Leona Gertrude Karst, 92, died Sept. 6 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born Oct. 6, 1920, in Hodgeman County, the daughter of Henry and Bertha (Bitter) Niedens. She married Alvin Maier March 16, 1941 in Susank. He died in November 1945. She then married Constantine Karst April 8, 1947, at Milberger. He passed away Dec. 2, 1984. A homemaker, Mrs. Karst was a Great Bend resident since 2001, coming from Hoisington, and previously from the farm near Hoisington.
Leona was a member of the United Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Milberger.
Survivors include two daughters, Darlene Goscha and husband Ron of Carbondale, Colo., and Deanna Davis and husband Danny of Phoenix, Ariz.; two sisters, Viola Dumler of Russell, and Lola Wilks of Wichita; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Duane Karst; and by three brothers, Otto Niedens, Marvin Niedens and Albert Niedens.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at United Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Milberger. Prayer service will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home with officiant Nancy Mitchell, Interim. Interment will be at Milberger Cemetery in Milberger. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home; Memorials are suggested to Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice or Milberger Cemetery 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; P.O. Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Sept. 8, 2013