Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Martha Blackledge
CHETOPA, Kan. - Martha Lucille Blackledge, 89, Chetopa, died at 11:50 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, 1997, at a local nursing home after an illness.
Mrs. Blackledge was born July 21, 1907, in Oklahoma Indian territory.
She spent most of her life in Chetopa.
She taught at the Gore (Okla.) school in the 1920s.
She was a member of Chetopa United Methodist Church.
She was a past member of the Ladies' Auxiliary.
She married Merle Blackledge on Feb. 9, 1926. He died Jan. 9, 1994.
Survivors include two sons, Don Blackledge, Chetopa, and Kenneth Blackledge, Norwalk, Calif.; two brothers, Richard Duncan, Denver, Colo., and Robert Duncan, Norwalk, Calif.; and a sister, Susan Heath, Frontenac, Kan.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Oak Hill Cemetery, Chetopa.
The Rev. Ron Frazier will officiate.
Friends may call until service time at Bath Funeral Home, Chetopa.
Contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association, in care of the funeral home.
Doris Mitts
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Doris E. Kelly Mitts, 85, 501 N. Ohio St., died at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10, 1997, at Girard Hospital, Girard, after an illness.
Mrs. Mitts was born April 2, 1911, at League City, Texas.
She moved to Cherokee County in 1917.
She attended Columbus schools and was a 1928 graduate of Columbus High School.
She was a member of United Methodist Church, Columbus.
She married William M. "Mike" Mitts on Feb. 26, 1928, at Columbus. He died on July 2, 1979.
Survivors include four sons, William S. Mitts, Tucson, Ariz., John D. Mitts, Coos Bay, Ore., Ron K. Mitts, Girard, and Michael J. Mitts, Olathe; two daughters, Carolyn Mitts, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Marilyn Jenney, Columbus; a sister, Alice Boggess, Columbus; 14 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus, with the Rev. Gary Parsons officiating.
Burial will be in Edgmand Cemetery, northwest of Columbus.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Virginia Carroll
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Virginia A. Carroll, 78, 117 S. Idaho St., died at 4:56 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1997, at Freeman Hospital West, Joplin, Mo., after a short illness.
Mrs. Carroll was born Aug. 17, 1918, at Gentry, Ark.
She attended Columbus schools and was graduated from Columbus High School in 1939.
She was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Columbus.
She married Charles W. Carroll on March 11, 1956, at Oswego.
He died June 3, 1976.
Survivors include three sons, John Ruhland, Columbus, and Charles Carroll and Douglas Carroll, both of Hallowell route 1; a daughter, Mary Daugherty, Miami, Okla.; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus. Father Chrysostom Ah Maung will officiate.
Burial will be in Park Cemetery, Columbus.
Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, in care of the funeral home.
Dorothy Estus
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Dorothy Wilson Estus, 88, San Diego, Calif., a Columbus native, died at 6:43 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 1997, at Thornton Hospital in San Diego after an illness.
Mrs. Estus was born Nov. 28, 1908, in Columbus.
She attended Columbus schools and the University of Kansas at Lawrence, where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
She later studied childhood education at what now is Pittsburg State University.
She was a member of the PEO Sisterhood, of which she was named a "Golden Girl."
She was a seamstress and designer of children's clothes.
She was a member of United Methodist Church, Lawrence.
She married Leonard Charles Estus on Sept. 28, 1929.
He died Aug. 18, 1993.
Survivors include two sons, Charles Estus, Jefferson, Mass., and Robert Estus, San Diego, Calif.; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
The Rev. Gary Parsons will officiate.
Burial will be in City Cemetery, Columbus.
Contributions may be made to Cottey College at Nevada, Mo., in care of the funeral home.
Opal Gurss
PITTSBURG, Kan. - Opal E. Crippen Gurss, 95, Pittsburg, died at 4:50 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1997, at a local nursing home after a long illness.
Mrs. Gurss was born April 14, 1904, at Moundridge.
She attended Moundridge schools and was graduated from Moundridge High School.
She attended a business college at McPherson.
She was a longtime resident of Pittsburg, where she moved from Independence.
She was a member of the Christian Science Church.
She was a Girl Scout leader in Independence.
She was a member and past president of the Neewollah Campers Association, Independence.
She was a former member of the Rob Morris Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Pittsburg.
She married Preston A. Gurss on Oct. 3, 1925, at McPherson. He died on Sept. 5, 1990.
Survivors include three daughters, Gloria Oertle, Pittsburg, Sharon Young, Topeka, and Joyce Cottrell, Tulsa, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg, with the Rev. Bruce Gotschall officiating.
Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Mount Hope Cemetery, Independence.
Friends may call after 11 a.m. Friday at the mortuary, or at the home of Gloria Oertle, 204 S. Olive St., Pittsburg.
The family will receive friends at the mortuary after the service in Pittsburg.
Ada Emerson
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Ada Myrtle Emerson Wade, 91, Tonganoxie, a Columbus native, died at 3:50 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 1997 at Tonganoxie Care Center.
Mrs. Wade was born on Dec. 24, 1905, at Columbus.
She moved to the Kansas City area in 1944 and to Roeland Park in 1974.
She was a teacher at Old Mission Junior High School.
She was a member of the Kansas Retired Teacher's Association, the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame in Dodge City and the Johnson County Historical Society.
She attended Roeland Park Methodist Church and was a member of its Circle Society.
She married Ralph E. Wade. He died in 1987.
Survivors include three sons, Burton E. Wade, Tonganoxie, Ralph M. Wade, Kenosha, Wis., and William A. Wade, Pendleton, Ind.; a daughter, Marlene Hughey, Washington, N.J.; two brothers, L.E. Emerson, Columbus, and David L. Emerson, Nevada, Mo.; two sisters, Edna G. Holman, Columbus, and Clara C. Boyd, Lyons; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Newcomer's Overland Park Chapel, 8201 Metcalf Ave.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. at Pleasant View Cemetery, Baxter Springs.
Friends may call from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the chapel.
Contributions may be made to the Roeland Park United Methodist Church.
Juanita Crossley
Juanita Mildred Crossley, 78, Derby, Kan., a former Joplin resident, died Thursday, Feb. 20, 1997, at her daughter's home in Derby after an illness.
Ms. Crossley was born July 31, 1918, in Joplin.
She moved from Joplin to Derby in November.
She worked as an avionics technician for Beechcraft before retiring.
Survivors include three daughter, Nancy Poe, Atlanta, Ga., Carolyne Kalcevik, Derby, and Patricia Swift, Pittsfield, Maine; two brothers, Billy Marshall and Alvin Marshall, addresses unknown; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Private family services are planned.
The body has been cremated.
Contributions may be made to Hospice Inc.
