Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Blanche Fink
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Blanche M. Fink, 83, 626 Garfield Ave., died at 4:15 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo., after an illness.
Mrs. Fink was born Dec. 9, 1913, at Bristow, Okla. She later moved to Pittsburg, where she graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1932. She worked for SEK-CAPS Congregate meals from 1974 until retiring in 1984.
She married Ross Fink in 1940. He died in 1956.
Survivors include three daughters, Connie Farley and Karen Schutter, both of Columbus, and Nancy Long, McCune; a sister, Jeanette Joyce, St. Charles, Mo.; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Park Cemetery, Columbus. The Rev. Jim Lewis will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
Ada Larison
RIVERTON, Kan. - Ada Marie Larison, 70, Riverton, died at 8:50 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 1997, in Joplin after a short illness.
Mrs. Larison was born April 30, 1926, at Riverton. She had been a lifelong area resident.
She graduated from Riverton High School in 1944. She served as secretary for the Riverton School District from 1951-65. She worked at the Citizen Publishing Co., Baxter Springs, and for Merl Duncan, a Baxter Springs attorney. She retired in 1991 after 15 years as a customer service agent at KPL Gas Service Co., Baxter Springs. She was a member of the Riverton Friends Church and a 50-year member of the Magnolia chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, Baxter Springs.
She married Frank A. Larison on Nov. 1, 1945, at Columbus. He survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Linda Nichols, Baxter Springs; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Derfelt's Baxter Chapel, Baxter Springs. The Rev. Wes Davis will officiate.
Burial will be in Quaker Valley Cemetery, north of Riverton.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
David Vequist
PITTSBURG, Kan. - David G. Vequist, 73, Pittsburg, died at 5:05 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1997, at Mount Carmel Medical Center, Pittsburg, after a long illness.
Mr. Vequist was born June 26, 1923, at St. Joseph, Mo. He attended schools in St. Joseph and was a graduate of Central High School there.
He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He received his master's degree from Pittsburg State University. He received his doctoral degree from Kansas State University, Manhattan.
He was a Navy veteran, serving from 1942 to 1946 in Key West, Fla., and the Caribbean.
He worked for the Government Printing Office from 1941 to 1942. He worked for the University of Kansas Press from 1947 to 1962. He worked in the PSU printing department from 1962 to 1993, serving as professor, director and chairman of the department.
He was co-author with William Spence of a printing textbook, "Graphic Reproduction."
He was appointed to the Academic Advisory Council to the Public Printer of the United States and assisted in designing a post card honoring the graphic arts while on the council.
He was a member of the Pittsburg Presbyterian Church, where he was an elder, deacon and member of the church choir.
He was a member of the Centennial Choir, Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, American Association of Retired Persons Choir, Rotary Club, Tri-State Craftsmen, Association of University and College Printers, Pittsburg State University Graphic Arts Club and the International Graphic Arts Educational Association.
He married Betty Ann Mayne on July 15, 1944, at De Kalb, Ill. She survives.
Other survivors include three sons, John Vequist, Taby, Sweden, James Vequist, Lawrence, and Steven Vequist, Wichita; a daughter, Cathy Pierson, Coral Springs, Fla.; two sisters, Jeanne Heaney, Milwaukee, Wisc., and Gretchen West, Conception, Mo.; a brother, Woodrow Vequist, state of Washington; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Pittsburg Presbyterian Church, with Robert Bardeen and Homer Keith officiating. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Monday in the National Cemetery, Fort Scott. Graveside flag-folding services will be conducted by the Benjamin A. Fuller American Legion Post No. 64, Pittsburg.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg. Friends may call after 10 a.m. Sunday.
Ada Wade
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. today 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. today at the chapel.
Contributions may be made to the Roeland Park United Methodist Church.
Wayne Phillips
Wayne L. Phillips, 68, 4016 Pennsylvania Ave., died at 2:50 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at a local nursing home after a long illness.
Mr. Phillips was born July 8, 1928 at Nekoma, Kan. He had lived in Joplin since 1941. He was a farmer and had worked for several years for Vickers Inc., Joplin. He worked for the Postal Service for 28 years and retired in 1988 as a clerk. He was a member of the American Association of Retired Persons and the National Association of Retired Postal Employees. He was a Methodist. He served in the Army during the Korean War.
He married Bonnie Staib on March 14, 1952, at Bentonville, Ark. She survives.
Additional survivors include three daughters, Diana Phillips, Kansas City; Cindy Hartman, Tulsa, Okla., and Linda Stous, Omaha, Neb.; a brother, Melvin Phillips, Rush Center, Kan.; two sisters, Fonda Howard, Coffeyville, Kan., and Geneva Pivonka, Larned, Kan.; two grandsons, and a great-granddaughter.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Parker Mortuary, Joplin. The Rev. Max Bishop will officiate. Burial will be in Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin.
Pallbearers will be Terry Ridgeway, Tom Colpher, Tom Blankenship, Larry Murphy, Bob Sade and Charlie Clay.
The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to St. John's Hospice, Joplin, in care of the funeral home.
Donald Gilreath
OSWEGO, Kan. - Donald E. Gilreath, 85, Oswego, died at 4:05 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at a local nursing home after a long illness.
Mr. Gilreath was born Aug. 9, 1911, at Lafontaine, Kan. He grew up and was graduated from high school at Lafontaine.
He hauled milk for the former Kraft food plant at Oswego. He worked for the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant at Parsons for several years and was a custodian for the Oswego school district.
He was a member of First Christian Church, Lafontaine. He was a member of the Southeast Kansas Mounted Posse.
He married Sophia Shue on July 28, 1935, at Lafontaine. She died in 1975.
Survivors include two sons, Duane Gilreath, Tulsa, Okla., and Dan Gilreath, Oswego; two daughters, Dorothy Beaudean, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Donna Eichhorn, rural Oswego; a sister, Fern Bailey, Auburn, Calif.; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Murdock Funeral Home, Oswego, with the Rev. Tom Heflin officiating. Burial will be in Oswego Cemetery.
Friends may call after noon Thursday at the funeral home.
Ider Hill
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Ider Bell Hill, 96, Columbus, died at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo., after an illness.
Mrs. Hill was born on May 1, 1900 at Lincoln County, Tenn. She moved to Almena in 1928 and to Columbus in 1986. She was a member of United Methodist Church, Ardmore, Ala.
She married Marion Hill on Oct. 3, 1930, at Almena. He died June 10, 1940. She was proceeded in death by a son.
Surviving is a sister, Nellie Smith, Columbus.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus. The Rev. Marvin Cleveland will officiate. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Farmingdale Cemetery, Almena.
