James Bennett “J. B.” Webster, 87, died Feb. 1, 2016, at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center.  Born Oct. 10, 1928 at Dexter, N.M., he was the son of Wilson Harris  Minnie Louise (Miller) Webster.
He began his teaching career at Minneola, where he met and married Ivy Mae Salmans Aug. 6, 1950 at Minneola.  He was a United States Army veteran serving during the Korean Conflict with the 10th Division Army Band at Fort Riley. Following discharge from the Army in 1953, he was band director at St. John and Hays schools, and then became instrumental music instructor and golf coach at Barton Community College in 1969. Following his retirement in 1991, he enjoyed delivering vehicles for Marmies.
Mr. Webster was a member of First United Methodist Church and church choir, Lake Barton Golf Club, BCC Prairie Winds Concert Band and Jazz Band, BCC Pit Orchestra, BCC Booster Club, Olde Tyme Towne Band, Dixieland All Stars Band, Great Bend City Band, Great Bend Jazz Festival Committee, all of Great Bend; Kansas Music Educators Association, where he served as past district secretary, district vice president and president, a 65-year member of Music Educators National Conference, charter member and past president of Kansas Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu National Bandmasters Fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda National Honorary Music Fraternity, University of Kansas Alumni Band, Kansas Czech Band at Wilson, Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity, former Golden Belt Community Concert Association board member, Tau Kappa Epsilon Social Fraternity, former member of National Junior College Coaches Association, and past chairman of the Barton Community College Board of Trustees. In 1987, he was named Outstanding Bandmaster by the Kansas Bandmasters Association. He was inducted into the Barton Community College Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He enjoyed playing trombone in the Ted Smith, Jay Leonard and Eddie Basgall bands, the Barton County Kix Band, The Flatland Big Band, The River Bend Five Dixieland Band, the BCC Prairie Winds Bands and Great Bend City Band and leading his own Jay Bennett Band and Little Big Band.
Survivors include his wife, Ivy Webster, of the home; one son: Marc Webster and his wife Diana of Great Bend; one daughter: Denise Shoff and her husband Dennis of Herington; five grandchildren, Alaina Webster-Stoppel and her husband Jon, Christa Morrison and her husband Grady, Erica Webster, D. R. Shoff and Jennifer Fowler and her husband Charlie; and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 at First United Methodist Church in Great Bend, with the Reverend Lennie Maxwell officiating. Burial with military rites by Fort Riley Honor Guard will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to BCC Foundation Vocal and Instrumental Music Endowment, in care of Bryant 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
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 2, 2016