Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Harold Relf
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Harold Benton Relf, 76, rural Columbus, died Thursday, March 13, 1997, at his home after a sudden illness.
Mr. Relf was born May 1, 1920, in rural Columbus.
He attended Mitchell School in rural Cherokee County and was a graduate of Cherokee County Community High School, Columbus.
He received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Kansas State Teachers College, Pittsburg, now Pittsburg State University.
He was a teacher at Ingram School, Lostine School, Lowell School and Highland School, all in Cherokee County, and CCCHS, Columbus.
He was school principal in Cedar Vale and Oswego.
He served as Cherokee County superintendent of schools in the early 1950s.
He retired in May 1985.
He was a veteran of World War II.
He was a member of the First Christian Church, Columbus, where he taught Sunday School and served as an elder, chairman of the church board, chairman of the spirit life department, member of the pulpit committee and preached as a lay minister.
He was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Gideons, Keith Reeves American Legion Post No. 3, Columbus and the Masonic Prudence Lodge No. 100, Columbus.
Survivors include a sister, Lucille Edmondson, Columbus.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in the First Christian Church, Columbus, with the Rev. Garland Bohn officiating.
Burial will be in Park Cemetery, Columbus.
Visitation will continue until 9 a.m. Monday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
Contributions may be made to the First Christian Church Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral home or the church.
Theodore Hartsborn
PITTSBURG, Kan. - Theodore A. Hartsborn Sr., 82, 613 E. 21st St., died at 10:11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997, at Mount Carmel Medical Center after a long illness.
Mr. Hartsborn was born Aug. 31, 1914, in Pittsburg.
He attended school in Pittsburg. He was employed in Kansas City, Mo., as a boilermaker and returned to Pittsburg in 1985.
He was a member of Boiler Makers Local No. 83, Kansas City.
He married Thelma Smith in 1935. She died in 1941.
Survivors include a son, Theodore A. Hartshorn Jr., Kansas City, Kan.; a brother, Tom Hartshorn, Cazadero, Calif.; a grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg.
The Rev. Bruce Gotschall will officiate.
Burial will be in Mount Olive Cemetery.
Friends may call at the mortuary after 1 p.m. today.
Madero Tassi
FRONTENAC, Kan. - Madero Lou Tassi, 84, New Castle, Del., formerly of Frontenac, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 1997, at St. Francis Hospital after an illness.
Mr. Tassi was born Sept. 10, 1912, at Frontenac.
He retired in 1975 after 55 years of service with Plumbers and Pipefitters Union No. 74, Wilmington, Del., as a pipefitter and welder.
His wife, Margaret Lee Tassi, died in 1990.
Survivors include two daughters, Patricia Tassi McKee, Arma, and Mary Lee Wattelet, Joplin, Mo.; a son, Dennis Tassi, Arma; a stepdaughter, Joy Mumford, New Castle; two stepsons, Franklin Wilkerson, Newark, Del., and Douglas Wilkerson, Salisbury, Md.; three brothers, Veto Tassi, Franklin, Frank Tassi, Susanville, Calif., and Guido Tassi, Chicago, Ill.; a sister, Della Mussat, Frontenac; five grandchildren; 11 step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and 10 great-step-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Gebhart Funeral Home, New Castle.
Burial will be in Gracelawn Memorial Park, New Castle.
Lora Eby
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - The family of Lora Lucille Eby, 75, 314 Cleveland, who died Sunday, will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Paul Thomas Funeral Home, Picher.
The body will be taken for cremation.
Leonard Chubb
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - Leonard Louis Chubb, 92, Baxter Springs route 2, died at 2:14 a.m. Monday, March 17, 1997, at a nursing home in Picher, Okla., after a long illness.
Mr. Chubb was born Nov. 1, 1904, in Indian Territory, Okla.
He had lived in the Baxter Springs area all of his life.
He attended Baker University and graduated from Wentworth Military Academy at Lexington, Mo.
He was a retired farmer and stockman.
He was a member of Neutral United Methodist Church.
He married Nadine Marshall on June 5, 1927, at Crestline.
She survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Polly Burcham, Overland Park; a son, Richard Chubb, Pittsburg; a brother, Melvin "Punk" F. Chubb, Spartanburg, S.C.; 10 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Paul Thomas Funeral Home, Picher, Okla.
The Rev. Paul Wiand will officiate.
Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, northwest of Treece.
Pallbearers will be Jim Rainey, Scott Jarrett, Art McFerron, Gary Linderman, Ronnie Stoskopf and David Jones.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to Neutral United Methodist Church, in care of the funeral home.
Marion Mason Jr.
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Marion Mason Jr., 76, Columbus route 2, died at 8:51 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo., after a long illness.
Mr. Mason was born Nov. 16, 1920, at Clarence, Mo., where he lived until his junior year of high school and moved to Tulsa, Okla.
He graduated in 1938 from Central High School, Tulsa.
He moved in 1941 to the Columbus area.
He was a member of Keith Reeves American Legion Post No. 3, Columbus, and Iron Workers Union Local No. 584, Tulsa.
He married Virginia R. Ratcliff on May 23, 1942, at Columbus. She survives.
Additional survivors include three daughters, Marilyn Hardison, Columbus route 2, Linda Smith, rural Joplin, and Carolyn West, Baxter Springs route 1; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
The body will be cremated after the visitation.
Contributions may be made to House of Prayer Church, Riverton, in care of the funeral home.
Shirley Westervelt
CHEROKEE, Kan. - Shirley A. Westervelt, 58, rural Cherokee, died at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 1997, at Mount Carmel Medical Center, Pittsburg, after a one-year illness.
She was a hospital patient for a month.
Mrs. Westervelt was born Aug. 6, 1938, at Columbus.
She had lived since 1957 at rural Cherokee, moving from Scammon.
She graduated in 1956 from West Mineral (Kan.) High School.
She was a homemaker.
She married Robert Ray Westervelt on Jan. 1, 1957, at Miami, Okla.
He died March 17, 1994.
Survivors include two sons, Rick Westervelt and Todd Westervelt, both of rural Cherokee; a daughter, Lisa Blake, Paola; her mother, Annie Reynolds, Columbus; three brothers, Bob Reynolds, Orange, Texas, Bill Reynolds, Miami, and Eddie Reynolds, Scammon; a sister, Donna Nichols, Grove, Okla.; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, Weir.
The Rev. James Shope will officiate.
Burial will be in Hosey Hill Cemetery, Weir.
Friends may call after 4 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Rhoda Hilton
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Rhoda L. Hilton, 92, formerly of 329 W. Lake St., died at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 14, 1997, at a local nursing home after an illness.
Mrs. Hilton was born June 6, 1904, at Monmouth.
She worked many years at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant at Parsons and was a farmer.
She helped several years with the Meals on Wheels program at Columbus.
Survivors include two sons, Kenneth Hilton, Columbus route 1, and Billy Hilton, Arcadia; two daughters, Marjorie Hilton, Columbus route 1, and Maxine Morris, Russellville, Mo.; 35 grandchildren; 83 great-grandchildren; and 30 great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
The Rev. Randy Arnold will officiate.
Burial will be in Monmouth Cemetery, north of McCune.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Chester Hughey
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - Services for Chester Hughey, 86, 3049 Gainswood, who died Thursday, will be at 10 a.m. Monday at First Christian Church, Baxter Springs.
Ed Snyder will officiate.
Burial will be in the Baxter Springs Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Alan Saunders, Bill Whitlow, Marshall Mizell, Deon Bumpers, Paul Buckner and Carl Sturgeon.
The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. today at Paul Thomas Funeral Home, Picher.
Rosa Poor
Columbus, Kan. - Rosa E. Poor, 82, Columbus, formerly of Chetopa, died at 3:45 p.m. Friday, March 14, 1997, at Medicalodge, Columbus, after a long illness.
Mrs. Poor was born Sept. 12, 1914, at Chetopa.
She graduated from Chetopa High School in 1932.
She was a member of the Faulkner Christian Church.
She married Richard A. Poor on Aug. 26, 1934, in Cherokee County.
He died March 1, 1997.
She was also preceded in death by a son.
Survivors include two sons, Robert D. Poor and Richard L. Poor, both of Chetopa; a daughter, June Warstler, Commerce City, Colo.; a sister, Thelma Craney, Pittsburg; 12 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
The Rev. Michael Linthicum will officiate.
Burial will be in the Edgmand Cemetery, northwest of Columbus.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Kansas Alzheimer's Association, in care of the funeral home.
Charlotte Kent
GALENA, Kan. - Charlotte Marie Kent, 91, Tulsa, Okla., a former Galena resident, died at 12:15 p.m. Friday, March 14, 1997, at St. John's Medical Center, Tulsa, after a long illness.
Mrs. Kent was born Aug. 19, 1905, at Manila, Philippines.
She was raised in Galena and was a graduate of Galena High School.
She lived in Tulsa most of her life.
She married Eugene Albertson Kent on Sept. 15, 1926, in Galena.
He died Dec. 12, 1990.
Survivors include two sons, George Henry Kent and Larry Kent, both of Park Hill, Okla.; a daughter, Charlotte Jean Hulsizer, Tulsa; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Derfelt Funeral Home, Galena. Paul Sims, minister, will officiate.
Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Galena.
Paul Parker
PITTSBURG, Kan. - Paul W. Parker, 71, 801 Twin Lakes Drive, died at 12:50 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 1997, at his home after four months of ill health.
Mr. Parker was born Sept. 18, 1925, at Charleston, Ark.
He attended schools in Arkansas and graduated from Greenwood (Ark.) High School.
He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Central Arkansas, Conway, and received his graduate degree at the University of Arkansas.
He was an educator and came to Pittsburg (Kan.) State University 26 years ago and served as a professor and administrator for 26 years.
He joined the school of education in 1968 as an associate professor of school administration and school services.
In 1971, he was promoted to full professor and chairman of the department of curriculum and administration.
In 1988, he was appointed chairman of the new department of social services and administrative studies, which he held until retiring in 1994.
Before coming to PSU, he was president of Allen County Community College, Iola, and worked at the University of Southern Mississippi and Arkansas College.
He also had been a superintendent of schools in Missouri and a coach, teacher and principal at Decatur, Ark.
He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, where he was a deacon, trustee and elder.
He was a member and past president of Sunflower Kiwanis Club, and a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Phi Delta Kappa, American Association of School Administrators, University Professors of Education Association, Educational Advisory Committee in Greenbush, and the Community Junior and College Administration Association.
He also was active in Meals on Meals.
He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving from 1943 to 1946 in the European Theater of War.
He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
He married Grace Cox on June 3, 1949, at Little Rock, Ark.
She survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Nancy Miller, Pittsburg; a son, Patrick Parker, Casa Grande, Ariz.; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Presbyterian Church.
The Rev. Robert Bardeen will officiate.
Burial will be in National Cemetery, Fort Scott.
Graveside flag-folding ceremonies will be conducted by Ben Moore and Merlin Zollars of Benjamin A. Fuller Post No. 64, American Legion, Pittsburg.
Friends may call after 11 a.m. Sunday at Brenner Mortuary, where the family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday.
The casket will be closed.
