Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Esther R. Wear
1916 – 2008
Esther R. Wear, 91, of Great Bend, died Jan. 18 at Central Kansas Medical Center. Born Aug. 17, 1916, in Rush
County, she was the daughter of John and Katherine Moore Kehr. She married Bernard Wear on Sept. 18, 1938, in
Dighton. He died June 1, 1978. A resident of Great Bend for 39 years, coming from Alamota, she was a homemaker
and a Certified Nurse Aide for the Great Bend Manor.
Mrs. Wear was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Great Bend.
Survivors include a son, Byrl Wear and wife Shelly of Claflin; five daughters, Betty Naylor and husband Jewell of
Kansas City, Mo., Barbara Abrahamson and Bonnie Jamieson and husband Jim, all of Great Bend, Berdyna Proctor and
husband Lou of Plattsburg, Mo., and Belynda Simbala and husband Richard of Colleyville, Texas; a sister, Katherine
McKinley of Dighton; a brother, Emmanuel Kehr of Pueblo, Colo.; 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by three infant sons, a daughter, Beverly Thoreson, and a sister, Sarah Myers.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Bryant Funeral Home with the Rev. Dwight Dozier and the Rev. Jerry
Jamieson officiating. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. at the Dighton Cemetery. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday at the funeral home with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the First
Assembly of God Church in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Margaret Opal (Polly) Taylor
1926 - 2008
STAFFORD — Margaret Opal (Polly) Taylor, 81, of Stafford, died Jan. 19 at Leisure Homestead, Stafford. Born May
28, 1926, at Great Bend, she was the daughter of Albert Linden and Myrtle Ruth (McGinty) VanWinkle. A lifelong
resident of Seward and Stafford, moving to Stafford in 1947, she was a social worker for the State of Kansas for 43
years, retired. On Sept. 3, 1947, she married Alfred Ervin Taylor at Seward; he died in 1991.
Mrs. Taylor was a member of St. John The Apostle Catholic Church and Altar Society, both of St. John, and the Elks
Auxiliary of Great Bend.
Survivors include two brothers, Dr. T.D. VanWinkle, Wichita, and James J. VanWinkle, Winfield; two sisters, Arlene
Deighton, Kingfisher, Okla., and Alice Latas, Dodge City; seven nephews and eight nieces.
Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. John The Apostle Catholic Church, St. John, with Father Rene
Guesnier as celebrant. Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. today at Minnis Chapel, St. John, with a Rosary Service at 7
p.m. today at Minnis Chapel, St. John. Burial will be in the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery, Seward.
Memorials to the South Wind Hospice or Leisure Homestead Activities Fund at Stafford, both in care of Minnis Chapel
in St. John.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Minnis Chapel, Inc.
P.O. Box 34
125 N. Main
St. John, KS 67576
Angelita Haas Bahr
Angelita Haas Bahr, 86, formerly of Great Bend, passed away on Jan. 14, 2008 in Illinois. She was the wife of the late Col.
Herman J. Bahr (Ret.). She is survived by her sons, William of Bloomingdale, Ill., Robert of Alexandria, Va., and
Thomas of Chester, Va., as well as grandsons Jonathan of Woodridge, Ill., and Christopher (LT), currently of Fort
Riley. Angelita is also survived by her sisters, Regina Tarpey of Alexandria, Va., and Bernice Dreiling of Hays, and
many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at the Chapel of the Veterans in Leavenworth, with burial at Leavenworth National
Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 25. For additional funeral information call (630) 307-3634.
Raymon Keith Harris
LARNED — Raymon Keith Harris, 75, died Jan. 20, 2008 at Stormont-Vail Healthcare in Topeka. Arrangements are pending
and will be announced by Morell Funeral Home in Larned.
Lonnie Martin McBride
1952 - 2008
OKEENE, Okla. — A graveside service for Lonnie Martin McBride, 55, was held Monday at Roselawn Cemetery in
Okeene, Okla., with Pastor Dave Wesner officiating with arrangements by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Okeene.
Lonnie Martin McBride was born on Feb. 13, 1952, at Watonga, Okla., to Olinda Nusz McBride and Jimmy McBride
and died Jan. 17 at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Enid, Okla. Lonnie attended Loyal School through second
grade. In 1961 he moved with his family to Wyoming where they lived until moving to Colorado in 1969. They spent a
short time in Kansas and then moved to Okeene where Lonnie attended Okeene High School his senior year,
graduating in 1970. After high school Lonnie became a machinist and was employed by Farley’s Machine Shop in
Colorado. He later became a shop manager for Farley’s in Great Bend. He later moved back to Oklahoma and worked
for BB Machine Shop in Enid.
Survivors include his son, Karie McBride and fianceé, Sara Baker of Okeene; his parents, Jim and Olinda McBride of
Okeene; one stepson, Skyler Wissman of Hays; one stepdaughter, Summer Wissman of Ellinwood, and a step-grandson.
Lonnie was preceded in death by his sister, Cynthia McBride Lee, in 1993. Memorials may be made through the
funeral home to the charity of the donor’s choice.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Lanman Funeral Home, Inc.
209 N. Main D
Okeene, OK 73763
Dorothy Ellen Nicolet Slocum
1924 - 2007
THERMOPOLIS, Wyo. — Dorothy Ellen Nicolet Slocum, 83, died Dec. 30 at Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital
in Wyoming. Born July 16, 1924, in Abilene, she was the daughter of Emil and Laura (Amrine) Nicolet. She married
Roy Dwinell in Elko, Neb., on July 25, 1966. He died in 1997. The couple lived in Thermopolis where they managed
the Motel Californian until 1971. She was then employed at Diamond Cleaners. In September of 2005 she moved to the
Wyoming Pioneer Home.
Mrs. Dwinell was a member of BPOE Does, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Hot Springs County Memorial
Hospital Auxiliary and the First Baptist Church.
Survivors include five sons, Leon Slocum of Fort Morgan, Colo., Douglas Slocum of Sterling, Colo., Rodney Slocum
of Thermopolis, Wyo., Thomas Slocum of Casper, Wyo., and Richard Slocum of Greeley, Colo.; a brother, Dwight
Nicolet of Albuquerque, N.M.; a sister, Betty Sloan of Great Bend; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial services were held at the Pioneer Home where she was a resident. Cremation has taken place. Memorials are
suggested to H.S. Co. Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, 150 E. Arapahoe, Thermopolis, Wyo. 82443.
Harry Byrd Emerson Jr.
1918 - 2008
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Harry Byrd Emerson Jr., 89, died Jan. 15 at Porter Hospice in Centennial, Colo. He was born
July 18, 1918, at Evanston, Ill., the son of Harry and Marguerite (Downing) Emerson. He played high school football
and wrestled in college at Northwestern University, where he later graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in
geology. On Dec. 23, 1941, he married Marion Lacey Wilson. She died Oct. 30, 1989.
After a period of training in the United States, he served as a meteorologist in the Army Air Force in the Pacific
Theater. Following his honorable discharge, he began his 30-year career as a meteorologist. His first assignment was in
Madison,Wis. In 1947, he moved to Ypsilanti, Mich. In 1960, Harry and his family were transferred to Denver, Colo.
In 1974, he retired from his career as a meteorologist and moved with Marion to Sedalia, Colo. At Windy Hills, they
raised and showed generations of English and Irish Setters. Retirement also allowed him time for service to church and
community and the local Irish and English Setter clubs of Colorado.
He was a member of First Church of Christ Scientist, Littleton, Colo., for more than 40 years.
Always independent, he continued to live on his beloved butte, in the company of several dogs and visiting children. In
2005, Harry relocated to Holly Creek Christian Living Community in Centennial to be closer to family, friends and
church, where he remained for the rest of his life. He especially enjoyed playing bridge and working in the shop,
making wooden cars and trucks for children worldwide.
Survivors include a brother, Frederick Range Emerson, of Wilmington, N.C.; two sons, Fredrick Emerson and wife
Lynne of Leland, N.C., and Robert Emerson and wife Nancy of Carbondale, Colo.; two daughters, Cynthia Overton
and husband Earnie of Indianapolis, Ind., and Karin Kiewel and husband James of Englewood, Colo.; six
granddaughters, Beth Coleman and Diana Hansen, both of Aurora, Colo., Abby Ward of Richmond, Virginia, Nina
Carlson of Madison, Wis., Amanda Emerson of Newcastle, Colo. and Lacey Overton of Indianapolis, Ind.; four
grandsons, Chris Meese of Aurora, Colo., Daniel Kiewel of Great Bend, Wade Overton of Muncie, Ind., and Michael
Emerson of Boulder, Colo.; and three great-grandchildren, Sarah and Ashley Coleman, and A.J. Hansen, all of Aurora,
Colo. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion.
Memorial service was held Jan. 19 at Drinkwine Mortuary Chapel in Littleton, Colo. There was no visitation as
cremation has taken place. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor’s choice.
Vernon L. Kaiser
1938 - 2008
Vernon L. Kaiser, 69, of Great Bend, died Jan. 21 at Hospice House in Hutchinson. Born July 3, 1938, at Claflin, he
was the son of Fred L. and Mathilda Steiner Kaiser. A lifetime resident of Great Bend, he owned and operated Kaiser
Insurance Agency, and was a machinist for Great Bend Industries and assistant manager for Buffs Carwash. He was
also known for his craftsmanship and woodworking that he had shared with many family members and people of the
community.
Mr. Kaiser was a member of the Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose in Great Bend and the Lake Barton Golf Club,
where he served on the Board of Directors.
Survivors include a son, Douglas Lee Kaiser and wife Michelle of Great Bend; a daughter, Lori Diane Crowther and
husband Alan of Great Bend; a stepfather, Virgil Stadelman of Hays; two brothers, Ben Kaiser of Mesa, Ariz., and Ken
Kaiser of Whittier, Calif.; two sisters, JaNelda Butler of Wichita and Laveda Heider of Harrisonville, Mo.; seven
grandchildren, Cody Crowther, Alexis Crowther, Christopher Kaiser, Kyle Kaiser, Brice Kaiser, Cal Kaiser and
Allyson Kaiser; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Fred L. Kaiser, and his mother,
Mathilda Steiner Kaiser Stadelman.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday
at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church with Father Wesley Schawe officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend
Cemetery. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Heartland
Cancer Center, Hospice House of Hutchinson or Prince of Peace Parish in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
