Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Marie Goodnight 1909-2001
NESS CITY - Marie Goodnight, 91, died Jan. 27 at Ness County Long Term Care Center in Ness City. She was born April 6, 1909, in Rush Center, the daughter of Thomas and Lucy Reed Crotinger. She married
Jack Goodnight Jan. 1, 1939, in Great Bend. He died Feb. 26, 1977. A resident of Ness City, she was a waitress for many years and a clerk in a dry goods and clothing store. Survivors include one sister, Lucille Moore of Ness City. She was preceded in death by five brothers, Samuel Crotinger, Harold Crotinger, Alfred Crotinger, Frank Crotinger and Orville Crotinger; and two sisters, Clara Moore and Grace VanWinkle. Funeral will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Ness City, with the Rev. Randall Jahnke officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend cemetery. Friends may call until 9 tonight and 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday, both at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Leisure Years Center in Ness City, in care of the funeral home.
Betty L. Peck 1926-2001
CUBA, Ill. - Betty L. Peck, 74, died Jan. 27 at Graham Hospital in Canton, Ill. She was born March 21, 1926, in Dixon Springs, Ill., the daughter of Ennis and Edith Ragain. She married
Leonard Peck. He died May 1999. A resident of Cuba, she worked for Fleming-Potter Printing Company for 26 years. Survivors include two sons, Danny Carlson of Peoria, Ill., and Michael D. Stufflebean of Canton; four daughters, Bonnie Alesandrini of Canton, Connie Kaye of Carbondale, Ill., Doris Moore of Cuba and Beverly Peck of Hoisington; two brothers, Daniel Kilpatrick of Peoria and Wesley Kilpatrick of Golconda, Ill.; one sister, Doris Peck of Edwards, Ill.; 15 grandchildren; and 36 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by four grandchildren. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Murphy-Sedgwick Memorial Home in Canton with the Rev. Jim Menne officiating. Burial will be at White Chapel Memory Gardens in Canton. Friends may call from 6-8 tonight at the memorial home. Memorials are suggested to Cuba Rescue Squad of Graham Hospital Home Health, in care of the memorial home.
Rudolph Batt 1916-2001
RUSSELL - Rudolph Batt, 84, died Jan. 28 at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell. He was born Sept. 13, 1916, in Barton County, the son of George and Sophia Hettinger Batt. A lifetime resident on the family farm south of Russell, he was a farmer and stockman. Batt was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Batt was preceded in death by four brothers, Herman Batt, Robert Batt, Walter Batt and Arthur Batt; and one sister, Frieda Dietz. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Russell City cemetery, with the Rev. Henry Hartman officiating. Friends may call from 2-9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. until noon Tuesday at Pohlman's Mortuary in Russell. Memorials are suggested to Russell City cemetery, in care of the mortuary.
Katherine F. Paul 1905-2001
JETMORE - Katherine F. Paul, 95, died Jan. 27 at Hodgeman County Long Term Care Center in Jetmore. She was born April 18, 1905, in Mill Creek Township in Washington County, the daughter of George and Ida Squier Fuller. She married
Grover C. Paul in June 1921 in La Junta, Colo. He died April 14, 1963. A longtime resident of Dodge City, she was a homemaker. Mrs. Paul was a member of First Church Christ Scientists of Boston, Mass. Survivors include two sons, H. Bruce Paul of Atascadero, Calif., and Dwayne E. Paul of Santa Fe, New Mexico; three daughters, Jacquelin Fieth of Grand Junction, Colo., Joan Deyoe of Jetmore and Jeredith Martin of Fowler; 16 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Ralph Fuller, Russell Fuller and George Fuller; and four sisters, Nellie, Alta, Bertha and Genevive. Funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Beckwith Funeral Home in Jetmore with the Rev. Jo Clipson officiating. Burial will be at the Greencrest cemetery in Dodge City. Friends may call until 8 tonight, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. until service time Thursday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Hodgeman County Long Term Care Center in Jetmore, in care of the funeral home.
Robert Lee Schober 1935-2001
WICHITA - Robert Lee Schober, 66, died Jan. 28 in Wichita. He was born June 22, 1935, in Great Bend, the son of David Michael and Hilda Ruby Steinert Schober. A resident of Wichita, he was a retired J.C. Penney sales clerk. Schober was a retired U.S. Air Force major and Vietnam War veteran. Survivors include his wife, Marie Schober, of the home; his parents of Great Bend; three sons, Randall L. Schober of Stilwell, Rudy L. Schober of Dallas, Texas, and Ryan L. Schober of Wichita; two stepdaughters, Glenda Terry of Valley Center and Marilyn Gordon of Rose Hill; one stepson, Jim Hunt of Wichita; three grandchildren; seven step grandchildren; and five step great-grandchildren. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Resthaven Mortuary in Wichita. Family will receive friends from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the mortuary.
Walter 'Walt' L. Leewright 1939-2001
ANDOVER - Walter "Walt" L. Leewright, 61, died Jan. 27. He was born Aug. 2, 1939, in Great Bend, the son of Kenneth and Maude Leewright. A resident of Andover, he was an Andover school custodian and a retired Navy store keeper. Survivors include his wife, Kimberly Leewright, of the home; one son, Andrew Leewright of Andover; two daughters, Christi Leewright of Pittsburg and Marianna Leewright of Andover; two brothers, James "Jimmy" Leewright of Elmwood and Robert Leewright of Valley Center; and three sisters, Maragret Hogan and Elizabeth Hogan, both of Neodesha, and Lillias Butts of Elk City. Vigil service will be at 7 tonight at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Andover. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Memorial are suggested to the Walter Leewright Memorial Fund or Children's Education, in care of National Bank of Andover.
Esther A. Welsh 1920-2001
STAFFORD - Esther A. Welsh, 80, died Jan. 28 at Stafford District Hospital. She was born July 1, 1920, in Devol, Okla., the daughter of James Leroy and Dora Ellen Sheldon Totman. She married
John Marion Humphrey in Bartlesville, Okla. He died April 20, 1977. A resident of Stafford, coming from Minneola, she was a homemaker and aide for Minneola Nursing Home. Mrs. Welsh was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Hugoton. Survivors include five sons, James Connelly of Duncan, Okla., Frank Humphrey of Abbyville, Kirby Humphrey of Sylvia, Larry Humphrey of Shelby Township, Mich. and James Humphrey of Hutchinson; two brothers, Leo Totman of Hutchinson and Perry Totman of Winfield; one sister, Bernita Blackburn of Hugoton; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, Bill Totman. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Minnis Chapel in Stafford with the Rev. Harry Graves officiating. Burial will be at the Turon cemetery in Stafford. Friends may call from 1-8 p.m. Wednesday at the chapel. Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association, in care of the chapel.
David Samuel Ummel 1953-2001
RANSOM - David Samuel Ummel, 47, died Jan. 27 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He was born Feb. 26, 1953, in Ransom, the son of Rolla and Edna Wittman Ummel. He married
Treva Shaffer June 9, 1984, in Ness City. A lifetime resident of Ransom, he was a agricultural insurance agent and was a contract crop adjuster. Survivors include his wife of the home; one daughter Kaileigh Ummel of the home; his mother of Cheyenne Wells, Colo.; two brothers, Richard Ummel and Don Ummel, both of WaKeeney; two sisters, Fern Renner of Cheyenne Wells, Colo., and Doris Scott of Ness City. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Ransom High School with the Revs. Bruce and Sandy Ferguson officiating. Burial will be at Ransom cemetery. Friends may call until 9 tonight and until service time Wednesday, both at Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Ness City. Memorials are suggested to the Educational Fund for Kaileigh Ummel or the Ransom Veterans of Foreign Wars, both in care of the funeral home.
Irene G. Hughes 1913-2001
HUTCHINSON - Irene G. Hughes, 87, died Jan. 28 at Oakwood Rehabilitation Center in Hutchinson. She was born Nov. 4, 1913, in White Butte, S.D., the daughter of Edward and Lydia Kautz Zimmerman. She married
Edward B. Mitchell May 2, 1933, in Lyman, S.D. He died April 7, 1972. She married
Eldon F. Hughes March 30, 1974, in Hutchinson. He died March 14, 1999. A longtime resident of Hutchinson, coming from Great Bend, she was a homemaker. Mrs. Hughes was a member of First Church of the Nazarene in Great Bend. Survivors include three sons, Jim Mitchell and Douglas Mitchell, both of Hutchinson, and Dennis Mitchell of Lees Summitt, Mo.; one daughter, Marilyn Wyatt of Wichita; one sister, Elsie Zimmerman; 14 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Edward Mitchell, four brothers and three sisters. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Memorial Park cemetery in Hutchinson, with the Rev. Dr. Charles McCallum officiating. Friends may call until 9 tonight at Elliott Mortuary in Hutchinson. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, in care of the mortuary.
George Albert Skolaut, Jr. 1903-2001
George Albert Skolaut, Jr., 97, died Jan. 29 in Great Bend. He was born Aug. 12, 1903, in Barton County, the son of George Albert and Anna Schreiber Skolaut, Sr. He married
Josephine A. Maneth Nov. 12, 1934, in Olmitz. A lifetime resident of Barton County, he was a farmer. Skolaut was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Great Bend and the Knights of Columbus in Olmitz. Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, Marvin George Skolaut of Olmitz; one sister, Anna Haberman of La Crosse; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Ellen Haberman and Fannie Jarmer. Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bryant-Christians Funeral Home in Great Bend. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church with the Rev. Warren Stecklein officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend cemetery. Friends may call until 9 tonight and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, both at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to St. Patrick School Endowment Fund, in care of the funeral home.
Pearl Mildred Pizinger Berscheidt 1911-2001
TUCSON, Ariz. - Pearl Mildred Pizinger Berscheidt, 89, died Jan. 19 at The Harbourage in Tucson. She was born Nov. 13, 1911, in Hoisington, the daughter of James and Matilda Margaret "May" Barstow Pizinger. She was a 1929 graduate of Hoisington High School. A resident of Tucson since 1959, coming from Hoisington, Dodge City, Great Bend and Omaha, Neb., she was a bookkeeper for Sprull Motors in Great Bend and Selby Motors in Tucson. Mrs. Berscheidt was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church and the Eastern Star. Survivors include four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first husband, George Crane; her second husband, Edward Berscheidt; two daughters, Sharon Jayko and Donna Crane; two brothers, Jimmy Pizinger and Lee Pizinger; four sisters, Rose Ford, Mary Ailslieger, Josephine Poore and Bessie Wallace; and one granddaughter, Kathy. At her request, there will be no funeral services.
Dickie L. Hupfer 1953-2001
RUSSELL - Dickie L. Hupfer, 47, died Jan. 29 at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell. He was born Nov. 1, 1953, in Ellsworth, the son of Vernon Kenneth and Bessie Baral Hupfer. He attended a rural school near Milberger. A resident of Russell, he worked in the oil fields as a rotary rig and pulling unit operator. Survivors include one brother, Delvin Hupfer of Russell; two sisters, Carolian Karst of Russell and Linda Boedeker of Greeley, Colo.; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Dana Hupfer; and one brother, Everett Hupfer. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Bunker Hill cemetery in Bunker Hill with the Rev. Henry Hartman officiating. Friends may call until 9 tonight and from 9-10 a.m. Friday at Pohlman's Mortuary in Russell. Memorials are suggested to the Dickie Hupfer Memorial, in care of the mortuary.
Alan E. Karlin 1957-2001
Alan E. Karlin, 43, died Jan. 30 at his home in Great Bend. He was born March 13, 1957, in Hays, the son of Eugene and Thelma Dreher Karlin. He was a 1975 graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays. A resident of Great Bend, he worked for L-K Wireline and Acid for 26 years as a sales representative and logging engineer. He worked for Rains and Williamson Oil Company Inc. as an operations manager. Karlin was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Great Bend, Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, the Oil and Gas Museum and Hall of Fame, Knights of Columbus, Golden Belt Country Club, and a past president of API. Survivors include one son, Matthew Alan Karlin of Great Bend; one daughter, Erika Rae Karlin of Hays; his mother and father of Hays; two brothers, Brian Karlin of Hays and Tom Karlin of Gardner; three sisters, Kathy Boggs and Carol Fieler, both of Schoenchen, and Brenda Thomas of Houston, Texas. Parish vigil will be at 7 tonight, followed by a Knights of Columbus rosary at 7:30, both at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays, with the Rev. Don Zimmerman officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph cemetery in Hays. Friends may call until 8 tonight and from 8:30-9:45 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, in care of the funeral home.
George A. Peak 1918-2001
HUTCHINSON - George A. Peak, 82, died Jan. 30 at his home in Hutchinson. He was born Aug. 21, 1918, in Augusta, the son of William James and Lillie Stice Peak. He married
Marcketta Tomlinson Mohr March 2, 1971, in Lyons. A resident of Hutchinson since 2000, coming from Lyons, he was a conductor for Missouri Pacific Railroad. Peak was a member of Olivet Baptist Church in Wichita, American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Lyons. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Survivors include his wife of the home; one daughter, Eva Lou Geiger of Platt City, Mo.; one stepson, Raymond Mohr of Topeka; one stepdaughter, Sandy Moore of Nickerson; two brothers, Ted Peak of La Miranda, Calif., and Andy Peak of Naples, Fla.; two grandchildren; two step grandchildren; and three step great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother and three sisters. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Elliott Mortuary Chapel in Hutchinson, with the Rev. Gerald D. Morris officiating. Graveside services with military rites by Fort Riley Honor Guard will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Alexander cemetery. Friends may call from until 9 tonight at the mortuary. Memorials are suggested to Veterans of Foreign Wars of Lyons, in care of the mortuary.
Frieda M. Blehm 1911-2001
SMITHVILLE, Mo. - Frieda M. Blehm, 89, died Jan. 27 at Beverly Health Care in Smithville. She was born Oct. 11, 1911, in Russell, the daughter of Alex and Anna Friebus Wallert. She married
Henry Blehm May 19, 1932, in Dorrance. He died July 1970. A lifetime resident of Russell, she was a homemaker. Mrs. Blehm was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wilson. Survivors include two daughters, Alice Sanders of Salina and Elain Anspaugh of Smithville; two sisters, Anna Betz of Wilson and Alice Sheridan of Junction City; four brothers, Edwin Wallert of Olathe, Albert Wallert and Leonard Wallert, both of Wilson and Raymond Wallert of Kansas City, Mo.; six grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Jim Wagner officiating. Inurnment will be at the Wilson City cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the church, in care of the Foster Mortuary Inc. of Wilson.
