Rachel Louise Dryer, 97, passed away at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City on April 7, following a brief illness. She was born on Aug. 23, 1916, in Madison, to William Aaron and Carmen Grace (Focht) Boles. Louise grew up in Madison and Emporia, attending Emporia State University. There she met Cecil Ray Dryer whom she married on May 23, 1936, in Cottonwood Falls. Their son, William Laurence Dryer, was born on June 15, 1937. Both preceded her in death; Cecil on April 1, 1989, and William on Oct. 24, 2011.   
After living in several locations during World War II, Cecil and Louise settled permanently in Great Bend in 1951, having moved most recently from Leoti. Louise was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Great Bend. She also spent many years as a teller at Security State Bank in Great Bend.   
Louise had a great love of family and of history. Although she enjoyed reading historical books and novels, and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, her true passion was genealogy, which combined the two things she loved the most. Louise enjoyed the relationships she built with family members all around the country even more than she reveled in tracking down a new piece of information about family history. She was also an avid gardener and crocheted, always happily passing her tremendous knowledge and skills in these areas along to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And, as anyone who was fortunate enough to eat a meal with the Dryers knows, Louise was an extraordinary cook. Her warmth, strength, love and support will be greatly missed by her surviving family.  
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Marilyn Dryer, of Scott City; two granddaughters, Amy Overton and her husband Doug of DeKalb, Ill., and Brenda Chelvan and her husband Chris of Salina; four great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Emily Overton, and Joshua and Katie Chelvan; nephews, David Boles and his wife Ann of Madison, and Dan Dryer and Susan Pomeroy of Leawood; nieces Martha Guarnaschelli and her husband John of Louisville, Ky., and Debby Edelen and her husband Glen of Versailles, Ky.; cousin Eugene Caylor and his wife Karen of Shawnee; and special friends Dennis and Gloria Arnberger of Great Bend.  
Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the First Presbyterian Church in Great Bend with the Rev. Scott V. Solether officiating.  Burial will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church or the William L. Dryer Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of the 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, April 11, 2014