CLAY CENTER — Donald J. Button, 89 of Clay Center, Kansas, died September 18, 2018. He was born March 11, 1929, in Great Bend, the son of Leo and Frieda (Gagelman) Button.

Don graduated from Great Bend High School in 1947 and Kansas State University in 1951. Don played basketball for K-State from 1947 to 1949. He married Marian Sears of Topeka, Kan., in 1950. They made their home in Plainville, Hays and Newton prior to moving to Clay Center in 1988.

Don was a lifetime member of the K-State Alumni Association and Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He was a member of the Clay County Arts Council, Clay County Hospital Foundation, Lions Club, and held several positions in the Clay Center United Methodist Church. Donald was a Clay Center councilman for 12 years and served on the Clay Center Public Utilities Commission for 18 years. He was a veteran of the United States Coast Guard.

He had a lifelong interest in K-State Athletics and for years coached his son’s baseball and basketball youth teams. He was a retired general manager of Skinner Motors and spent some 43 years in the automobile business.  He is preceded in death by his parents, and wife Marian. 

Survivors include a daughter Amy Button Renz and husband Allen of Manhattan, Kan.; two sons, Daniel Button and wife Cheryl of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., and John Button and wife Heather of Jackson, Tenn.; three grandchildren, Charles Renz and wife Sandi of Salina, Kan., Deambra Renz of Overland Park, Kan., and Ashley Gaskins and husband Greg of Overland Park, Kan.; five great-grandchildren, Lucas and Parker Renz of Salina, Kan., and Gregory, Gabriella and Margaret Gaskins of Overland Park, Kan.; and one sister, Elizabeth Gallie of Durham, N.C.  

Memorial services will be held at the United Methodist Church of Clay Center on Monday September 24, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be held from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, September 23 at the funeral home. 

Mr. Button was cremated, and inurnment will be private.  

The family requests no flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to the Don and Marian Button Scholarship at Kansas State University in care of the funeral home. 

Online condolences may be made at http://www.nsrfh.com/.

Funeral arrangements provided by

Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home

918 7th St.

Clay Center, KS 67432

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Sept. 23, 2018