Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Leona Marie Dinges Herl Burnett
1918 - 2008
Leona Marie Dinges Herl Burnett, 89, of Great Bend, died Jan. 14 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. She
was born July 4, 1918, at Schoenchen, the daughter of Carl and Christina Dreher Dinges. She married Jacob Herl on
July 2, 1935, at Schoenchen. He died in 1965. She married Irven Burnett on July 17, 1976, at Great Bend. He died on
April 5, 2005. She was a homemaker and an assistant manager of the TG&Y Store in Great Bend. She was a resident of
Great Bend since 1942, coming from Hays.
She was a member of the Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose of Lima, the Altar Society, Daughters of Isabella, Fraternal
Order of Eagles Auxiliary and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, all of Great Bend.
Survivors include a son, Donald L. Herl, and wife Henrietta, of Salina; a daughter, Almeda Jurgensen, and husband
Merle of Great Bend; a brother, Wendlin “Buddy” Dinges of Hays; two sisters, Henrietta Houser of Great Bend and
Elizabeth Wolf of Florida; eight grandchildren, Eddie Jurgensen and wife Cindy of Great Bend, Brad Jurgensen of St.
Joseph, Mo., Brett Jurgensen and wife Pricella of Safford, Ariz., Kimberly Jackson of Salina, Danna Armes and
husband Frank of Salina, Derion Herl and wife Barbara of Salina, Jody Imler of Topeka and Brandon Herl and wife
Michell of McKinney, Texas; 21 great-grandchildren, Brandi, Chelsea, Kyla, Katelyn, Andrew, Drew, Hannah, Hayley,
Tara and Cody, Travis, Des A Raie, Scott, Donald, Ryan, Tiffani, Amber, Shana, Showna, Cailin and Kelsey; and nine
great-great-grandchildren, Korbin, Parker, Connor, Domonic, Dalton, Donald, McKayla, Gretchen and Christopher.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Alec Dinges and Tony Dinges, and five sisters, Fina Pfiefer, Cecilia
Shoemaker, Florentine Rathburn, Bella Koerner and Frannie Koerner.
An Altar Society Rosary will be conducted at 4 p.m. Thursday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, followed by a 7
p.m. vigil service also at the funeral home. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great
Bend, with Father Reginald A. Urban officiating. Interment will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9
a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at the funeral home. Donations to memorial funds for St.
Jude’s Children’s Hospital or for the American Diabetes Association may be made in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Irene Riegel DeHaven
1918 - 2008
AUGUSTA — Irene Riegel DeHaven, 89, of Augusta, passed away Jan. 14. Viewing will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday
with the family to greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m., and the funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, all at Headley
Funeral Chapel, Augusta. Graveside service will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Bernard’s Catholic Cemetery, Belpre.
Irene was born in Macksville on Aug. 1, 1918, the daughter of the late Robert Pinkney and Maude Mae (McHugh)
Davidson. She worked as a secretary at Hopley Sales in Macksville as well as helping in the family store, Davidson and
Riegel in Belpre. In June 1936 she married Hugh Francis Riegel in Belpre and he preceded her in death in 1974. In
August of 1977 she married Eugene DeHaven in Belpre and he preceded her in death in 1990.
Irene is survived by daughters, Karen Froetschner and husband Kyrle of Larned and Sharon Wheeler of Augusta;
grandchildren, Kraig Froetschner and wife Amy of Garfield, Kerry Froetschner and wife Donna of Rozel, Jimmy
Wheeler and wife Kristi of Augusta, Monte Wheeler of Wichita and Sarah Wheeler of Augusta; great-grandchildren
Chelsea Townsend and husband Casey of Carney, Okla., Andrew Froetschner of Garfield, and Ashton, Peyton,
Madison and Corbin Wheeler of Augusta. She was preceded in death by brothers, Everett, Howard and Gaylord
Davidson and a sister, Bonnie Morton, as well. Memorials may be made to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
American Lung Association for asthma research, or to the donor’s choice.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Headley Funeral Chapel
813 State Street
Augusta, KS 67010
Ted W. Gingrich
1910 - 2008
LARNED — Ted W. Gingrich, 97, died Jan. 15 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. Born March 18, 1910,
in Hams Prairie, Mo., he was the son of J.E. and Madge Beaven Gingrich. He married Lola Emma Buhrer on Dec. 24,
1932. She died Nov. 18, 1994. A resident of Pawnee County and Edwards County for 70 years, he was a
farmer/stockman.
Mr. Gingrich was a member of the United Methodist Church in Larned, the Zook School Board and the Valley Center
Township Board.
Survivors include a son, Teddy Gingrich and wife Carol of Larned; two daughters, Martha Guzzo and husband Vince
of Overland Park and Vivian Johnston of Lenexa; 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and four great-great-
grandchildren. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Ray, Harold, Charles and Robert; and a sister, Helen
Gingrich.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church, Larned, with Pastor Bill Fitzgerrel
presiding. Burial will be at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Zook. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and
Friday at Beckwith Mortuary. Memorials are suggested to the Zook Community Building Fund or the United Methodist
Church, both in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Beckwith Mortuary
P.O. Box 477
Larned, KS 67550
Wayne Lee Kimberlin
1950 - 2008
ELK CITY — Wayne Lee Kimberlin, 58, died Jan. 14 at Mercy Hospital. Born Jan. 2, 1950, at Clinton, Mo., he was
the son of Jack Kimberlin and Merle Floriene (Mitchell) Kimberlin. He attended schools in the Dayton and Garden
City, Mo., areas. After his schooling, he worked as a welder in the Kansas City, Mo., area. He married Lois Fletcher on
Feb. 8, 1969, at Clinton, Mo. The couple were later divorced. He joined the United States Army and served in Vietnam
from 1969 until his discharge in 1971. He worked as a welder in the Great Bend area at Ralph’s Rig Service until 1991.
He moved to the Elk City area in 1995 and worked as a logger.
Mr. Kimberlin was a former member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Caney and Neodesha.
Survivors include his longtime friend, Dianna Arnett of the home; a son, Dakota Kimberlin of the home; four
daughters, Nina Griggs of Great Bend, Salina Schwartz and Angelina Morgan, both of Ellinwood, and Catina
Kimberlin of Girard; his mother, Merle Floriene Sehorn of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; two brothers, Bruce Kimberlin of Elk
City and Denny Kimberlin of Independence; a sister, Lisa Trainer of Olathe; a stepson, William Pulliam of the home;
and 14 grandchildren.
Graveside funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Elk City with the Rev. Jim Wilburn,
pastor of the Elk City Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be under the direction of Penwell-Gabel Webb &
Rodrick Chapel of Independence. Military graveside rites will be conducted by a United States Army Detail from Fort
Riley. Friends may call from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, all at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Dakota Kimberlin Educational Fund in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Penwell-Gabel Webb and Rodrick Chapel
306 W. Main
Independence, KS 67301
Jerry Ray Witt
1931 - 2008
PACIFIC BEACH, Calif. — Jerry Ray Witt, 76, died Jan. 12 due to a stroke. He was born Nov. 3, 1931, at La Crosse.
When three weeks old, he was adopted by Kate and Herman Witt and raised on the family farm outside Hudson.
Having developed an intense interest in music, Jerry began piano lessons at age seven, followed by voice and organ
lessons in high school. He received a bachelor of music degree from Bethany College, Lindsborg. He moved to
California, where he taught piano, organ and voice. He began a 41-year career in church music at Christ Lutheran
Church, Pacific Beach, followed by All Hallows Catholic Church in La Jolla and the final 28 years at St. Brigid
Catholic Church, Pacific Beach, before retiring in 1995. While organist and choirmaster, Jerry directed parish adult
choirs, boys’ and girls’ choirs and children’s choir as well as English Handbell choirs, both at St. Brigid and at St.
Madeleine Sophie School for the developmentally disabled.
He served on the Music and Liturgy Commission for the Diocese of San Diego, the boards of directors for both the
Spreckels Organ Society and Lyric Opera San Diego, sang in the parish choir at Nativity Church and taught classes for
San Diego OASIS.
Survivors include many friends, numerous cousins and Harry Matheny, his soulmate of 35 years. He was preceded in
death by his adoptive parents.
A viewing is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. PST today at Pacific Beach Mortuary Chapel, 4710 Cass St., with a joyful
vigil service of memories at 7 p.m. today. The Funeral Mass will be at Church of the Nativity, 6309 El Apajo, Rancho
Santa Fe, Calif., at 10 a.m. PST Saturday. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to
your favorite charity or one of Jerry’s: Lyric Opera San Diego, 2891 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92104, Nativity
Church, P.O. Box 8770, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067, or San Diego OASIS, 1702 Camino del Rio North, San Diego,
CA 92108.
Anita Louise Gorman
1933 - 2008
Anita Louise Gorman, 74, died Jan. 19 at her residence in Great Bend. She was born May 2, 1933, at Kenwood, Iowa,
the daughter of John Bernhardt and Amanda Detlefsen Ludemann. She married Robert G. Gorman on April 18, 1954,
at Denison, Iowa. He survives. A resident of Great Bend since 1977, coming from Colfax, Iowa, she was a nurse and
20-year co-owner of Gorman Tarps.
Mrs. Gorman was a member of the First Assembly of God in Great Bend.
Survivors include her husband of the home; four daughters, Deborah Lortz and husband James of Sacramento, Calif.,
Roberta Guthrie and husband Kerry of Great Bend, Katherine Beattie and husband David of Indianapolis, Ind., Glenda
Fox and husband Todd, of Roseville, Calif.; two sisters, Emma Lehman of Conestoga, Pa., and Shirley Nelson of Mora,
Minn.; nine grandchildren, Jamie Lortz Pirkey, Jon Lortz, Ryan Guthrie, Shane Guthrie, Tiffany Guthrie, Erin Beattie,
Brent Beattie, Taylor Fox and Trevor Fox; and four great-grandchildren, Dylan Guthrie, Hailey Pirkey, Brecken
Guthrie and Emmersen Guthrie. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Katherine Ludermann.
Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday at First Assembly of God in Great Bend, with the Rev. Dwight Dozier
officiating. Inurment will be in Great Bend Cemetery in Great Bend. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken
place. Memorials are suggested to Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice or First Assembly of God in care of the
funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Ora Ruth Kirchgassner
1929 - 2008
LARNED — Ora Ruth Kirchgassner, 78, died Jan. 17 at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus,
Wichita. She was born July 25, 1929, in Kinsley, the daughter of Abram Amrine, Sr. and Amber Stewart Amrine. On
April 21, 1948, she married L.B. “Tiny” Hess Jr. He died Dec. 12, 1968. On May 17, 1969, she married Marvin R.
Kirchgassner at Larned. He survives. A longtime resident of Larned, she was a homemaker.
She belonged to the United Methodist Church, Garfield, and Jolly Circle Card Club and TOPS, both of Larned.
Survivors include a son-in-law, David Gilbert, Wichita; one brother, Abram Amrine Jr., Hesston; three sisters, Claribel
Pulliam of Laurel, Mont., Beatrice Seba of Larned and Corinne Ingrum of Branson, Mo.; one granddaughter, three
great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Charlene Marie Gilbert.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Morell Funeral Home, Larned, with the Rev. Ken Walker presiding. Visitation will
be from noon until 6 p.m. today, from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral
home. Burial will be in the Garfield Cemetery, Garfield. Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society in
care of Morell Funeral Home, Box 124, Larned, KS 67550-0124.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Morell Funeral Home
1021 Broadway
Larned, KS 67550
