1973, and Delbert L. Wikel on Jan. 10, 2006, two brothers, Dudley Cravens and Lige Cravens, and two sisters, Icie Herndon and Dolly Frazier.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church, La Crosse, with Pastor Troy Schroeder officiating. Interment will be at the La Crosse City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., and from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. Saturday at the church. Memorials may be made to the church or to South Wind Hospice, Pratt, or to the Ronald McDonald House, Wichita. Funeral arrangements provided by Janousek Funeral Home*
719 Pine
La Crosse, KS 67548
785-222-2517
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 25, 2010

HOLYROOD — Harold J. Ehler, 77, died Feb. 22 at Great Bend. He was born July 7, 1932, in Holyrood, to John and Anna Frees Ehler. A lifetime resident of the Holyrood area, he was a farmer and oilfield pumper. He was a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Holyrood. On Feb. 14, 1954, he married Ellen Wilkens in Lorraine. She preceded him in death Oct. 22, 2001. He was also preceded in death by a brother and a sister.

Survivors include companion Betty Boye, Holyrood; daughters Cynthia Waugh, Arkansas City, and Kim Howard and fiancé Doug Baker, Hutchinson; son Russell and wife Nancy, Holyrood; sisters Gladys Bishop, Stillwater, Okla., and Vera Farabough, Blackwell, Okla.; grandchildren Shanna, Chad, Calli, Sean and Jessica; and great-grandchildren Airyn and Kindall.

Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. today with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Parsons Funeral Home, Ellsworth, and 9 to 10 a.m. Friday at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Holyrood. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the church with burial in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions to the church may be made in care of the funeral home, Funeral arrangements provided by
Parsons Funeral Home*
PO Box 45,
Ellsworth, KS 67439
785-472-3861
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 25, 2010

HOISINGTON — If there ever was a man that always saw the doughnut, never the hole, it was Rick Harman. Rick passed away peacefully Feb. 23. Soon after his birth in Leon on March 30, 1928, to Walt “Peaches” and Lucy “Pearl” Harman, an oil rig wildcatter and a rural schoolteacher, the family settled in Hoisington, and Big Rick was on the ‘up” escalator from his earliest days.

An All-State athlete in high school basketball and track, as well as a scholar student, he moved on to Kansas State University. Rick was big man on campus, recognized as All Big Seven basketball forward in 1949, and All-American in 1950. President of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, he became student council president his senior year. While at K-State, Rick’s attention was captured by a scintillating brunette, Susanne Green, from Kansas City, whom he married in 1949.

After a stint in the Air Force, he began his career in the restaurant industry, working with his father-in-law at Myron Green Cos. Throughout his career, Rick parlayed his humanitarian interests and followed an upward path with tenures as president of both the Missouri and National Restaurant Associations. He championed equal rights, evidenced by his strident efforts to create an integrated working environment in the restaurant industry.

Rick had a prominent career in politics, capped by his selection as Republican standard bearer for Kansas governor in 1968. He served on the U.S. Olympic Committee in 1974. A longtime member in Kansas City Rotary No. 13, serving as president and host in 1985 for the International Convention in Kansas City.

In the 90s, Rick served on the Kansas Board of Regents, where he continued to advocate for universal educational opportunities, focusing on expansion of junior colleges and satellite campuses.

All-State, All-American, All-Everything, his accomplishments are too numerous to cover in this space. Rick never lost his curiosity to dream, and constantly challenged convention with the “why nots” and “what ifs”; he was “one of the top Kansas citizens of his generation.”

The patriarch of family gatherings, Rick initiated the grandchildren to joys of good-natured competition by pounding them at the popular word game Boggle.

Rick is survived by his wife Susie Harman; his children, son Richard W. Harman, daughters Betsy Holland, Sally Jones, and their spouses Ed Holland and Sandy Jones; and grandchildren Abby Holland, Kevin Holland and expectant wife Gina Holland, and James P. McGilley IV.

A gathering of friends and family in Rick’s honor will be held Friday at 6 p.m. at McGilley Chapel on State Line, Kansas City.

The memorial service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Presbyterian Village Church.

His family is a true rainbow coalition, with colors ranging from purple and white, black and gold to crimson and blue. But there will always be a soft spot for Every man a Wildcat.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 25, 2010*

HOISINGTON — Kenneth Leroy Fritz, better known as “Fritz,” 92, died Feb. 21 at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wichita. He was born April 14, 1917, in Gypsum, the son of Charles Frederick and Oma (Madden) Fritz. Kenneth was the youngest of three sons. His father died when he was 11, leaving just his mother and him. He graduated from Gypsum High School in 1937, and later entered the U.S. Army during World War II and served for three years overseas. He came home from the military and, after a period of adjustment, he started working in the oilfields. That is when he met his wife, Wilma Clift. They were married Aug. 28, 1947, at Hoisington. This marriage was blessed with six children. In the 1960s Kenneth started Fritz’s Bait Shop in his home, and in the ’70s his wife joined him. They grew the business of retail into a retail and wholesale one and Kenneth delivered to western and northwestern Kansas and spent many an hour driving his van to pick up and deliver bait. Kenneth and Wilma retired in 1988.

Mr. Fritz was a member of VFW Post No. 7428, Hoisington, and Disabled American Veterans, Great Bend.

Survivors include his wife, Wilma Fritz, of Hoisington; three sons, Ken Leroy Fritz and wife Terri of Great Bend, David Allan Fritz and wife Julie of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Barry Adam Fritz and wife Christy of Salina; three daughters, Linda Louise Wilson and husband Guy of Douglass, Deborah Ann Carnahan and husband Larry of Great Bend and Tracy Lynn Bates and her friend Steve Edison of Hoisington; 13 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, with the Rev. Dick Ogle officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington Cemetery with military honors conducted by a Fort Riley Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, with family receiving friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and 9 a.m. until service time Thursday, all at the funeral home. Memorial donations to the Kenneth Fritz Memorial Fund may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 24, 2010

Clayton Eugene McFarren, 82, of Great Bend, died Feb. 23 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. He was born Sept. 23, 1927, at McCracken, the son of Jesse and Beryl (Grumbein) McFarren. Clayton married Doris Helwig on Nov. 30, 1950, at the United Methodist Church in Bazine. She survives. He had worked at Gibson Titus and Stafford and later worked for Standish Ford and Spruill Motors until starting and running McFarren Automotive on North Washington Street with his son Marlin until 2005. He had been a resident of Great Bend since 1972, coming from Dighton.

He was a United States Army veteran. Dedicated to doing the job right was his way of helping others. This characteristic was passed down to his future generations.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, of Great Bend, include five sons, Terry McFarren and wife Kathy of Great Bend, Marlin McFarren and wife Lorna of Ellsworth, Curtis McFarren and wife Trudi of Hays, Kelly McFarren of Tulsa, Okla., and Shane McFarren of Olathe; one sister, Yvonne Grothusen of Sherrard, Ill.; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Dean McFarren and Richard McFarren, and one sister, Doris Dawley.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with Pastor Jack Sweany officiant. Inurnment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Great Bend. There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place. Donations to a memorial fund for Community Christian Church may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 24, 2010

LARNED — Roberta L. Jennings, 94, died Feb. 23 at Country Place Senior Living, Larned. She was born June 3, 1915, in rural Rozel, the daughter of George and Ida S. Morford Gibson. A longtime resident of Pawnee County, she was a farm wife and homemaker.

Mrs. Jennings belonged to the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women and was past president and treasurer, Rozel, Stitch and Chatter Club, Shiley Homemakers and was past president, Lincoln Banner Unit and was past treasurer, Cow Bells and was past treasurer, National Square Dance Callers Association and a past Cub Scout Leader.

On Nov. 3, 1935, she married Melvin Joe Jennings at Larned. He survives. Other survivors include two sons, Leon, Burdett, and Fred and wife Judy, Larned; two daughters, Linda Maddy, Larned, and Cheryll Meier and husband Ken, La Crosse; nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one sister, Luella Speer, one daughter-in-law, Shirley Jennings, and one son-in-law, Darrell Maddy.

Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Morell Funeral Home Chapel, Larned, with Pastor Rich Zimmerman presiding. Visitation will be from noon until 8 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Larned Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to Burdett Emergency Medical Service or the Pawnee County 4-H Foundation in care of Morell Funeral Home. Personal condolences may be left at www.morellfuneralhomellc.com, Funeral arrangements provided by
Morell Funeral Home*
1021 Broadway/P.O. Box 124
Larned, KS 67550-0124
620-285-2177
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 24, 2010

HOISINGTON — Zita Ann Davis, 62, died Feb. 21 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born April 17, 1947, in Hays, she was the daughter of Alois Kisner and Pauline Schmidt. On March 25, 1966, she married Albert E. Davis in Hoisington. He survives. A lifetime resident of Hoisington, she was a homemaker.

Mrs. Davis was a member of the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hoisington.

Survivors include her husband, Albert Davis of Hoisington; three sons, Keith Davis and wife Tanya of Hoisington, Kelly Davis and wife Sandra of Great Bend and Troy Davis and wife Teresa of Bushton; a sister, Shirley Jones of Hoisington; a nephew, Gordon Jones of Hoisington; and eight grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a sister, Rita Mae Brown.

Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hoisington with Father Dwight Birket officiating. Burial will be at the St. John Church Cemetery. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to service time Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 N. Main/P.O. Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 24, 2010

David James Spaeny, 49, Great Bend, died Feb. 21.

Ryan Mortuary in Salina is handling arrangements, which will be announced.

ST. JOHN — Valaska Lavernia Jackson, 89, died Feb. 22 at Leisure Homestead St. John. She was born July 28, 1920, at Devol, Okla., the daughter of Raymond Howard and Veta Elvenia (Rader) Henderson. She was a homemaker and a resident of St. John for four years, coming from Great Bend.

She attended the Baptist Church, Great Bend.

Survivors include two sons, Garry and Floyd Jackson; three daughters, Leta Ochs, Ruby Boyd and Mary Ledezma; three brothers, Bobby, Jerry and Don Flickinger; 21 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by three brothers and four sisters. A memorial service will be at a later date.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Minnis Chapel, Inc.
St. John, KS
620-786-9440
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 23, 2010

CLAFLIN — Shirla A. Kirmer, 73, died Feb. 20 at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson, after a 19-year battle with cancer. She was born March 27, 1936, at Albert, the daughter of Lester E. and Wilma Fern (Lewis) Moore. Shirla A. Moore married Bernard “Ben” Kirmer June 14, 1958, at Larned. He survives. She was a retired registered nurse and a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was a longtime resident of Barton County.

Mrs. Kirmer was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and its Altar Society, Claflin; a former member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, Dubuque, and Daughters of Isabella, Claflin; and Breast Friends, Hoisington.

Survivors, in addition to her husband, of Claflin, include four sons, Gary Kirmer and wife Patricia, Alan Kirmer and wife Kathy and Marvin Kirmer and wife Bobette, all of Claflin, and Dennis Kirmer and wife Jan of Hays; two daughters, Rita Stueder and husband Alan and Lora Zink and husband Joe, all of Claflin; four brothers, Clark Moore of Great Bend, Jim Moore of Burnet, Texas, John Moore of McPherson and Charles Moore of Otis; three sisters, Vera Schmidt of Pawnee Rock, Linda Brack of Otis and Wilda Daubert of Wichita; and 19 grandchildren, Rachel Dolechek, Megan Kirmer, Brogan Kirmer, Norel Kirmer, Carson Kirmer, Brandy Kirmer, Kyle Kirmer, Kalee Kirmer, Sarah Stueder, Cindy Stueder, Tim Stueder, Abby Stueder, Nathan Zink, Neil Zink, Nicole Zink, Natalie Zink, Drew Kirmer, Kade Kirmer and Benn Kirmer. She was preceded in death by a brother, Leonard Moore, and two sisters, Donna Schlegel and Carol DeVault.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Claflin, with Father Charles Mazouch officiating. Burial will be at St. Catherine Cemetery, Dubuque. A vigil service and an Altar Society Rosary were held Monday night at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Claflin Ambulance Fund, Dubuque Heritage Association or the Claflin Community Scholarship Fund in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington.

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 23, 2010

BROWNSTOWN, Mich. — Richard H. Brimmer, 87, of Brownstown, died Feb. 19 in Wyandotte, Mich. He is survived by his wife Esther of 63 years; four daughters, Verdene Wooton of Thompson Station, Tenn., Sharren Hill and husband Stephen of Riverview, Mich., Nancy and husband Michael Klepper of Hoisington, and Susan Rhode and husband Michael of Walled Lake, Mich.; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association. Visitation is 3 to 8 p.m. today and on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. until the service begins at 11 a.m. at Nixon Funeral Home in Wyandotte, Mich. Burial will take place at the VA Cemetery in Holly, Mich., on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 23, 2010#

HOISINGTON — Kenneth Leroy Fritz, better known as “Fritzz,” 92, died Feb. 21 at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wichita. He was born April 14, 1917, in Gypsum, the son of Charles Frederick and Oma (Madden) Fritz. Kenneth was the youngest of three sons. His father died when he was 11, leaving just his mother and him.

He graduated from Gypsum High School in 1937, and later entered the U.S. Army during World War II and served for three years overseas. He came home from the military and, after a period of adjustment, he started working in the oilfields. That is when he met his wife, Wilma Clift. They were married Aug. 28, 1947, at Hoisington. This marriage was blessed with six children.

In the 1960s Kenneth started Fritz’s Bait Shop in his home, and in the ’70s his wife joined him. They grew the business of retail into a retail and wholesale one and Kenneth delivered to western and northwestern Kansas and spent many an hour driving his van to pick up and deliver bait. Kenneth and Wilma retired in 1988.

Mr. Fritz was a member of VFW Post No. 7428, Hoisington, and Disabled American Veterans, Great Bend.

Survivors include his wife, Wilma Fritz, of Hoisington; three sons, Ken Leroy Fritz and wife Terry of Great Bend, David Allan Fritz and wife Julie of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Barry Adam Fritz and wife Christy of Salina; three daughters, Linda Louise Wilson and husband Guy of Douglass, Deborah Ann Carnahan and husband Larry of Great Bend and Tracy Lynn Bates of Hoisington; 12 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by two brothers.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, with the Rev. Dick Ogle officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington Cemetery with military honors conducted by a Fort Riley Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorial donations to the Kenneth Fritz Memorial Fund may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 23, 2010

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. — On Feb. 20, Phyllis C. Van Dyke, loving wife, mother, Gramma, sister, aunt and friend, slipped from the embrace of her loving family into the arms of her Eternal Father. She was born Sept. 26, 1940, in Ponca City, Okla., to the late Kenneth and Jean (Vance) Carpenter, one of seven dear brothers and sisters.

Phyllis spent her early years in Great Bend, and had maintained lifelong ties with her close childhood friends. She was a 1962 graduate of Mount St Scholastica College in Atchison and had lived in Maplewood since 1979.

She was the devoted wife, of 44 years of Ray Van Dyke, and loving mother of Amy (John) Dinicola, Laura Van Dyke (David Mairo) and Melissa Van Dyke (Walter Toto). Phyllis was the totally devoted and loving Gramma of five grandsons: Jack, Luke, Nathan, Donovan and Theodore, and her sixth grandchild due in March. A lover of sports and travel, her greatest love was for family and friends — a love wonderfully repaid in the recent months.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, N.J., at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, N.J. Visitation will be at Preston Funeral Home in South Orange, N.J., from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Barnabas Hospice Care, 95 Old Short Hills Road, West Orange, NJ 07052.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Preston Funeral Home*
153 South Orange Ave.
South Orange, NJ 07079
973-762-1133
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 23, 2010

Cheryl Elaine Cogdill, 57, of Great Bend, died Feb. 20 at her home. She was born Aug. 27, 1952, in St. John, the daughter of George Sylvester and Loretta “Joan” Riebel Ming. She married Steve Cogdill June 14, 1970, at Great Bend. He survives. She worked in the medical billing department at Great Bend Regional Hospital. She was a resident of Great Bend for most of her life.

Cheryl was active in Barton County Relay for Life. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, and she enjoyed singing, playing the piano, writing songs and gardening.

Survivors include her husband, Steven Eugene Cogdill, of the home; one son, Shawn Jason Cogdill and wife Erica of St. Robert, Mo.; a brother, Jerry D. Ming of Great Bend; four sisters, Cynthia J. Lyon and husband Jim of Wichita, Brenda L. Krier and husband Allan of Holiday Island, Ark., and Susan K. Parks and Mary Jane Leshore, both of Great Bend; and two grandchildren, Taylor Cogdill and Keara Cogdill. She was preceded in death by her parents and by infant triplet siblings (two brothers and one sister).

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the Rev. Fred Kirkpatrick officiant. Interment will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday with family to receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. to service time Tuesday, all at the funeral home. Donations to a memorial fund for Barton County Relay for Life may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 21, 2010

WALNUT GROVE, Mo. — William Joe Hopkins Sr., 70, of Walnut Grove, Mo., died Feb. 9 at his home. Born July 19, 1939, in Garden City, he was the son of Floyd and Inez Green Hopkins. On May 1, 1957, he married Phyllis Juanita Rankin. He was a retired truck driver and welder, working in the oilfields.

Mr. Hopkins served in the United States Air Force.

Survivors include his wife, Phyllis, of the home; four children, Ricky Hopkins and Becky Milford and Jo Ann and Robert Amador, all of Great Bend, Ulanda and Roger Hull of Walnut Grove, Mo., and Tina Hopkins of Enid, Okla.; one brother. Loren Hopkins and wife, Vicki, Ellsworth; one sister, Shirley Stemintz of Garden City: 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, William Joe Hopkins Jr.; three brothers, Floyd Hopkins Jr., Bobby Hopkins and Tommy Hopkins; a sister, Jean Geary; and two great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Jewel Dukeman and Jonathan Dell Dukeman.

Graveside services were held Feb. 17 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield with Chaplain James Friend officiating. Military rites were held by the Amvets Post 114 Honor Guard. Online condolences may be sent to www.murrayfuneralhomes.com.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 21, 2010#

WICHITA — Michael William Doll, 60, passed away Feb. 18. There will be a visitation with family present from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, and funeral services at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, both at Broadway Mortuary, Wichita. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon Lee Doll; son, Ryan W. Doll; daughter, Amanda Doll; stepson, William Harold Hudson; brother, David Doll; sister, Kelly Little; and six grandchildren. Share online condolences at www.CozineMemorial.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Broadway Mortuary • Kensington Gardens*
1147 S. Broadway at Lincoln
Wichita, KS 67211
316.262.3435
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 21, 2010

HOISINGTON — Ariana LeeAnn Mae Maher, two months and one day old, died Feb. 19 at Great Bend Regional Hospital. She was born Dec. 18, 2009, at Great Bend, the daughter of Christopher and Lacinda (Julian) Haher.

Survivors include her mother, Lacinda Maher of Hoisington; her father, Christopher Maher of Larned; a brother, Christian Lovell of Hoisington; a sister, Majestic Maher of Great Bend; maternal grandparents Lila Brady of Mound City, Mo., and Leslie Julian, Sr., of Branson, Mo.; and paternal grandparents LeeAnn Bush of Topeka and Donald Hawes of Larned.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, with Pastor Larry Schumacher officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Ariana Maher Expense Fund. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 21, 2010

HUTCHINSON — Carl E. Sparkman, Sr., 91, died Feb. 19 at Hospice House, Hutchinson. He was born March 5, 1918, at Ryan, Okla., the son of Frederick C. and Willie Pearl Glazner Sparkman. He married Nettie Marie Mack in February 1940 in Alva, Okla. She died Aug. 19, 1952. He later married Laura Louise “Lou” Polansky on July 31, 1953, in Emporia. A longtime Hutchinson resident, he was educated at Ryan (Okla.) High School. He was an insurance agent for Kansas City Life Insurance and Prudential Life Insurance Co. and later manager for more than 40 years. He was a pilot and owner/operator of Sparkman Aerial Photography. He was also a crop hail insurance adjuster for 18 years.

Mr. Sparkman was a member of First Baptist Church and of Hutchinson-Reno Masonic Lodge No. 124, AF & AM, Grand Lodge, AF & AM of Kansas; Kansas York Rite-Chapter 34; and Reno Council 13-Hutchinson.

He was a graduate of International Grapho-analysis Society, Chicago. He was passionate about the art of metal detecting and his aerial photography. He was accomplished with the six-string guitar. He also enjoyed fresh-water fishing. He and his wife took long trips throughout the Southwest as RV campers.

Survivors include his wife, of the home; two sons, Gene Sparkman of Annapolis, Md., and Dean Sparkman and wife Janet of Plymouth, Minn.; two sisters, Louise Anderson of Denver and Theda Debes of Great Bend; three grandchildren, Elliott Sparkman, Nettie Sparkman and Gretchen Sparkman; and a great-granddaughter, Heidi Sparkman. He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather, Delbert E. Elliott, a brother, Hurschel Sparkman, and two infant sons.

Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. Graveside service will be at 4 p.m. Monday in the Great Bend Cemetery with Pastor Stephen Taylor officiating. Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. today at the mortuary, with family receiving friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Memorials may be sent to Hospice & Homecare of Reno County in care of the mortuary. Personal condolences may be sent to www.elliottmortuary.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Elliott Mortuary*
1219 North Main
Hutchinson, KS 67501
620-663-3327
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 21, 2010

RADIUM — Robert Lee Boele, 82, died Feb. 17 at the Kansas Heart Hospital, Wichita. He was born Jan. 7, 1928, in Colorado, the son of John Cornelius and Frances V. Horine Boele. He had lived in Barton County since 1953. Robert married Nelda Crowder on June 19, 1977, at the Presbyterian Church in Great Bend. He owned and operated A-1 Radiator Repair in Great Bend. He started working at the shop in 1953 and worked until just two years ago.

Robert spent his life serving others, and would not let others serve him. Robert centered himself around family and work. There was always something that needed to be done.

Mr. Boele served his country during the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife, Nelda; a son, John Boele and wife Tracey of Sterling; two daughters, Tammy Boele of Great Bend and Stacy and Frank Trevino of St. John; three grandchildren, Bryant Boele, Kylie Boele and Christian Trevino; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Dan, David and Raymond, and three sisters, Jackie, Donna and Margaret.

Viewing will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Charter Funerals, Great Bend, with the family greeting friends and family from 6 to 7 p.m. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Charter Funerals. Officiant will be Pastor David Spare of the First Assembly of God of Larned. Interment will be at Great Bend City Cemetery, Great Bend. Memorials may be made to the Department of Veteran Affairs, Disabled Veterans. Funeral arrangements provided by
Charter Funerals*
2115 Washington
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-6161
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 18, 2010

Kathleen Anice Weltmer, 73, died Feb. 9 at Great Bend Regional Hospital. Born Oct. 14, 1936, in Great Bend, she was the daughter of John Brittain Weltmer and Sylvia Jeanette Platz. She graduated from Great Bend High School and received an education degree from the University of Kansas. A lifetime resident of Barton County, she was a paralegal and a secretary.

She spent her time with her family and told everyone about the Lord and how much love she had for him. She loved music; anytime you came to her home one could hear K Love 24/7.

Ms. Weltmer was a dedicated member of the First Assembly of God Church.

Survivors include a son, Wayne Gregg and wife Rosie of Madison, Ala.; two daughters, Connie Ogden and husband Richard of Ellinwood and Bonnie Chaney and husband Sid of Baton Rouge, La.; a brother, Prentice Weltmer and wife Carol of Great Bend; three grandchildren, Melissa Ogden, Billy Ogden and Caleb Simpson; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral service was at 1 p.m. Monday at the First Assembly of God Church with Pastor Dwight Dozier officiating. Burial was at the Great Bend Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Kathleen Weltmer Memorial. Funeral arrangements provided by
Charter Funerals*
2115 Washington
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-6161
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 17, 2010

ELLINWOOD — The family of Ingeborg M. Mitchell, 88, is saddened to announce her passing on Feb. 15 at Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood. Ingeborg Magdalena Ursula (Marr) Mitchell was born Oct. 13, 1921, in Steinbach-Hallenberg, Germany, the daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm Marr and Minna Emilie (Hoffman) Marr. She immigrated to the United States in 1955 and became a U.S. citizen in 1966 in Garden City. On Dec. 19, 1960, she married Calvin Berry (C.B.) Mitchell in Tribune. They were married for 31 years at the time of his death on Oct. 21, 1991, at Ulysses, where he had been a teacher for 26 years at Ulysses High School and for several years prior to that a high school teacher at Tribune, where Inge and Berry met.

Inge was a member of Grace Lutheran Church of Ulysses. She worked for many years in the medical field as a lab and X-ray technician. She had been a resident of Ulysses since 1963, having moved from Tribune. She had lived in Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood since March of 2003.

Survivors include two sons, Peter Trinks and wife Karin, Pfaffenhofen, Germany, and Alfred “Charles” Mitchell, Hutchinson; two daughters, Karin Neufing and husband Kurt, Schondorf, Germany, and Inge Debes and husband James of Claflin, along with 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Inge was preceded in death by her parents, one son, Robert Klaus Palmer, and several brothers and sisters.

The family has requested a Celebration of Life service to he held at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington at 7 p.m. Thursday with Pastor Mark Lovett of Concordia Lutheran Church, Hoisington, officiating. Visitation will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m Thursday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington. Graveside service will be held at Ulysses Cemetery in Ulysses on Friday at 1 p.m. with Pastor Dennis Mason of Grace Lutheran Church, Ulysses, officiating. Memorials are suggested to Hospice Care of Kansas, 120 N. Main Street, Hutchinson, KS 67501 and Grace Lutheran Church, Ulysses, of which she was a member, both in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 17, 2010

LARNED — Velma Irene Basye, 92, went home to her Lord and Savior on Feb. 15. She was born March 23, 1917, in Lincoln, the daughter of William C. and Emma Miller Anderson. She was a resident of Larned, formerly of Claflin, Sylvia and Great Bend. Prior to her retirement she owned the Claflin Cafe, worked at El Can and was a homemaker. She loved spending her time with family, friends and making quilts. Anytime you’d stop at her home you wouldn’t leave hungry, as another love was cooking.

Mrs. Basye belonged to First United Methodist Church and VFW Ladies Auxiliary, both of Larned.

On Nov. 16, 1938, she married Richard G. Basye at Ellsworth. He died June 3, 1990.

Survivors include six sons, Dick and wife Joyce, Hoisington, Lew, Smithville, Mo., Del and wife Wanda, Kemp, Texas, Ron and wife Judy, Waco, Texas, Dennis, Sedgwick, and Garlen, Alvin, Texas; two daughters, Janet Stephens and husband Bob, Fairfax, Okla., and Jan Martin and husband Doug, Larned; two daughters-in-law, Pam Basye, Brownsville, Texas, and Eileen Basye, Cassville, Mo.; one sister, Annabelle Arnold and husband Bill, Wichita; 51 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren, 15 great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, two sons, Marvin and Jim, two daughters, Roxy and Alisa, two daughters-in-law, Roberta and Joy, three brothers, Frank, Charlie and Merle, one sister, Bertha Sarks, and one grandson, Butch.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church, Larned, with Pastor Ryan Webster presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. today, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m., and from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Thursday at Morell Funeral Home, Larned. Burial will be in the Claflin Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the church or the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in care of Morell Funeral Home. Personal condolences may be left at www.morellfuneralhomellc.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Morell Funeral Home*
1021 Broadway/P.O. Box 124
Larned, KS 67550-0124
620-285-2177
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 17, 2010

PAWNEE ROCK — Minetta “Mickey” (Edwards) Smith was born March 24, 1934, at Bison and died Feb. 14 at Great Bend Health and Rehabil-itation Center, Great Bend. She was the youngest of 13 children born to Everett and Frances (Bitter) Edwards. On May 22, 1953, she married Durward Smith. He survives. To this union three children were born.

At a young age she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior. Mrs. Smith was a member of the First Christian Church, Great Bend.

She leaves to mourn a daughter, Brenda Zorn and husband Dennis, of Denver, Colo.; two sons, Kirk Smith and wife Wanda of Pawnee Rock and Jeff Smith and wife Beth of Kechi; grandchildren Eric Zorn and wife Sarah of St. Paul, Minn., Alycia Zorn and Zachary Zorn and wife Jodi, all of Denver, Brian Smith and fianceé Lindsay Dragoo of Wichita, Rachelle Powell and husband Brett of Garden City and Lucas Smith of Kechi; great-grandchildren Alexis and Chloe Powell of Garden City and Mason Zorn of St. Paul, Minn.; four brothers, Everett Edwards, Jr., Elbert Edwards and Zane Edwards, all of Bison, and Forrest Edwards of Russiaville, Ind.; and four sisters, Ladine Peterson of Ellinwood, Ruth Anne Krug of La Crosse, Hollis Brack of Spearman, Texas, and Hazel Stump of Larned. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Robert Edwards and Thomas Edwards, and sisters Alma Edwards and Lois Edwards.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Christian Church, Great Bend, with the Rev. William F. Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Pawnee Rock Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Memorials are requested to the First Christian Church Building Fund or to the CKMC Foundation for the Benefit of the Heartland Cancer Center, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 16, 2010

CLAFLIN — Augusta A. Huslig, 99, died Feb. 15 at Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington. She was born April 26, 1910, in rural Claflin, the daughter of Emil A. and Josephine (Lamatsch) Huslig. She worked as an LPN at St. Mary’s in Grand Rapids, Mich., for 26 years and at CKMC in Great Bend for 11 years, retiring in 1977.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Altar Society in Claflin.

Survivors include a sister-in-law, Marie Huslig of Claflin, and numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by four sisters, Clara Lesch, Rose Bieberle, Marie Birzer and Teresa Woydziak, and three brothers, Tony Huslig, Lawrence Huslig and Bernard Huslig.

A vigil service will be at 8 p.m. Wednesday followed by an Altar Society Rosary, both at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Claflin, with Father Charles Mazouch officiating. Burial will be at the Claflin Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, and 9 a.m. until service time Thursday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the church or to the Seminarian Education Fund. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main/PO Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 16, 2010

HOISINGTON — B. Ruth (Harmon) Kuhn, 83, died Feb. 13 at St. John’s of Victoria, in Victoria. She was born Dec. 17, 1926, in Newton County, Mo., the daughter of Franklin Pierce and Byrda (Long) Harmon. She married Samuel Ed Loftis in 1945 and they divorced in 1950. She married Robert Eugene Kuhn on April 20, 1956, in Larned. She was a retired CNA from nursing homes and private duty, retiring in 1988. She was a longtime Hoisington resident.

Survivors include her husband, Robert, of Springfield, Mo.; three sons, Rick Alan Loftis of Williston, N.D., Robert D. Kuhn of Branson, Mo., and Thomas A. Kuhn of Augusta; two daughters, E. Darlene (Loftis) Loomis of Brighton, Colo., and Charlotte A. (Loftis) Linsner of Walker; 14 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by four brothers, one sister and one great-grandchild.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington with Chuck Marshall officiating. Inurnment will occur at a later date at the Hoisington Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. until service time Thursday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Clara Barton Foundation in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main/PO Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 16, 2010

HAYS — Ana Rose Hertel, 17, died Feb. 11, at her home. She was born Sept. 1, 1992, in Hays, to Stan and Lori (Broetzmann) Hertel. She was a junior at Hays High School, a member of Hays High STUCO and was a 2009 honorary player for Hays High Girls’ Basketball. She received the 2004 Kansas Yes I Can Award.

She and her parents formed a stuffed animal drive last year for Hays Medical Center, the Ellis County Emergency Department and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department.

She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays.

Survivors include her parents, Stan and Lori Hertel, of the home; one brother, Daniel Hertel, of the home; grandparents, Ron and Freda (Foos) Broetzmann, Great Bend; three uncles, Tim Hertel and wife Genita, La Crosse, Pat Hertel, Oklahoma, and Jeff Hertel and wife Shari, Victoria; three aunts, Pam Blau and husband Ron, Hays, Cynthia Mason, Victoria, and Maxine Moser and friend Ray Milojevich, Tigard, Ore. She was preceded in death by one brother, Steven Hertel, grandparents, Clarence and Rosemary (Maurath) Hertel, and one uncle, Delane Mason.

Services were at 10 a.m. Monday, at St. Fidelis Catholic Church, Victoria. Burial was in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria. A vigil service was at 7 p.m. Sunday at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays. Memorials are suggested to Developmental Services of North West Kansas or Big Brothers-Big Sisters. Condolences can be sent via e-mail to clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Cline’s Mortuary of Hays & Victoria*
P.O. Box 252
Hays, KS 67601-0252
785-628-8822
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 16, 2010

Kathleen Anice Weltmer, 73, died Feb. 9 at Great Bend Regional Hospital. Born Oct. 14, 1936, in Great Bend, she was the daughter of John Brittain Weltmer and Sylvia Jeanette Platz. She graduated from Great Bend High School and received an education degree from Kansas State University. A lifetime resident of Barton County, she was a paralegal and a secretary.

She spent her time with her family and told everyone about the Lord and how much love she had for him. She loved music; anytime you came to her home one could hear K Love 24/7.

Ms. Weltmer was a dedicated member of the First Assembly of God Church.

Survivors include a son, Wayne Gregg and wife Rosie of Madison, Ala.; two daughters, Connie Ogden and husband Richard of Ellinwood and Bonnie Chaney and husband Sid of Baton Rouge, La.; a brother, Prentice Weltmer and wife Carol of Great Bend; three grandchildren, Melissa Ogden, Billy Ogden and Caleb Ogden; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the First Assembly of God Church with Pastor Dwight Dozier officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend Cemetery. Viewing will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Charter Funerals in Great Bend with family greeting friends and family from 6 to 7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Kathleen Weltmer Memorial.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Charter Funerals*
2115 Washington
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-6161
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 14, 2010

LA CROSSE — Clyde Edward Bryant, 91, passed away Feb. 13 at the Long Term Care Unit of the Rush County Memorial Hospital. A life-long resident of Rush County, he was born to Alfred Clyde and Fern (Hatfield) Bryant on June 23, 1918, at their home in Alexander. He married Juanita Marie Schultz from Trousdale on April 30, 1939.

Mr. Bryant served on several community boards. He was a member of the LaCrosse United Methodist Church, served as a trustee on the Evangelical United Brethren Church board and later was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren Trust. He was received the Kansas Bankers Association Award for Soil Conservation in 1955, served on the Alexander Co-op board of directors for 25 years, and was a director of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank from 1961 to 1984. Clyde retired from his cattle and farming operation in Edwards and Rush County in 1980.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his sister Maxine Miles and one grandson, Dr. Andrew Jones. Survivors include: one daughter, Nancy Marie Jones and husband Paul of LaCrosse; one son, Bruce Wayne Bryant and wife Katheryn of Ulysses; six grandchildren, Dr. Paul Weston Jones and wife Elodie, Hays, Matthew Jones and wife Dr. Shelley Jones, Lincoln, Neb., Dr. Jarrod Jones and wife Dr. Stacey Jones, Hays, Dr. Kiley Jones, Olathe, Robert Bryant, Portland, Ore., Jean Bryant North and husband Tyler, Albuquerque, N.M., and Elaine Bryant Rooker and husband Eric, Topeka; 10 great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

Clyde was a devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed traveling, cooking, playing games, and following baseball, football and basketball.

The service to celebrate Clyde Edward Bryant’s life will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the LaCrosse United Methodist Church with the Rev. David Bolz presiding. Burial will be in the LaCrosse City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Janousek Funeral Home, LaCrosse. The family suggests memorials to the LaCrosse United Methodist Church or the Long Term Care Unit of Rush County Memorial Hospital, in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Janousek Funeral Home*
719 Pine
LaCrosse, KS 67548
785-222-2517
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 14, 2010

ELLINWOOD — William Henry Ernsting, 77, died suddenly at his Ellinwood home on Feb. 12. He was born May 31, 1932, at Great Bend, the son of Louis O. and Oma V. Nelson Ernsting. He was a lifetime Ellinwood resident. He married Marlene Lungwitz on June 27, 1953, in Wichita. From 1958 to 1960, he was plantation manager of United Fruit Company in LaLima, Honduras; 1960-1971 he was a third-generation farmer/stockman on the family farm in Barton County, which was settled in 1866; 1971-1993 founder of Ernsting’s Inc. of Ellinwood, retiring in 1993. He was a 1957 graduate of Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in botany and agriculture.

Mr. Ernsting was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Ellinwood, a former Barton County commissioner, president of the Ellinwood Co-op, a founding member of the Barton County Sheep Association, member of Irrigators Association, served on the board of Peoples State Bank and the Loan Committee of Sunflower Bank, Ellinwood; co-founder of the Santa Fe Trap Club since 1997, and a member of the Kansas Trap Shooters Association.

He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving from 1953 to 1955.

Survivors include his wife, Marlene, of the home; three sons, Guy Ernsting of Ellinwood, Matthew Ernsting of Larned and Andrew Ernsting of Overland Park; a sister, Elizabeth Garnett of Butler, Mo.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Virgil Ernsting.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ellinwood, with the Rev. Jeff Frakes officiant. Burial will be at Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery, Ellinwood. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Monday at Kimple Funeral Home, Ellinwood. Memorials are suggested to Children’s Christian Concern Society, St. John’s Lutheran Church Endowment or the Barton County Historical Society.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Kimple Funeral Home
113 North Main
Ellinwood, KS 67526
620-564-2300
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 14, 2010

Harold “Gene” Neuforth, 60, of Great Bend, died Feb. 11 at the Kaye Pogue Hospice Center, Salina. He was born May 22, 1949, at Great Bend, the son of Harold Charles and Doris Lorriane (Corkins) Neuforth.

He married Eva Kohls April 9, 1983, at Great Bend. He was formerly employed by Doonan Trailer as a fabricator. He was a lifetime Great Bend resident.

Mr. Neuforth was of the Christian faith.

Survivors include his wife, Eva Neuforth; one daughter, Tori Stukey and husband Chris of Salina; one sister, Elaine Brown and husband Rod of Port Byron, Ill., and their daughters, Kristen Henley and husband Dave and their children and Stephanie Luebbering and husband Doug and their child. He was preceded in death by his parents and by one son, Gavin Eugene Neuforth.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with Arlyn Thielhaus officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend Cemetery North. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., and 9 a.m. to service time Saturday, all at the funeral home.

Memorial donations for FFA or for Fellowship of Faith to benefit the future hospice house of Great Bend may be made in care of the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 12, 2010

Eleanor Prosser, 98, of Great Bend, died Feb. 10 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center, Great Bend. She was born May 8, 1911, at Odin, the daughter of Frank and Karolina (Fonschner) Schneweis. She married Anthony A. “Tony” Prosser Aug. 6, 1935, at Holy Family Catholic Church, Odin. He died Dec. 28, 1971. She was employed as a homemaker.

Mrs. Prosser was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, the Altar Society, Daughters of Isabella, Blue Army, CKMC Charter Member, St. Monica Quilting Guild and Election Board.

Mr. and Mrs. Prosser moved to their farm home northeast of Great Bend in 1935, coming from Odin.

Survivors include numerous nieces and nephews, great-niece and great-nephews and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Albert Schneweis and Walter Schneweis, and four sisters, Sister Henrietta Schneweis, Helen Schneweis, Regina Hipp and Agnes Hipp.

An Altar Society Rosary will be at 4 p.m. today at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. today, also at the funeral home. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great Bend, with Father Peter Fernandez, Father John Strasser and Father Charles Mazouch officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorial donations for Prince of Peace Parish or Daughters of Isabella may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent or notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 12, 2010

LARNED — Marjorie Lenora Caplinger, 89, died Feb. 10 at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Larned. Born Feb. 7, 1921, in Larned, she was the daughter of Clarence Clentis and Nora Adeline Hicks Buhrer. A Pawnee County resident since 1959, moving from Salina, she was an assistant manager at J.C. Penney Co. and a homemaker. On Jan.17, 1942, she married Donald Rex Caplinger. He died Oct. 22, 1961.

Mrs. Caplinger was a member of the United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, St. Joseph Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Chamber of Commerce, all of Larned; a lifetime member of the Pawnee County Humane Society, a past state and local president of the Business and Professional Women and a coordinator for the American Red Cross Bloodmobile.

Survivors include a son, Gary and wife Macel of Larned; two daughters, Donna Sue Morgan and husband Orley of Larned and Linda Mounday and husband Hugh of Rozel; and two granddaughters, Kala Steffen of Larned and Carrie Caplinger of Ellsworth. She was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Donnie L. Caplinger and Lexie Marie Caplinger.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned, with Pastor John Grummon and Sister Virginia Pearl presiding. Burial will be at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Zook. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Beckwith Mortuary. The casket will remain closed. Memorials may be sent to the Community Hospital Organization Auxiliary or the Pawnee County Humane Society, both in care of the funeral home. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Beckwith Mortuary*
916 Main/P.O. Box 477
Larned, KS 67550
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 12, 2010

Kathleen Weltmer, Great Bend, died Feb. 9. Services are pending with Charter Funerals, Great Bend, and will be announced.

Eleanor J. Prosser, 98, of Great Bend, died Feb. 10 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, and will be announced.

OTIS — Marilyn J. Landers, 78, died Feb. 9 at the Rush County Nursing Home, La Crosse. Born Oct. 27, 1931, at Garnett, she was the daughter of Jack and Grace (Smith) Stewart. Marilyn married Richard Landers on Dec. 30, 1951, at Garnett. He survives. She was a homemaker and a waitress for many years at Alex’s Cafe, Highway Cafe and Hoisington Cafe. She had lived in Otis since 1989, moving from Hoisington.

Mrs. Landers was a member of the Otis United Methodist Church.

Survivors, in addition to her husband of Otis, include two sons, John A. Landers and wife Jenny of Otis and Eric L. Landers and wife Kim of Hoisington; three daughters, Twila Jo Milburn and husband Mike of Fulton, Lila Jean Hoch of Great Bend and Mary Lynne Schneider and husband Daryl of Hoisington; a sister, Delores Stewart of Miami, Okla.; 12 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a half brother, William Burns.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, with the Rev. David G. Bolz officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Rush County Nursing Home, Otis United Methodist Church or South Wind Hospice, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 Main/PO Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 11, 2010

LANSING — Norma J. Bogart, 61, of Lansing, died Feb. 10 at her home. She was born June 30, 1948, in Ransom, the daughter of Edwin and Armella (Stegman) Graf. Norma lived on her grandparents’ farm until she was three. She then moved to Great Bend, where she attended St. Rose Catholic grade school and graduated from Great Bend High School. While attending college Norma had several jobs; most important was her employment at Hays Building and Loan, where she learned the savings and loan business from the ground up. In 1969 she met Steven Bogart at her sister’s wedding. They courted by mail while he served in the U.S. Navy. On March 21, 1970, she married Steven Bogart in Great Bend and became a Navy wife, first stationed in New London, Conn., then Holy Loch, Scotland. In 1974, they moved back to Hays and later settled in the Kansas City area in 1989. Norma went to work for Franklin Savings in Ottawa before she began working at Mutual Savings and Loan in Leavenworth in 1995. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and medically retired with 15 years of service as Senior Vice President of Lending.

Norma is survived by her husband, Steven Bogart of the home; her three sons, Kevin A. (Kimberly) Bogart of DeSoto, Sean M. (Jennifer) Bogart of Richardson, Texas, and Aaron M. (Amy) Bogart of Kirksville, Mo.; her grandchildren, Tristen, Tanner, Riley, Calvin, Taylor, and Stella Bogart; her father, Edwin (Jewell) Graf; her siblings, Janice (Lee) Burkhead, Jim (Kathy) Graf, Mike (Robbie) Graf, Tom (Shyrlene) Graf and David Graf; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother.

Norma played an active part during her sons’ years of Scouting. Her passion was her six grandchildren and she was well known for her quilting. She made more than 100 quilts and took pride in giving them to others.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home. The family will pray the rosary at the end of the visitation. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 am. Friday at St. Francis deSales Catholic Church with the Rev. Michael Stubbs as celebrant. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Kansas City Hospice or Pancreatic Cancer research. Funeral arrangements provided by
R.L. Leintz Funeral Home*
4701 10th Ave.
Leavenworth, KS 66048
913-351-0200
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 11, 2010

Rose Teresa Arnoldy was born Oct. 13, 1952, in Concordia, the daughter of Edmund and Adeline (Mick) Arnoldy. She died early Monday morning on Feb. 8, at her Great Bend home, at the age of 57. She grew up in Tipton and graduated from Tipton High School in 1970. Following graduation, she attended Marymount College in Salina, where she graduated in 1974 with an elementary teaching degree. She later earned her master’s degree in library science at Fort Hays State University. Ms. Arnoldy taught in Hanover, Liberal, Seneca, Marysville and Tipton elementary schools. When she was no longer teaching, she worked at a bakery in Topeka, Farm Service Agency in Hutchinson, ceramic shop in Salina and Dollar General Store in Arkansas City. Rose was a librarian at St. Theresa’s in Hutchinson, Nickerson Public Library and Great Bend Public Library. She also spent several years in Des Moines, Iowa, first as a volunteer with the Sisters of the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in the Seeds of Hope program. She later worked in a St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store, volunteered at the office of Anawim Housing and served on the breakfast food truck for the homeless of the city. When she moved back to Kansas, she began working for CPI in Great Bend in November 2008 until the present time.

Rose also had many hobbies that she enjoyed. She was very interested in keeping up her family tree. Whenever she was among family, she would search out details to keep her records updated. Quilting was especially enjoyable as she would make items for her many nieces and nephews and friends. She liked to give baked items for Christmas and enjoyed sharing them with relatives and friends. Gardening was also high on her list.

Ms. Arnoldy was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church in Great Bend, and the D of I of the Prince of Peace Parish. In association with the Great Bend Public Library, she was an officer of the Friends of the Library (FOL).

Survivors include her brother, Francis, and wife Donna Arnoldy; brother-in-law Tom Deneke; four sisters, Sylvia and husband Greg Ringler, Helen and husband Kim Hullman, Lucy Arnoldy and Maxine Arnoldy; 11 nieces and nephews; and six great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother and father and her sister, Sara (Arnoldy) Deneke.

Vigil and Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Friday, at the Minnis Chapel in St. John. Funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in St. John. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery. Viewing will be from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Great Bend Public Library, dedicated to the FOL, or mass intentions and can be sent in care of the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be made on line to www.minnischapel.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Minnis Chapel*
PO Box 34
St John, KS 67576
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 11, 2010

Tomasa Zuniga Perez, 88, of Great Bend, died Feb. 8 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. She was born Dec. 29, 1921, at Kenedy, Texas, to Arcadio and Guadelupe (Hernandez) Zuniga. She married Rosenda Perez, Sr., in 1940 at Kenedy, Texas. He died July 23, 1994. She was a cook for the nursing home and hospital at Leoti. She was a Hoisington resident since 1996, coming from Leoti.

Mrs. Perez was a member of First United Methodist Church, Hoisington. She enjoyed bingo, watching sports, and cooking and selling food out of her home. She was an avid supporter of her grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s sporting events.

Survivors include four sons, Rosendo Perez, Jr., and wife Diane, and Noe Perez and wife Cecelia, all of Garden City, Ovidio Perez and wife Glenda of Oakley and Wilfido “Willie” Perez and wife Christi of Salina; one daughter, Viola “Vi” Glanville and husband Harold of Great Bend; two brothers, Bartolo Zuniga and Martin Zuniga, both of San Antonio, Texas; 21 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, seven great-great-grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren and seven stepgreat-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Cipriano Perez; six brothers, Rosadio Zuniga, Manuel Zuniga, Domingo Zuniga, Alberto Zuniga, Fernando Zuniga and Nicolas Zuniga; and four sisters, Domitila Anthony, Francisca Montez, Candelaria Carrasco and Marcello Trivino.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the Rev. Ralph Jarboe Jr. officiant. Interment will be at the Leoti Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday with the family to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Donations to memorial funds for ElderCare or for the Hoisington United Methodist Church or to the High School Athletic Fund may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net. Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 10, 2010

Rose Teresa Arnoldy, 57, died Feb. 8 at her home in Great Bend. Service arrangements are pending with Minnis Chapel, St. John.

LARNED — Sarah C. Sucht, 99, died Feb. 8 at Larned Healthcare Center, Larned. She was born March 13, 1910, in rural La Crosse, the of daughter of Conrad and Katie Bott Schwindt. A Larned resident since 1995, formerly of Burdett, she was a retired lunchroom cook.

Mrs. Sucht belonged to First Baptist Church, Rozel.

On Aug. 20, 1933, she married William Carl Sucht at La Crosse. He died April 13, 1977.

Survivors include two sons, Don F. and wife Sherry, Wichita, and Carl W. and wife Judy, Dodge City; one daughter, Leona Hockett and husband Lee, Larned; one brother, Clarence Schwindt, Enumclaw, Wash.; seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Herman Schwindt and Harry Schwindt, and three sisters, Bertha Collins, Clara Scott and Esther Phillips.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday with Pastor John Hester presiding at Morell Funeral Home Chapel, Larned. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. until service time Friday. Burial will be in the Larned Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to Larned Emergency Medical Service in care of Morell Funeral Home, P.O. Box 124, Larned, KS 67550-0124. Personal condolences may be left at www.morellfuneralhomellc.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Morell Funeral Home*
1021 Broadway
Larned, KS 67550
620-285-2177
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 10, 2010

HANOVER — Mildred E. Lull, 89, died Sunday, Feb. 7, at the Hanover Hospital. Born Dec. 26, 1920, near Mahaska, she was the daughter of Charles and Minnei (Orr) Brown. After high school she attended “Normal Training” and then taught two years at area country schools. On May 4, 1941, she married Franklin Lull in Mahaska. Together they lived on a farm near Sunrise and then later moved near Mahaska. In the 1950s they moved to the farm that Franklin grew up on between Haddam and Morrowville. Mildred loved to cook for her family and help farm. She enjoyed teaching cooking at 4-H, gardening, yardwork, bird watching, attending area ball games and being a Meadowlark Hospice volunteer.

Mrs. Lull was a member of the Morrowville United Methodist until it closed and then became a member of the Haddam United Methodist Church and was a member of the Hickory Grove (Blocker) Cemetery Board.

Survivors include a daughter, Karen Menzies and husband Larry of Great Bend; one son, Doug Lull of Belleville; five grandchildren, Steve Menzies, Scott Menzies, Misty Menzies, Jacob Lull and Josh Lull; and three great-grandchildren, Jamie Menzies, Kayla Menzies and Jason Mezies. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Franklin Lull on March 27, 1995; son, Charles Lull on Sept. 11, 1969; and one brother, Robert Brown.

Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, at the United Methodist Church in Haddam with the Rev. Randy Jellison-Knock officiating. Betty Zenger will be the organist and Dr. James Smart will sing “O Danny Boy” and “Under His Wings.” Burial will be at the Hickory Grove Cemetery in Haddam. Friends may visit from noon until 8 p.m. om Wednesday, at Ward Funeral Home in Washington, Kan. A memorial fund has been established to the Hanover Hospital. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Ward Funeral Home*
P.O. Box 157
115 W. 2nd Street
Washington, KS 66968
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 10, 2010

LOVELAND, Colo. — Lloyd Noe, youngest son of Park H. and Claire Clark Noe, peacefully departed this life at home on Jan. 25, in Loveland, Colo., in the company of friends and neighbors. A longtime resident of Great Bend, he had resided in Loveland since 1989. He loved the mountains and wildlife, often taking his dog for scenic drives. Lloyd worked for the United States Postal Service in Great Bend for 42 years. He and his wife Irene then relocated to Loveland. In retirement she developed Alzheimer's disease and pre-deceased him in 1992. They were members of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Bend.

Mr. Noe was a veteran of World War II, having served with the 158th Regimental Combat Team in the South Pacific. Lloyd was involved in action in New Guinea, Noemfoor Island and the Philippine invasion. This action included the Damortis-Rosario Campaign for which the unit received a Presidential Unit Citation. During this campaign he contacted malaria and was medically evacuated to the states, being medically discharged on Oct. 20, 1945. He suffered recurrent malarial attacks until 1954.

Lloyd is survived by his stepdaughter Saundra Niedens Blomenberg and her husband Dr. Theodore Blomenberg of Decatur, Ind., and their children, David BIomenberg of Indianapolis, Ind., Erik and Emily Blomenberg of Dandridge, Tenn., and Scott and Beth Blomenberg McCloskey of Missouri City, Texas; four stepgreat-grandchildren, Michael and Joshua BIomenberg and Brandon and Madison McCloskey; a niece, Connie DeWeese of Arizona; and nephew, Park Schultz of California. Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Marie; his wife Irene; his brothers William, Cecil and Nestor; his sisters Leota Schultz and Sybil Hull; a half brother Elmer Noe and half sister Georgia.

At his request cremation has taken place and inurnment will take place at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Great Bend.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 10, 2010#

HOISINGTON — Edwin A. Morris, 85, died Feb. 8 at his home in Hoisington. Born April 18, 1924, in Eureka, he was the son of Edgar Alfred Morris and Alice (Manners) Morris. A resident of Hoisington since 2007, coming from McPherson, where he lived from 1960 to 2007, he was a retired truck driver for Santa Fe Trail Transportation and Churchill Truck Lines. He was a graduate of Hays High School. On Nov. 24, 1952, he married Clara Pauline Courtin in Hutchinson. She died on Oct. 17, 2005.

Mr. Morris served in the United States Army during World War II. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2715 in McPherson. He attended King’s Hiway Baptist Church in McPherson.

Survivors include three sons, Larry Morris and wife Patty of Hutchinson, Gary Morris and wife Kay of Henrietta, Texas, and Kelly Morris and wife Debbie of Hoisington; three brothers, Arthur (Bud) Morris of Calimesa, Calif., Robert Morris of Bedford, Texas, and James Morris of New Hampshire; three sisters, Charlotte Chavez of Auburn, Calif., Carole Boyer of Loomis, Calif., and Gwen Ayers of Oktaha, Okla.; 12 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, two sisters and a daughter, Debbie Boesker.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Stockham Family Funeral Home, McPherson, with Pastor Gary Clark officiating. Burial will be at the McPherson Cemetery with military honors by VFW Post No. 2715 and American Legion Post No. 24. Friends may visit from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m., at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Hospice Care of Kansas in care of the funeral home. Personal condolences may be sent to www.stockhamfamily.com. Funeral arrangements provided by
Stockham Family Funeral Home*
205 N. Chestnut
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-2442
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 10, 2010

LYONS — Norma June Ehly Hartle, 81, died Feb. 7 at Rice County District Hospital, Lyons. She was born March 11, 1928, in Eureka Township, Rice County, the daughter of Leo Peter and Frances Lena Novotny Ehly Charter. She was a lifetime resident of Lyons, a homemaker and mother. She married Raymond J. Hartle on March 23, 1947, at Lyons. He died March 1, 1998. She graduated from Lyons High School in 1946.

Mrs. Hartle was a member of First Christian Church, where she was an elder and a deacon, C.W.F., Women of the Word; Order of the Eastern Star Queen Esther Chapter No. 32; American Legion Women’s Auxiliary; and Al-Anon, all of Lyons; and Green Thumb Garden Club, Hutchinson.

Survivors include two sons, Martin Hartle and wife Penny of Lyons and Kurt Hartle and wife Phyllis of Great Bend; two daughters, June Teasley and Dan Hiegert of Liberty, Mo., and Kimberly Brayton and husband Richard of Lyons; a sister, Delores Moore of Hutchinson; 15 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, four nieces and two nephews. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Bernice Perry and Betty Edwards.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Christian Church, Lyons, with the Rev. Ron DeVore and the Rev. Angela DeVore officiating. Burial will be at Lyons Municipal Cemetery, Lyons. Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. today at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons, with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Memorial donations for First Christian Church or for Camp WaJaTo may be made in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by
Birzer Funeral Home*
214 West Ave. South
Lyons, KS 67554
620-257-2211
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 9, 2010

CLAFLIN — Steven Myron Connell, 57, died Feb. 6 at Peachtree Christian Hospice, Duluth, Ga. He was born Dec. 29, 1952, at Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Richard and Bonnie (Mousel) Connell. He was in management and sales. Steve graduated from Claflin High School and attended Washburn University and the University of Kansas.

Mr. Connell was a member of the First Metropolitan Community Church in Georgia and had a passion for cooking.

Survivors include his parents, of Claflin; two brothers, Mike Connell and wife Belinda and Mark Connell and wife Kim, all of Claflin; a sister, Carol McAtee and husband Travis of Lakin; and partner, David Bell, Duluth, Ga.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church in Claflin, with the Rev. Gene Langhofer officiating. Burial will occur at the Claflin Cemetery at a later date. There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be made to Peachtree Christian Hospice and the American Cancer Society in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www. nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 9, 2010

BUSHTON — Omer Bieberle, 72, died Feb. 7 at his Bushton residence. He was born Jan. 30, 1938, in rural Rice County, the son of Joe and Rose (Huslig) Bieberle. He married Mary Ann Maier on Nov. 4, 1961, at Bushton. She survives. He was a contract pumper, farmer and stockman.

Mr. Bieberle was a member of the Holy Name Catholic Church, Bushton, the Knights of Columbus Council No. 1187, Ellinwood, and enjoyed hunting, the out of doors and sports. He was a lifetime resident of the Bushton area.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, include two sons, Joe Bieberle of Claflin and Jerry Bieberle and wife Audria, of Bushton; two daughters, Connie Weber and husband Tim, and Karen Riggs and husband Doug, all of Bushton; a brother, Willis Bieberle of Great Bend; three sisters, Alice Jenisch of Odin, Dorothy Moeder of Ellinwood and JoAnn McGlinn of Great Bend; and eight grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Clarence Bieberle; and a son-in-law, Terry Musil.

A vigil service will be at 7 p.m. today followed by a K of C Rosary, both at Holy Name Catholic Church, Bushton. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church with a concelebrated Mass conducted by Father Eric Weldon and Father James Roth. Burial will be at the Holy Name Cemetery, Bushton. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. today at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, and after 6:30 p.m. today at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Holy Name Cemetery Fund or to Bushton First Responders in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www. nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
415 North Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
620-653-4165
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 9, 2010

Leon Rudolph Deines, 85, of Great Bend, died Feb. 6 at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. He was born Dec. 24, 1924, in Russell County, the son of Rudolph and Anna (Karst) Deines. He was an auto parts clerk, retiring from Big A Automotive. Following his retirement, he was apartment manager for Cherry Village and sacked groceries for Food-4-Less. He was a Great Bend resident for 23 years, coming from Chillicothe, Mo.

Mr. Deines was a member of First Christian Church, Great Bend.

Survivors include a sister, Dorothy Borron and husband Leroy of Tahlequah, Okla., three nieces and one nephew and their families. He was preceded in death by one brother, LeRoy Deines.

There will be no service and no visitation, as the body was donated for research. Donations to the charity of the donor’s choice may be made in care of Bryant Funeral Home, in his memory. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 9, 2010