Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
James Rooney
James C. Rooney, 75, of Clearwater, father of Don Rooney of Valley Center, died Nov. 15, 2001. He was a retired Boeing Wichita sheetmetal mechanic. Service is at 10 a.m. Nov. 21 at Lakeview Funeral Home, Wichita.
He was preceded in death by his sons, Ronnie, Timothy Rooney; daughter, Linda Rooney; brother, Henry Leon Rooney, and sisters, Ora and Zora Rooney.
Other survivors include his wife, Alice; sons and daughters-in-law, James H. of Wichita, Steve and Norma of Clearwater, Keith and Sheri of Augusta, Dan of Haysville; daughter and son-in-law, Marie and Mike Cooper of Wichita; sister, Lora Glover of Guy, Ark.; 19 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
Memorials have been established with Shriners Children’s Hospitals and American Diabetes Association.
DIANNIA ROBINETT
Diannia L. Robinett, 61, of Valley Center, died April 14, 2006. Service was April 19 at All Faiths Funeral Services, Wichita.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Opal; sisters, Donna and Janice, and a daughter, Amanda.
Survivors include her father, Lester Walker of Wichita; sons, Wes Husky of Emmett, Idaho, Scott Grondahl of Nampa, Idaho; sisters, Linda McHone of Mulvane, Kay Curtis of Maize, Cindy Johnson of Rose Hill, Leanna Ehler of El Dorado; brothers, Bill Walker of Wichita, Leslie Walker of El Dorado, Mike Walker of Wichita, Gary Walker of Garfield Heights, Ohio; companion, Joe Pope of Clearwater; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
HARVEY PICKERING
Harvey Pickering 68, of Farmington, N.M., formerly of Valley Center, died April 15, 2006, after a brief illness. He was a retired machinist and machine shop manager. Service is at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday) at Baker Funeral Home Chapel, Valley Center.
He was born Sept. 10, 1937, in Baxter Springs, the son of Willis A. and Beatrice M. Sansocie Pickering. He lived and worked in Kansas most of his life. He and his wife moved to Farmington, N.M., about three and a half years ago. He was a charter member of Fellowship Baptist Church of Baxter Springs. He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Felissa Gaye Pickering; brothers, Arthur and Earl Pickering; and sisters, C. Jo Anne Corder and Marian E. Brewer.
Survivors include his wife, Mary J.; stepsons, R. Shane Parker, Thomas Hershberger, both of Derby; Patrick Miller of Fountain, Colo.; stepdaughter, Kimberly Brueggeman of Farmington, N.M.; daughter, Cynthia Gail; sons, Wayne Morris of Theodore, Ala., Ray Pickering of Arkansas; brothers, Lloyd Pickering of Virginia, Alfred Pickering of Arkansas; sister, Helen Northrup of Florida; brother-in-law, Donald Corder of Baxter Springs; and grandchildren, Tyler and Makenzie Miller, Clay, Thomas and Adam Hershberger.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with the American Diabetes Associatioin, 837 S. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67211.
MARGARET TROUT
Margaret E. Trout, 90, of Wichita, mother and mother-in-law of Barbara L. and Robert Leewright of Valley Center, died April 14, 2006.
Service was April 19 at Grace United Methodist Church.
Other survivors include her husband, Maurice; son and daughter-in-law, William and Cynthia of Wichita; daughter and son-in-law, Beverly S. and Mark Burns of Woodinville, Wash.; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Lakeview Funeral Home.
MARY BROWN
Mary L. Brown, 68, of Wichita, mother of Teresa Arnold of Valley Center, died April 15, 2006. She was a retired IRS clerk. Service was April 18 at Cochran Mortuary, Wichita.
Other survivors include her son, Michael Brown of Islip, N.Y.; daughter, Valerie Black of Wichita; seven grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita 67202.
VINCENT KNOPP
Vincent Joseph Knopp, 86, of Bel Aire, died April 13, 2006. Service was April 18 at Sacred Heart Church, Selden.
Survivors include his sons, Frank, Tony, Steve, Tim, Carl; daughters, Barbara Mueller, Mary Hessenflow, Anita Doll, Agnes Ward; sister, Viola Lindeman; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Pauls Funeral Home, Oberlin, had charge.
LaNeeta Lowe
LaNeeta D. Lowe, 53, of Wichita, mother of Troy Lowe of Bel Aire, died Sept. 10, 2001. She was a homemaker. Service was Sept. 15 at Broadway Mortuary.
Other survivors include her husband, Floyd; sons, Shane, Mical, both of Wichita; daughters, April Calloway, Charity Lowe, Tammy Lowe, LeNora Lowe, all of Wichita; brothers, Joe Raybourn Jr., Michael Raybourn, both of Boise, Idaho; sisters, Pat Luce, Judy Wells, Linda Phares, all of Wichita, and 12 grandchildren.
Memorials have been established with First Bible Baptist Church and the LaNeeta D. Lowe Memorial Fund in care of Bank of America.
Leonard Lee Rickard
Leonard Lee Rickard, 72, of Milpitas, Calif., died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001.
He was born Feb. 8, 1929, to Perry and Estelle (Little) Rickard in Wichita. He was a graduate of Valley Center High School and the University of Colorado.
He was the treasurer of the International Mensa, and regional vice chairman for the western region of Mensa. He was instrumental in forming many Mensa groups in the United States.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Rosemary, and his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Susie Lester-Rickard of Milpitas, Calif.; three daughters, Sandra Wingert of Lakewood, Colo., Treva Flint of Englewood, Colo., Karen Hancock of Colorado Springs, and a son, Bradley Rickard of Palisade, Colo.; three sisters, Carol Allen of Victoria, Texas, Nina Leshley of Summerfield, Florida, Edith Black of Comstock, Texas; a brother, Charles Rickard of Burkburnett, Texas; four grandchildren, eight nieces and eight nephews.Paul Subera
Paul A. Subera, 74, of Caldwell, father of Sharyn Mayo of Valley Center, died Sept. 10, 2001. He was a retired farmer. Service was Sept. 13 at Caldwell United Methodist Church.
Other survivors include his wife, Dolores, and three grandchildren.
Memorials have been established with the church, Czechoslovakian cemetery and South Haven United Methodist Church. Elliott-Schaeffer Mortuary had charge.
Wilma Wilson
Wilma Jean Wilson, 71, mother of Darrell Larson of Valley Center, died Monday, Sept. 17, 2001. Service is at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) at Resthaven Mortuary.
Survivors include her husband, Gordon of Oberlin; son, Randy Larson of Wichita; four stepsons; a stepdaughter; brother, Wilburn Bone of Shawnee, Okla.; sister, Ruth Oller of Wichita; five grandchildren; 11 step-grandchildren, and six step-great-grandchildren.
Memorials have been established with Gideon’s International of Wichita, Oberlin; Assembly of God, and SCCS Home Health and Hospice, P.A., Derby.
James Porter
James A. Porter, 67, of Chanute, stepfather of Cindy Grube of Park City, died Sept. 8, 2001. He was a retired Kansas Department of Transportation employee. Memorial service was Sept. 12 at Johnson Mortuary.
Other survivors include his wife, Judy Travis Porter; sons, James, Joel, both of Yates Center, John of Derby; daughters, Jolene Shepard of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Jana Porter of Kansas City, Mo.; brother, Charles of Cedar Vale; sister, Reatha Hoke of Chanute; 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
A memorial has been established with Red Cross.
Mae Pannell
Mae Bell Pannell, 71, of El Dorado, mother of Elliott Pannell of Kechi, died Sept. 4, 2001. She was a retired Great Plains Charter and Wesley Medical Center director of environmental services. Service was Sept. 10 at Progressive Baptist Church.
Other survivors include her husband, A.W.; daughter, Estella Shaw of Augusta; brother, Levi Levels of Gary, Ind.; sisters, Willie Forbush of Kansas City, Mo., Ira Titchenor of Wichita; nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Jackson Mortuary, Wichita, had charge.
Bertha Bastow
Bertha Irene Bastow, 90, of Wichita, aunt of Connie Bader of Valley Center, died Aug. 28, 2001. She was a homemaker. Private family service was held.
Other survivors include a niece, Marlene Moore of Wichita.
Broadway Mortuary had charge.
Charles Shepler
Charles Harold Shepler, 91, of Peabody, father of Joyce DuBois of Valley Center, died Sept. 6, 2001. He was a retired Santa Fe Railway extra gang foreman. Service was Sept. 8 at Prairie Lawn cemetery, Peabody.
Other survivors include his son, Wesley of Newton; daughters, Patsy Guthrie of Orlando, Fla., Virginia Guthrie of Houston; sister, Ruth Burkholder of Peabody; 11 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Carl Rieger
Carl E. Rieger, 88, father and father-in-law of Mary Lou and Leon Compton of Valley Center, died Sept. 2, 2001 in McCook, Neb. Service was Sept. 6 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Culbertson, Neb., with Rev. Dan Spearow officiating. Burial was at Culbertson cemetery, Culbertson.
He was born March 17, 1913, at Green, Kan., the son of Fred Rieger and Marie Siismuth. He grew up and was educated at Green. He married
Ann Miller Taylor on Oct. 24, 1965, at Culbertson, Neb. She survives. They spent their married
lives at Culbertson, where he worked for 65 years in the harvesting industry. For 58 years he owned and operated his own custom-cutting crew and was the largest custom cutter in the United States. For many years he had 16 active combines. He was the first inductee to the Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame in 1999. He retired at age 80. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Culbertson, and a life member of the McCook Elks Lodge 1434 in McCook. During his retirement he enjoyed traveling and playing slot machines. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Craig Compton in 1997; his parents; sisters, Frieda and Martha, and brothers, Ernest Rieger, Herman Rieger, Fred Rieger and John Rieger.
Other survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Loyann and Gaylin Hartzer of Wauneta, Neg.; son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Linda Taylor of McCook, Neb.; sisters, Ann Smith, Lena Stone, Pauline Carlyle; sister-in-law, Bernice Rieger; nieces and nephews; seven grandchildren, Gaylin Hartzer Jr., Lorrie Hofstetter, Phillip Hartzer, Kris Hartzer, Tawnia Geisler, Trevor Taylor, Jeff Compton, and nine great-grandchildren.
Herrmann Funeral Home had charge.
Marilyn Needham
Marilyn D. Needham, 60, of Knoxville, Tenn., sister of Jackie Brown of Valley Center, died Sept. 4, 2001. Service was Sept. 7 at Mynatt’s Chapel with Dr. Steve Sallee and Rev. Stephen DeFur officiating. Burial was at Washington Pike Presbyterian cemetery.
She was born Sept. 4, 1941, the daughter of R.D. and Lucille Gatton. She was a member of Cokesbury United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by a brother, Leland Gatton, and her parents.
Other survivors include her husband, Fred M. Needham; sons and daughter-in-law, Fred. Jr. and Pamela Needham, John Needham of Nashville; sister, Roberta Valent of Kansas; brother, Virgil Gatton of Kansas; sister-in-law, Karen Kramp; stepmother, Faye Gatton; granddaughters, Carson and Quinn Needham, and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial has been established with the church, 9908 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tenn. 37922-3397.
Tommy Ging
Tommy Lee Ging, 52, of Valley Center, Southwestern Bell service representative, died Sept. 11, 2001. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Service is at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church with Rev. Robert Louden officiating. Burial will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant View cemetery, Dacoma, Okla.
He was born April 21, 1949, in Blackwell, Okla., the son of Hubert Eugene Ging and Betty Murrow. He married
Joyce Howard (Obenhaus) on Dec. 12, 1993, in Park City. She survives of the home. He was preceded in death by his father.
Other survivors include his mother of Blackwell, Okla.; sons, Wesley Ging of Fort Benning, Ga.; stepson, Michael Howard of Parsons; daughters, Vanessa McClure of Wichita, Rose Ging of Emporia; stepdaughters, Lynne Fulkerson, Marsha Mitchell, both of Erie; sister, Earlene Kreutzer of Wichita; nine step-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with American Diabetes Association. Baker Funeral Home has charge.
