Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Celestine Whitcomb
Celestine Whitcomb, 77, retired housekeeping supervisor of Hospital District No. 1 of Crawford County, Girard, died Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003.
Survivors include one son, Thurston, Smith, of Topeka; two daughters, Carol Kimbrough and Zoe Anna Buckner, both of the home; one brother, Ronald Smith, of Wichita; three sisters, Annie Works and Lavonia Revell, both of Wichita, and Mary Carver, of Chicago; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are under the direction of Jackson Mortuary.
Goldie A. Townsend
FORT SCOTT - Goldie A. Townsend, 85, of Fort Scott, formerly of Farlington, died at 6:40 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003, at Good Samaritan Center at Olathe. She entered the center in September of 2002.
She was born April 8, 1917, in Crawford County, to William and Lydia Brown Marsh. She attended schools in Crawford County.
She married Hirem E. "Hi" Townsend on June 20, 1936, at Girard. He preceded her in death March 1, 1987.
She and her husband lived at Grimes, Iowa, before returning to Farlington, where they owned and operated Townsend Service Station for 36 years. She also was post mistress of Farlington Post Office from 1951 until her retirement in 1983.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church at Farlington, the Emera Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 427 at Hepler and the Mirza Nobles and Pierian Beta Club at Fort Scott. She also was a member of the Retired Postal Employees and a former member of Business and Professional Women of Girard. She volunteered at Fort Scott Mercy Hospital.
Survivors include two sons, William E. Townsend of Bella Vista, Ark., and James H. Townsend of Olathe; one brother, Robert Marsh of Grimes; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Girard with the Rev. David Chinn and the Rev. Jim Ballenger officiating. Burial will be in Farlington Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home, where friends also may call after noon today. Arrangements are under the direction of Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
Eugene Campion Andersen
LAMAR, Mo. - Eugene Campion Andersen, 73, of Lamar, Mo., died at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003, at his home.
He was born Jan. 11, 1929, at Kenosha, Wis., to Henry and Margaret (Ryan) Andersen.
On Sept. 25, 1948, he married Elsie Louise Winfield at Benet Lake, Wis. She survives of the home.
He moved his family to southwest Missouri from Wisconsin in the 1950s. He farmed in Vernon County for 50 years and was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Lamar.
He served as county president and in other state and district offices in the Farm Bureau; as a 4-H leader; as county president and board member of the Soil Conservation Service, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Lamar Country Club, Citizens for Clean Country Living; Catholic Rural Life and the Farm Alliance Rural Missouri Board. He was an inventor and author of "Tales from the Edge of the Ozarks."
Additional survivors include one son, James Andersen, of Nevada, Mo.; 10 daughters, Lois Hoover, of Wentzville, Mo., Barbara Carver, of Edwardsville, Ill., Nancy Washburn and Diana Forst, both of Lamar, Mary Andersen, of Columbia, Mo., Esther Brockman, of Springfield, Mo., Rebecca Eftink, of Bloomfield, Mo., Caroline Phillips, of Richards, Mo., Teresa Mahnke, of Kansas City, Mo., and Margaret Bond, of Nevada, Mo.; one brother, Donald Andersen, of Venice, Fla.; one sister, Mary Joe Schmidt, of Kenosha; 32 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Frank Andersen, Bart Andersen and Paul Andersen.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Catholic Church with the Rev. James L. Reynolds officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Lamar. The rosary will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Daniel Funeral Home and the family will receive friends following the rosary.
Fred Oplotnik
GIRARD -- Fred Oplotnik, 91, of Girard, died at 9:25 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, 2000, at the Girard District Hospital.
He was born March 29, 1908, at Chicopee, to Lucas and Johanna Erznoznik Oplotnik. He grew up and attended schools at Ringo and Lone Elm.
He married Anna Aubel on July 24, 1933, at Cassville, Mo. She preceded him in death Sept. 29, 1982.
He was a lifelong farmer and stockman in Crawford County.
He was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church of Girard and the Knights of Columbus. He also was a charter member of the Angus Association, a past board member of Craw-Kan Telephone Company and the Crawford County Fair, and former member of the Girard Lion's Club, and the Girard Area Chamber of Commerce.
Survivors include a brother, Joe Oplotnik, of Girard; a sister, Alice Kuhel, of Girard; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, John and Bill Oplotnik; and a sister, Matilda Ritter.
Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael's Church of Girard, with the Rev. Donald Thissen officiating. Burial will be in the Girard Cemetery. The parish rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Monday, followed by the Knights of Columbus rosary, both at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 518 W. St. John, Girard, where the family will receive friends until 8 p.m. Monday. Friends may call after 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Violet W. Elmore
ST. PAUL - Violet W. Elmore, 99, longtime resident of the Erie and Strauss areas, died at 1:45 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village at St. Paul. She was a resident of Arkhaven Nursing Home at Erie for several years before moving to St. Paul.
She was born May 20, 1903, in Indian territory near Woodward, Okla., to Cyrus and Frances Victoria Bolton Wells. As a child, she moved to a farm near Strauss with her family. During World War I, she moved to a farm near Pierceville, where she attended elementary school and high school. Following the war, the family returned to the Strauss area. She was a graduate of Parsons Business College. Following graduation, she worked in Colorado and Burlingame.
She married Harvey O. Elmore on March 14, 1927, at Oswego. The couple lived in the Strauss area, then moved to the East Coast during the Depression. After returning to the area, they lived in Parsons and the Strauss area before moving to the Erie area. Mr. Elmore preceded her in death Feb. 10, 1985.
Mrs. Elmore was a homemaker and a member of Erie Federated Church.
Survivors include two sons, Carl Elmore of Parsons and Gerald Elmore of Wichita; three daughters, Ruth Banzet of Erie, Barbara Standley of Wellington and Phyllis Wheat of Wichita; one sister, Mary Pearce of Parsons; 16 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by four brothers, John Wells, Albert Wells, Gene Wells and Dale Wells; three sisters, Helen Rehmert, Olive Metcalf and Lulu Mae Myers; three grandchildren, Mike Wheat, Danny Elmore and Betty Elmore; and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Erie Federated Church with the Rev. Ralph Jarboe officiating. Burial will be in East Hill Cemetery at Erie. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Erie. Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Erie.
Dorothy N. Clark
COLUMBUS -- Dorothy N. Clark, 78, of Columbus, died at 7:35 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 8, 2000, at the Medicalodge South after an illness.
She was born May 18, 1921, at Phillipsburg, Mo., to Marion and Millie Redd Davis. She was a homemaker and worked as a nurse at Columbus Medicalodge, Maude Norton Hospital, and the former Hillcrest Nursing Home at Columbus.
During World War II, she worked at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant at Parsons.
She married Floyd T. Clark on Feb. 14, 1944. He preceded her in death April 1, 1987.
Survivors include three sons, Floyd D. Clark, of Joplin, and Gary L. Clark and Mark A. Clark, both of Columbus; two daughters, Patricia D. Hall, of Chetopa, and Jackie L. Biggerstaff, of Columbus; and six grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by 14 brothers and sisters.
Grveside services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, in the Baxter Springs Cemetery, with the Rev. Dennis Johnson officiating. Friends may call after 10 a.m. Monday or until noon on Tuesday. Arrangements are under the direction of the Murdock Funeral Home of Columbus.
Lillian Bertolio
COLUMBUS -- Lillian Bertolio, 82, of Columbus, died at 4:17 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, 1999, at the Medicalodge of Columbus after an illness.
She was born Jan. 24, 1916, at Star Valley, to Clyde and Elza Stephens Boyd. She moved to Columbus as an infant. She lived at Columbus all her life, and graduated from Columbus High School in 1933.
She married Tony Bertolio on Sept. 21, 1937. He preceded her in death Oct. 30, 1964. The couple owned and operated a tire store at Columbus for many years.
She was a member of the First Christian Church at Columbus.
Survivors include a son, John Bertolio, of Overland Park; two nephews; 2 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She also was preceded in death by a brother and three sisters.
Graveside services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Park Cemetery, at Columbus, with the Rev. Garland Bohn officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of the Murdock Funeral Home, 132 E. Pine, Columbus.
Charles Edward Hallacy
BONNER SPRINGS -- Charles Edward Hallacy, 52, formerly of Pittsburg, and more recently of Bonner Springs, died at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999 at his home. He had been in ill health for two years.
He was born June 24, 1946 at Troy, N.C. to Edward J. and Louise Selby Hallacy. He lived at Pittsburg from 1948 to 1970. Later, he lived at Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City, Kan., and Independence, Mo. He had lived at Bonner Springs for the past three years. He graduated from College High School in 1963 and attended Pittsburg State University for 3 1/2 years.
He married Mary Ellen Meek on Jan. 28, 1995, at Bonner Springs. She survives of the home.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the Army Reserves. He was a private investigator for the law firm of Sherman-Taff and Bangert at Kansas City, Mo. since 1977. He was a former member of the United Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg, and a member and former vice-president of the Wy-John Men's Bowling Association.
Additional survivors include a son, Cory Hallacy, of Franklin; a foster daughter, Stephanie Hall, of Kansas City, Kan.; his mother, Louise Hallacy, of Pittsburg; two sisters, Mary L. Blackburn, of San Angelo, Texas, and Marty Wood, of Pittsburg.
He was preceded in death by his father, Edward J. Hallacy and a sister, Linda Hallacy.
Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, 522 S. Broadway, with the Rev. Verl Strong officiating. Inurnment will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery at Pittsburg. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home.
Pearl E. 'Peggy' Harlan
Pearl E. "Peggy" Harlan, 86, of 711 S. Chestnut, died at 7:20 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at Mt. Carmel Medical Center. She had been in ill health for several years, and entered the hospital on Tuesday.
She was born Feb. 29, 1912, at Stigler, Okla., to John and Ida Underdown Detamore. She attended schools at Harrison, Ark., and Tahoma, Okla. She moved to Pittsburg in 1934.
She married Charles H. Harlan on Nov. 13, 1936, at Girard. He survives of the home.
She worked for the Crown Drug Store and the Crowell Drug Store for many years, retiring in 1978. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, a former member of the Pittsburg Business and Professional Women, and the AARP.
Additional survivors include a son, Charles R. Harlan, of Houston; and two granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by two brothers and five sisters.
Services will be 2 p.m. Monday at the Brenner Mortuary Chapel, 114 E. Fourth St., with the Rev. Theodore A. Inman, of the First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow in the Highland Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the chapel, where friends may call after 10 a.m. Sunday. Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary.
William P. Brewer
PARSONS -- William P. Brewer, 76, of Parsons, died at 7:25 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7, 2001, at Mt. Carmel Medical Center. He had been in ill health for the past four months, and had been a patient in the hospital for three weeks.
He was born Oct. 22, 1924 at Parsons, to Isom and Mary Maude McCool Brewer. He had been a resident of Parsons his entire life.
Mr. Brewer was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy, and was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Army.
He married Marilyn J. Burt on Jan. 22, 1950, at Thayer. She preceded him in death in March of 1995.
Mr. Brewer and his twin brother, Robert, owned and operated the Parsons IGA grocery store for more than 20 years prior to his retirement.
He was a member of the First Christian Church of Parsons, the Southeast Kansas Audubon Society, Parsons Arboretum, and he served with the Boy Scouts of America at the district level.
Survivors include six sons, Michael Brewer of Decatur, Ill., William P. Brewer II of Parsons, Jeffrey Brewer of Memphis, Gregory Brewer, Joe Brewer, and Bob Edwards, all of Parsons; two daughters, Joan Bogner of Wichita, and Lisa Petro of Ft. Worth, Texas; three brothers, Joe Brewer of Wichita, Jack Brewer of Santa Barbara, Calif., and his twin brother, Robert Brewer of Parsons; five sisters, Marguerite Reynolds and Martha McAtee, both of Parsons, Mary Coad of Auburn, Calif., Ruth Hurd of Davis, Calif., and Donna Lero of St. Paul; 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Parsons Arboretum Visitor Center. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg.
Jack Herbert Garrett
FORT SCOTT -- Jack Herbert Garrett, 71, of Fort Scott, died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2001, at Fort Scott Mercy Hospital.
He was born Oct. 18, 1929, at Broken Arrow, Okla., to Leanard and Minerva Sullivan Garrett. He graduated from Arcadia High School, and lived in Arcadia for 25 years before moving to Fort Scott, where he lived for 45 years. He was employed as an automobile salesman for Shepherd Team Auto Plaza for 37 years.
He married Leona Maxine James on Aug. 26, 1950, at Arcadia.
Mr. Garrett was a member of the Community Christian Church and the Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a son, Jack Wesley Garrett of Springfield, Mo.; two daughters, Sandra Maxine Moore of Golden, Colo., and Tracy Ann Coe of Newman, Ga.; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a bother and three sisters.
Service will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the Community Christian Church of Fort Scott, with the Rev. Leon Weece and the Rev. Kevin Moyers officiating. Burial will be at the Large Cemetery at Fort Scott. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home of Fort Scott.
Henry N. Bennefeld
Henry N. Bennefeld, 81, of Girard, died at 10:39 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002, at Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center. He entered the hospital Monday.
He was born May 7, 1920, southeast of Hepler, to Adolph and Wilhelmine (Martens) Bennefeld. He was baptized at the Immanuel Lutheran Church at rural Hepler on May 30, 1920, and was confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church in Brazilton on May 12, 1935.
Mr. Bennefeld grew up west of Brazilton and then moved to Brazilton and attended the Zion Lutheran Parochial School.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed in Macon, Ga.
Mr. Bennefeld married Ester M. Sweet on May 19, 1945, at Macon. She survives of the home.
The couple lived in Macon before moving southeast of Hepler. They farmed west of Hepler before moving to Girard in 1955. Mr. Bennefeld then worked for Reliable Truck and Tractor in Girard, Ford Tractor in Girard and as a truck driver for the Crawford County Maintenance Department until 1970. He continued to farm and raise cattle.
He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Girard and the Lutheran Layman's League. He was also a life member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Steven Bennefeld Post No. 7479, Veterans of Foreign Wars in Girard.
Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, Randy Bennefeld of Pittsburg; one daughter, Donna Moore of Frontenac; two brothers, Ed Bennefeld and Bill Bennefeld, both of Girard; three sisters, Helen Engel of Brazilton; Anna Kmiec of Walnut; and Margaret Johnston of Kansas City, Kan.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
One son, Steven Bennefeld, remains a prisoner of war missing in action.
Mr. Bennefeld was preceded in death by one daughter, Debra Bennefeld; and three brothers, Alvin Bennefeld, Ralph Bennefeld and Carl Bennefeld.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Trinity Lutheran Church at Girard with the Rev. Mark Wenzelburger officiating. Burial will be in the Zion/ Trinity Lutheran Cemetery at Brazilton with military rites conducted by the Steven Bennefeld Post No. 7479, Veterans of Foreign Wars in Girard. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Girard, where friends may call after 9 a.m. Thursday. Arrangements are under the direction of the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home of Girard.
Frank Joseph Volek
LAWRENCE -- Frank Joseph Volek, 90, died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002, at his home of Lawrence of lung cancer.
He was born Aug. 6, 1911, in Palisade, Colo., to Joze and Raza Volek, immigrants from Slovenia.
He was raised in Ringo, near Girard. He graduated from Girard High School in 1930 and attended Kansas State University and the University of Tulsa, Okla., studying chemical engineering.
He married Alicemary (Dickson) Volek. She survives of the home.
Mr. Volek worked as a refrigeration technician in southeast Kansas and Detroit. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and then worked as an engineer for Fluor Corp. in Kansas City and for Stone and Webster Company in Boston.
He returned to Kansas City in the early 1050s and went to work in private practice as a consulting mechanical engineer.
Mr. Volek retired in 1976 and went to work for the United States Agency for International Development in Panama for several years.
He was active in Scouting through the 1960s and 70s.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Stephen F. Volek of Perry, Mich., and Thomas W. Volek of Lawrence; a daughter, Susan M. Volek of Alexandria, Va.; and two grandchildren.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Highland Park Cemetery in Kansas City, Kan. Arrangements are under the direction of the Butler-Fulton-Nickel Funeral Home of Kansas City, Kan.
