HAYS — Harry E. Dechant, 89, died March 19, 2017, at the Good Samaritan Home in Ellis.
Born Emanuel Henry on Aug. 10, 1927, in Antonino, he was the son of Cornel and Ursula (Legleiter) Dechant. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1946, he married Berniece Munsch of Schoenchen on Sept. 6, 1946, with whom he had 10 children. He was a former wheat farmer, trucking company owner (Harry Dechant & Sons) and truck driver for Allied Inc., where he worked for more than 25 years.
Mr. Dechant was a 4th degree knight with the Knights of Columbus and a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays.
Survivors include three sons, Ronald (Roxie), Dodge City; Kerry (Karen), Aurora, Ohio; and Troy, Shawnee; six daughters, Geri Hamilton, El Dorado; Sandy Pennington (Dane), Superior, Colo.; Michelle Pinkall (Gary), Great Bend; Brenda Dechant (Becky Benoit), Phoenix, Ariz.; Carla Dechant (Juan Carlos Tobar), Santiago de Compostela, Spain; and Kristal Dechant, Victoria; a brother, Virgil Dechant (Ann), Leawood; two sisters, Peggy Norris, Russell and Rosie Giesick, Wakeeney; 15 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife; an infant son, Cornelius; his parents; three brothers, Emerald, LaVerne and Donnie; and five sisters, Bernice Schaffer, Annie Meder, Delores Dechant, Carol Werth and Jeanette Misegadis.
Services are scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 25, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Burial with military honors by the Hays Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 9076 Honor Guard will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and Saturday from 9 a.m. until service time at the church.
A rosary begins at 5:30 p.m. and a combined vigil/eulogy at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Hays Memorial Chapel. Memorials are suggested in his name to the Pontifical College Josephinum or to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in care of the funeral home. Condolences can be left by guestbook at www.haysmemorial.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Hays Memorial Chapel*
1906 Pine St.
Hays, KS 67601
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 22, 2017