Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Henry A. Martens
1932-2004
Leavenworth
Henry A. Martens, owner of Martens Chevrolet-Cadillac in Leavenworth, died at his home in Leavenworth on Friday, Dec. 17, 2004. He was 72.
Mr. Martens was born Sept. 18, 1932 to Henry and Mary Martens in Shawnee. He attended Shawnee schools and then served in the U.S. Coast guard. He married Shirley L. Pfeifer on Dec. 1, 1951, in Olathe.
He started his career as a Manor Bread route salesman. His bread route included the local Chevrolet dealer who was so impressed with his selling skills that he recruited him to sell cars. After just a few years of selling, he became a partner of Beck-Dennis Chevrolet in Olathe. Four years later he accepted a sales manager position with Guy Pine Chrysler-Plymouth in Mission. He left his job a few years later and was sought out by Chrysler Corp. to open his own auto dealership.
He moved to Leavenworth in 1963 when he and his wife purchased the Chrysler-Plymouth franchise. He owned this store for more than 30 years. His hard work and love of the automobile business allowed him to expand.
At one point he owned and operated five automobile dealerships with his five sons in Leavenworth, Platte City, Mo., Lee's Summit, Mo., and Warsaw, Mo. He and his wife, Shirley, own the Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership in Leavenworth.
He was a charter member of the Olathe Lions Club and a member of the Leavenworth Elks, the American Legion and AUSA. He was also a lifetime member of the Belgian-American Club of Greater Kansas City and sponsored many of the military officers from Belgium who attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth.
His many accomplishments included growing and harvesting grapes and producing wine for all of his friends and family. He also was a pilot for many years.
Proud of his Belgian heritage, he made two trips to Belgium to visit his mother's birthplace and to visit the many friends he made through the Fort Leavenworth sponsorship program.
He had a lifelong passion for being outdoors and for working his land with his farm equipment. He enjoyed cutting firewood and even more relaxing at home in front of a fire on a chilly day. A good day for him was mowing his acreage, planting trees and shrubs and making something more beautiful than it was before he started.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Shirley; five sons and daughters-in-law, Tom and Sylvia Martens, Leavenworth; Dale and Ann Martens, Lee's Summit, Mo.; Tony and Gretchen Martens, Platte City, Mo.; Hank Martens, Joplin, Mo.; and Jeff and Melanie Martens, Leavenworth; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation and a Rosary were held Tuesday at the Davis Funeral Home, 531 Shawnee, Leavenworth. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, Leavenworth, conducted by the Rev. David McEvoy. Burial will be in the Johnson County Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 11200 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, Leavenworth.
Patsy Colene Shipman
1928-2004
Schell City, Mo.
Patsy Colene Shipman, 76, Schell City, Mo., a former Basehor resident, died Thursday, Dec. 9, 2004, at her home.
She was born January 10, 1928, in Faucett, Mo., the daughter of George and Nora (Wilkinson) Richardson. In the mid 1940s she married Max Shipman. For a time the family lived in Kansas City, Mo., before moving to a small farm in Basehor. Max worked while Patsy cared for the children and enjoyed her gardening. After the children were raised and the Shipmans were nearing retirement, they moved to Schell City to a smaller, quieter area.
Survivors include two sons, Gary Shipman, Schell City; and Leroy Shipman and his wife, LaDonna, Tonganoxie; two daughters, Judy Vaughn and her husband, John, Richland, Wash.; and Pamela Carpenter and her husband, Duane, Walker, Mo.; a sister, Jane Bowling, Eugene, Ore.; six grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; nine brothers and sisters; an infant daughter, Joyce; her son, Michael; and her husband, Max, who died Oct. 16, 1997.
Funeral services were held Saturday at the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home in Schell City, Mo. with Brother Robert Bruce officiating. Musical selections were "Nearer My God to Thee" and "Go Rest High on that Mountain." Pallbearers were Tim Vaughn, Michael Shipman, Melissa McClue, Jayme Shipman, Leroy Shipman, Gary Shipman, Cathy Shipman, and Debbie Ferguson. Interment was in the Green Lawn Cemetery west of Schell City under the direction of the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home in Schell City, Mo.
Helen M. Kenney
1929-2004
Bonner Springs
Helen M. Kenney, 75, Bonner Springs, died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004, at her home. Funeral services were Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, 701 North 94th St., Kansas City, Kan. Burial followed in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Kansas City, Kan. Visitation and rosary were Friday at the funeral home.
The family requests contributions to Cancer Action or Kansas City Hospice.
Mrs. Kenney was born Jan. 1, 1929, in Hiawatha, Kan., to Ellis Applegate and Gladys Larkins Applegate. She lived in Horton, Kan., before moving to the Kansas City area in 1938. She was an admitting clerk for St. Margaret's Hospital, and then for Providence-St. Margaret's after the institutions merged, until she retired. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and a member of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Basehor.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert L. Kenny, in 1985. Survivors include three sons, Robert L. Kenney, Jr. and his wife, Lorraine, of Massapequa, N.Y.; Timothy J. Kenney of Basehor; and Jeffry A. Kenney and his wife, Kimberly, of the home; four grandchildren, Shannon L. Kenney of Lawrence; Daniel R. Kenney of Massapequa; Morgan A. Kenney of the home, and Sara A. Hoffman of Tonganoxie; and a sister, Deborah K. Hoffman of Tonganoxie. Arrangements by Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, (913) 334-3366.
Lovey May Gumm
1911-2004
Bonner Springs
Lovey May Gumm, 93, Bonner Springs, died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004, at the Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. Funeral services were held Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004, at the Alden-Harrington Funeral Home with burial following in the Edwardsville Cemetery. Visitation was held prior to the funeral. The family has asked that memorial contributions be in her name to the Alden-Harrington Funeral Home to help the family with funeral expenses.
Mrs. Gumm was born May 18, 1911. in Fortney Mills, W. Va. She married John Gumm on Jan. 25, 1930, in Princeton, Ill. She was the last active charter member of the Mission Creek Baptist Church in Edwardsville, where she was a Sunday and Vacation Bible School teacher for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Gumm, on Dec. 8, 1982; an infant son, Harley Eugene Gumm, in 1932 and a son, Jack Gumm, in 1995.
Survivors include one son, George Gumm Sr. of Kansas City, Kan.; nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
