HOISINGTON — Junior Lee Deutsch, 89, died Monday April 25, 2022, at Country Place Senior Living, Hoisington, Kan. He was born Nov. 18, 1932, at Susank, Kan., the son of Fred and Emelia (Bitter) Deutsch. Junior was a graduate of Hoisington High School. He grew up in the St. John Lutheran Church at Susank and later was a member of the Concordia Lutheran Church, Hoisington. He served is the U.S. Army in 1954-56 during the Korean Conflict as a carpenter and was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. Junior attended the Kansas School of Barbering in Wichita and then became a barber on Main Street Hoisington during the ‘60s. He then became a brakeman and later an engineer with Missouri Pacific/Union Pacific Railroad from 1966 until March 1991 when a serious train accident allowed him to retire from the railroad after 25 years of service. He so enjoyed working with all his railroad buddies and talked of them frequently. Junior was a member of the American Legion Post #286 and the V.F.W. of Hoisington.
Junior’s hobbies included fishing trips to Lake Wilson with his best buddies and many hunting trips with relatives and friends. He also was a skilled handyman and could fix everything. He enjoyed time at KSU events especially attending football games and tailgates with friends and family.
On April 25, 1954, he married Wilmetta Katie Mai at Bender Hill Church in Milberger, Kan. Junior passed away on Monday, their 68th wedding anniversary. Wilmetta survives at Country Place Senior Living in Hoisington. Other survivors include their children and spouses, Johnny Deutsch and Carma of Topeka, and Kimberly Emert and John of Mission; four grandchildren Sara Jones (Chris), Ryan Deutsch (Holly), Frank Emert (Anne) and Molly Campbell (Michael); six great-grandchildren Camden and Julia Jones, McKenna, Kaia and Mila Deutsch, and Claire Ferne Campbell.
Junior was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Armin, Raymond, Paul, Leland, Dean, Edwin, Edward and Robert; sisters, Helena Mai, Theresa Dumler, Irene Bitter and Wilma Miller.
Friends may sign the book 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home. There will be no viewing as cremation has taken place per Junior’s wishes. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 28, 2022, at Concordia Lutheran Church, Hoisington with Pastor Gary Wolf presiding. Family will greet friends prior to service starting at 10 a.m. at the church. Inurnment will follow the service in Hoisington Cemetery with military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church, Clara Barton Hospital Foundation or Kindred Hospice all in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544. Notices may viewed and condolences sent at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home
PO Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, April 27, 2022
