Dorothy Beck-Butterworth-Rediger
Dorothy Mae Beck-Butterworth-Rediger, 85, Kansas City, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 25, 2000, at the Living Care Center of Grandview. She was born April 1, 1915, in Kansas City, Kan. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Gay Osburn-Crossfield. Survivors include a grandson, Robert A. Osburn, Fort Irwin, Calif.; a granddaughter, Sabrina Crossfield, Kansas City, Mo.; and two great-grandchildren. The visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the Cedar Crest Memorial Chapel, DeSoto. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the chapel, with a graveside service immediately following at the DeSoto Cemetery, DeSoto.

Marcus Beckler
Marcus L. Beckler, 80, Olathe, died Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2000, at the Good Samaritan Center. He was born July 23, 1920, in Chicago, the son of Marcus and Helen Beckler. He married Jodie Allen on May 25, 1946, in Chicago. He served in the Army during World War II, with the 326th Glider Infantry as a rifleman. He was a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, and was an assistant minister for the Lockwood Bible Church in Chicago. He worked for the Charles Brunning Co., which was later purchased by Addressograph, for 25 years. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Charles and Donald Beckler. Survivors include Jodie, his wife of 54 years; one daughter, Diane Panegasser and husband, Joe; two sons, Charles Beckler and wife, Linda; and Jeffery Beckler and wife Teresa; five grandsons and one granddaughter; and three great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Olathe Bible Church. Burial will be at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. The visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, Overland Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the Good Samaritan Center, 20705 W. 151st St. Olathe, KS 66061 or Olathe Bible Church, 13700 W. 151st St. Olathe, KS 66062.

Joshua Beers
Joshua Michael Beers, 10 day-old-son of Jackie and Wendy Beers of Olathe, died Monday, March 26, 2001, at Children's Mercy Hospital. Memorial Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 143rd and Black Bob Road. In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to: Joshua Beers Memorial Fund c/o Word of Faith World Outreach Center, 20145 W. 119th St., Olathe, KS 66061. He was born March 16 in Olathe. He is survived by a brother: Samuel Beers of the home; paternal grandfather: John Beers, Lawrence; paternal grandmother: Vicki Fugett of Lawrence; maternal grandfather: Fred Hunter of Tallahassee, Fla.; maternal grandmother: Gloria Hunter, of Topeka; maternal great-grandmothers: Virginia Hunter of Dothan, Ala.; and Florence Freeman of Topeka.

Betty Beets
Betty Maxine Beets, 63, died Saturday, April 14, 2001, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center in Spring Hill. She was born Feb. 21, 1938, in Hillsdale. She was a lifelong area resident of Spring Hill and Hillsdale. Since 1992, she was a resident at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center. She has also lived with her mother in Olathe. Preceding her in death was her father, Max V. Beets Sr. Survivors include her mother, Julia Elizabeth Coburn Beets, of Olathe, and her brother, Max Vernon Beets Jr., Grandview, Mo. Funeral services will be 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, at Hillsdale Presbyterian Church in Hillsdale. Burial will be at the Hillsdale Cemetery. Visitation will be at 10:30 a.m. before the service at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center, Spring Hill, in care of Bruce Funeral Home, P.O. Box 7, Spring Hill, KS 66083.

James Bell
James L. Bell, 65, died Thursday, July 20, 2000, at home, after a battle with lung cancer. He was born Nov. 7, 1934, in Tunnel Hill, Ill. He spent 40 years as a manager and salesman in the cookware business. Survivors include his wife, Judy, of 44 years; three adult sons; three adult daughters; three brothers; a sister; and 18 grandchildren. A private service will be held. At his request, his body will be donated to the University of Health Science, College of Osteopathic Medicine, for education and research. The family will plant a tree in his memory at Shawnee Mission Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Kansas City Hospice.

Judith Bell
Judith Sue Bell, 59, died Sunday, Nov. 26, 2000, at the Olathe Medical Center. She was born Dec. 3, 1940, in Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Lawrence and Frances (Huffman) Whited. She was a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area. She was a member of the Marlborough Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo. She graduated from Center High School in 1958 and was baptized at the First Baptist Church, Pleasant Hill, Mo. Survivors include four sons, Billy Rhodes and Mike Bell, both of Olathe, Mitch Godsey, Kennard, Neb., and Danny Godsey, Omaha, Neb.; a daughter, Sandra Tribble, Gardner; her parents, Lawrence and Frances Whited, Grandview, Mo.; two brothers, Larry Whited, Peculiar, Mo., and Russell Whited, Freeman, Mo.; a sister, Dorothy Sipes, Pleasant Hill, Mo.; and 15 grandchildren. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, at the W.L. Frye and Son Funeral Home, Olathe. Friends may call from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo.

Jessie Benton
PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS Jessie Hodges Benton, 94, died at Brighton Gardens, Prairie Village, Kan., where she had recently moved from her home in Kansas City, Mo. She was born Jan. 4, 1906, in Olathe to Jessie McKoin Hodges and Frank Hodges. Although she was reared in Olathe, much of her education was attained elsewhere. She graduated from Barstow School, Kansas City, Mo.; attended Bradford Junior College in Bradford, Mass.; the University of Missouri in Columbia; and graduated from Wellesley College in Wellesley, Mass. While at M.U. she became a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Memberships included the Junior League of Kansas City, Mo.; Kappa Kappa Gamma; Wellesley Club; Knickerbocker Investment Club; Carriage Club; Friends of Casa Guidi, Florence, Italy; National Historic Preservation Society; and Kansas Historical Society. Jessie was a member of the State of Kansas Motion Picture Censor Board in the 1930's. She was a supporter of the Kansas City Symphony Foundation, she also was a supporter of the Nelson Gallery and its programs. She was preceded in death by her husband, J. William Benton and her only sibling, Frank Hodges, Jr. She is survived by her niece, Frances Hodges Robertson, Mission Hills; her grand-nieces Carolyn Robertson Langdon, Prairie Village and Sally Robertson Skillen, Pittsburgh, Pa.. Visitation will be at 3 p.m. Aug. 29 at the First Presbyterian Church, Lee and Hershey streets in Olathe. Services will follow at the church at 3:30 p.m. Burial will be in the Olathe Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church, where she was a lifelong member.

Les Bergquist
Les Alex Bergquist, 31, Olathe, died Saturday, Feb. 5, at his home. He was born to Gene and Joan Bergquist Oct. 3, 1968, in Houghton, Mich. He was a lifelong resident of Olathe and had managed The Pizza Maker in Lenexa since 1986. Survivors include a son, Zachary, of the home; his father and stepmother, Darlene, both of the Lake of the Ozarks; his mother, Olathe; and three sisters, Roxanne Bragaw, Olathe, Jeanne Dykmann, Lenexa, and Vicki Leiker, Olathe. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, at W.L. Frye and Son Funeral Home in Olathe. Burial will be at Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens in Olathe. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to a trust fund in care of Kent Donley at Edward Jones Investments in Olathe for Bergquist's son, Zachary.

Renee Berry
Renee Lynn Kuder Berry, 37, Olathe, died Saturday, Jan. 22, at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Merriam. She was formerly of Osawatomie. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25. Funeral services will be held at 10 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 26, at the Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, Osawatomie. Burial will follow at the Osawatomie Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home. A trust fund has been established for her son, Michael, 8, with Edward Jones Co., Paola, Kan.

Rodney Best
Rodney Eugene Best, 46, Olathe, died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at Olathe Medical Center. He was born May 31, 1953, in Pontiac, Mich., and had lived in the Kansas City area since 1980. He was a member of the College Church of the Nazarene. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn K. Best, and a son, Cooper J. Best, both of the home; a sister, Joetta K. Shipley, San Diego, Calif.; and an aunt, Sandra Paisley, Edmond, Okla. Visitation will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Satuday, Jan. 15, at College Church of the Nazarene, Olathe; the funeral will immediately follow at 11:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will be at Green Lawn Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Rod Best Memorial Fund, set up to benefit his son, Cooper, by Fairview Elementary School. Contributions may be sent to the fund in care of Credit Union of Johnson County, 13001 W. 95th St., Lenexa, Kan. 66215. Arrangements are by Park Lawn Funeral Home, Kansas City, Mo.

Jacob Biezuns
Jacob Biezuns, 87, Olathe, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2001, at Olathe Medical Center because of complications of congestive heart failure. He was born Oct. 4, 1913, in Belarus, the son of Nicodemus and Uldekae Biezuns. He married Amelia Trapik on June 19, 1943, in Latvia. He lived on a farm in Liberty Township and lived in near Cleghorn, Iowa, for 43 years. He moved to Olathe five years ago to live with his daughter and family. He worked for LaVerne Shafer and the farms in the Cleghorn area, retiring in 1976. He enjoyed working in the garden with his wife. He was a member of the Oakdale Evangelical Free Church and had served as a trustee. He enjoyed family life and watching sporting events in which his children and grandchildren participated. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Amelia on Jan. 22, 1996, one brother and one sister. Survivors include two sons, John Biezuns of Minneapolis, Minn., and Jerry Biezuns of Remsen, Iowa; one daughter, Nena Buckley and her husband Winton of Olathe; and 10 grandchildren. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa, with the family present from 6:30 to 8 p.m. A family prayer service will be at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the Oakdale Evangelical Free Church in rural Meriden, Iowa. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. He will be buried at Liberty Township Cemetery in rural Meriden.

Betty Billings
Betty L. Billings, 80, Olathe, died Tuesday, March 6, 2001, at the Overland Park Regional Medical Center. She was born May 29, 1920, in Ocheltree, Kan., living in Olathe most of her life. She would be best remembered as the manager for the Earl Collier Post #153 of the American Legion and the Am-Vets in Olathe. She was preceded in death by her brother, Robert Clayton Cunningham. She is survived by a daughter, Brenda Skaggs, Olathe; two grandchildren and eight nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 143rd and Blackbob Road, 768-6777. The family requests contributions be made to Meals on Wheels, c/o Johnson County Nutrition Program, 11875 S. Sunset, Olathe, KS. 66061.

Helen Bilyeu
Helen Mae Bilyeu, 90, Lee's Summit, Mo., died Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2000, at the John Knox Village Care Center. She was born June 13, 1910, in Springfield, Mo., and had lived in the Kansas City area since 1926. She had been a seamstress for 40 years and had worked for Nellie Don Garment Co., Smith and Co. and at the Olathe Naval Air Station, retiring in 1970. She was a member of the First Christian Church, Warsaw, Mo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence, and her daughter, Linda. Survivors include a son, Ray Bilyeu and his wife, Christina, Olathe; two brothers, Robert Saunders and Henry Saunders, both of Junction City; a sister, Marie George, Baldwin; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, at the Porter Funeral Home, Lenexa. Graveside services will be noon Thursday at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Kansas City, Kan. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Permanent Youth Scholarship Fund at First Christian Church, Olathe.

Jane Birmingham
Jane Sparks Birmingham, 46, Spring Hill, died Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000, at Bethany Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan. She was born June 16, 1953, in Leavenworth, the daughter of Charles David Watkins and Jenny Sue Sparks Watkins. She graduated from Leavenworth High School. She attended the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, and graduated from the Business School of Brown Mackie College of Kansas City. She married Charles L. Birmingham Dec. 4, 1976, in Leavenworth. The couple had lived in Spring Hill for the past 12 years. She did clerical work for Paramedical Services of America, Overland Park. She was a member of the United Methodist Church, Spring Hill. She was an avid horse rider and rode in the American Royal competitions. Survivors include her husband, Charles, of the home; two daughters, Megan Kathleen Birmingham, Emporia, and Sarah Jane Birmingham, Spring Hill; two sisters, Phoebe Ann Danielson, Windemere, Fla., and Mary Susan McVea, San Antonio, Texas; and a brother, Charles David Watkins, St. Louis, Mo. Visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today at Bruce Funeral Home, Spring Hill. The funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at the United Methodist Church, Spring Hill. Burial will be at Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery, Leavenworth. Memorial contributions may be made to City Union Mission, Kansas City, Mo.

Robert Blachly Sr.
Robert M. Blachly Sr., 83, Olathe, died Saturday, Feb. 17, 2001, at the Good Samaritan Home in Olathe. He was born Aug. 8, 1917, in Glen Elder, Kan., the son of Robert and Margaret McKay Blachly. He grew up in the Glen Elder area and graduated from Abilene High School in 1935. He married Blanch H. Hochman on Sept. 17, 1944, in Abilene. They had four children, Robert, Richard, Roger and Ramon. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Minneapolis, Kan., where they lived until 1948 before moving to Abilene,. During that time, he worked as a car salesman for several different car lots. In 1966, he began work with the state revenue office in Topeka where he continued to work until his retirement in 1979. In 1980, he and his wife moved to Paola. After the death of his wife in 1993 , he moved to Lenexa for a brief time before moving to Olathe to the Good Samaritan Home. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Paola where he was a past elder. He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club in Abilene. He enjoyed restoring old cars and spending time with his family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife on April 15, 1993. Survivors include his children, Robert Blachly and his wife Barbara, of Paola; Richard Blachly and his wife Cynthia of Olathe; Roger Blachly, Eudora, and Ramon Blachly and his wife Janet of Olathe; and eight grandchildren. Funeral services will be 2:30 p.m. today at the First Presbyterian Church, Paola. Burial will be in the Paola Cemetery. Friends may call 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. today prior to the services at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Paola First Presbyterian Church in care of Wilson and Son Funeral Home, 305 North Pearl St., Paola, KS 66071.

Mary Blackwell
Mary Blackwell, 58, Olathe, died Thursday, May 17, 2001, at Olathe Medical Center. She was born, May 10, 1943, in Kansas City, Mo., to Joseph and Mary (Griefe) Cassidy. She was a medical receptionist at Olathe Medical Center. Survivors include her husband, David Blackwell of the home; three sons, Lloyd Van Houtan and his wife, Lori, Pomona, Kan., Jim Van Houtan and his wife, Robin, and Allan Van Houtan and his wife, Diane, all of Olathe; three step-daughters, Cheryl McGrew and her husband, Bryan, Overland Park, Cathy Blackwell and her husband, Luke, Mission, and Lisa Goode and her husband, Chris, Olathe; two sisters, Joanne Walahoski, Overland Park, and Carolyn Broussard, Skiatook, Okla.; a brother, James Cassidy, Kansas City, Mo.; and eleven grandchildren. The visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Amos Family Chapel of Lenexa, where the Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Olathe. Burial will be in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the St. Paul's Catholic Church, 900 S. Honeysuckle, Olathe, KS 66061.

Roberta Blair
Roberta E. Blair, 81, Overland Park, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 1999, at Olathe Medical Center. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, at McDonald Funeral Home, Beloit, Kan. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery, Beloit. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. McGilley and Hoge Chapel, Overland Park, is in charge of local funeral arrangements.

Eloise Blake
Eloise "Lois" Blake, 95, formerly of Olathe, died Monday, July 17, 2000, at Trinity Manor Nursing Home, Dodge City. She was born Oct. 15, 1904, in Centerview, Mo., the daughter of Edwin C. Hill and Margaret Irene (Roberts) Hill. She had lived in Olathe for nearly 70 years until moving in 1995 to Dodge City to be with her son. She graduated from Holden, Mo. High School in 1923. She taught at Houx Rural Grade School in Centerview from 1923 to 1926 when she moved to Olathe. She operated a catering service from her Olathe home for many years. She was well known for her baking and cooking talents. In 1960, she was judged grand champion of the National Grange Baking Contest in Winston-Salem, N.C. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Olathe (now Grace United Methodist Church) for more than 60 years, Church Circle, Bonita Hummers and was active in the Grange. She married Lawrence Blake on May 26, 1926, in Kansas City, Mo. He died Oct. 10, 1993. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Edward Allen Hill and an infant sibling. Survivors include her son, Larry Blake, Dodge City; two sisters, Alberta Stangel, Finley Park, Ill., and Elizabeth Wissman, Warrensburg, Mo.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Graveside service will be 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens, Olathe. Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Thursday, July 20, at Grace United Methodist Church, 11485 Ridgeview Rd. The family suggests memorial contributions to The Trinity Association, Dodge City, or Grace United Methodist Church, Olathe. Bruce Funeral Home of Gardner is in charge of arrangements.

Cliffie Bloemker
Cliffie Deane Bloemker, 85, died Feb. 27, 2001 at Meadowbrook Rehab Hospital. She was born Dec. 8, 1914 in Ulman, Mo. and moved to Overland Park two years ago to be near her daughter. She was a homemaker. She graduated from Eldon, Mo., High School. On Nov. 23, 1947 she married James Payton Bloemker in Springfield, Mo. He died in 1970. She was preceded in death by her parents John Martin Thompson and Emma Jane Wall Thompson, and brother Corwin Thompson. She is survived by son J. Mark Bloemker, New Orleans, La; daughter, Terry Vaughn, Overland Park, brother, John Thompson Jr., Melbourne, Fla., sisters, Flo Collier, Round Rock, Texas; Carol Chinn, Altamonte Springs, Fla. Graveside services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Eldon Cemetery, Eldon, Mo. Arrangements by Bruce Funeral Home, 106 S. Center, Gardner.

Hazel Blum
Hazel V. Blum, 89, Riverton, Wy., died Tuesday, Dec 5, 2000, at Wind River Healthcare in Riverton. She was born Aug. 20, 1911, in St. Joseph, Mo., the daughter of Robert Larkin Rucker and Vetura Esther (Wilson) Rucker. She married Henry Edward Blum Sept. 2, 1933, in St. Joseph. She was a member of the First Methodist Church in St. Joseph where she was enrolled on the Cradle Roll. In Riverton, she attended the United Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and two sisters. She is survived by her daughters, Brenda Masters of Riverton, and Janice Crumly of Lenexa, two grandchildren; four great-grandsons, and one great-granddaughter. Visitation is Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Meirhoffer Funeral Home in St. Joseph. Graveside services are 10 a.m. Saturday, at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph.

Glenn Blume
Glenn H. Blume, 74, Olathe, died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at his home. He was a lifelong resident of Johnson County. He was born March 18, 1926, in Lenexa, the son of John H. and Ora A. (Floray) Blume. He attended Bucyrus High School. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1946 and was stationed in Japan. He married the former Bernadette Rosner in 1952. He farmed in Spring Hill. He later worked at the Olathe Block Company for 40 years, retiring in 1991. He was a recent member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Olathe. He was preceded in death by a brother, Kenny Blume. Survivors include his wife, Bernadette Blume, of the home; two sons, Douglas Blume, Olathe, and Philip Blume, Topeka; a daughter, Glenda Aguilar, Olathe; six brothers, Howard Blume, Clarinda, Iowa, Orville Blume, St. Joseph, Mo., John and Don Blume, both of Lenexa, Raymond Blume, Garden Grove, Calif., and Paul Blume, Spring Hill; three sisters, Letha Otte, Clarinda, Iowa, Eleanor Beene, Osawatomie, and Ann Jean, Sun City, Calif.; and five grandchildren. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today, with the rosary at 7 p.m., at the W.L. Frye and Son Funeral Home, Olathe. The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Olathe. Entombment will be at the Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Olathe Medical Center or to St. Paul's Catholic Church.