Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Marsha Jean Anderson
Marsha Jean Anderson, 53, Salina, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mrs. Anderson was born June 24, 1951, in Russell, the daughter of Roy Alva and Montez Robert (Taylor) Matney. She attended school in Russell and was working as a personnel manager at Target in Salina. She married Richard Anderson on July 3, 1982, in Morrison, Colo.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, in 1993; and two brothers, Leroy and Robert Dwayne Matney.
Survivors include a daughter, Hayley Gfeller of Salina; a son, Heath Gfeller of Fresno, Calif.; three sisters, Dorothy Stielow and husband Sherwin of Russell, JoAnn Fritts and husband Dale of Wichita, and Betty Fenton and husband Richard of Denver; three brothers, Jerry Matney and wife Rae of Abilene, and Richard Matney and Kenneth Matney and wife Cathy, all of Salina; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Carlson-Ford-Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio, Salina 67401. Inurnment will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Russell Cemetery, Russell.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Salina, 139 N. Penn, Salina 67401, or the American Cancer Society, 1315 S.W. Arrowhead, Topeka 66604.
There will be no visitation. The body was cremated.
Fern N. Bentz
Fern N. Bentz, 79, Salina, died Friday, March 11, 2005.
Mrs. Bentz was born Fern Nadine McGuire on June 8, 1925, in Florence, Colo. She worked as a registered nurse at Asbury Hospital and Mowery Clinic.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Robert L. Wilson, in 1968; and her second husband, Clarence Bentz, in 2000.
Survivors include a daughter, Sheila Beemer and husband Von of Abilene; a son, Mike Wilson and wife Rebecca of Lincoln, Neb.; five grandchildren, Chris Beemer, Mark Beemer and wife Stephanie, and Heather, Kate and Mary Wilson; and a great-grandchild, Cadence Beemer.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Salina, the Rev. Charles Adams officiating. Inurnment will be in Roselawn Memorial Park, Salina.
Memorials may be made to the church or Hospice of Salina.
There will be no visitation. The body was cremated.
Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401, is handling arrangements.
Minnie A. Carney
COLBY — Minnie A. Carney, 87, Colby, died Sunday, March 13, 2005.
Harrison Chapel, Colby, is handling arrangements.
John W. Conness
WaKEENEY — John W. Conness, 75, WaKeeney, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mr. Conness was born Oct. 23, 1929, in Hays. He was a farmer and stockman.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen, of the home; a son, Mark of WaKeeney; a daughter, Michele Tillett of Salina; two brothers, Walter and Robert, both of WaKeeney; and two grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Christ the King Catholic Church, WaKeeney. Burial will be in Kansas Veterans Cemetery, WaKeeney, with military rites by Fort Riley Color Guard.
A wake will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 N. 12th, WaKeeney 67672.
Memorials may be made for Masses and to Trego Lemke Memorial Hospital Long Term Care or Christ the King Catholic Church Cemetery, in care of the funeral home.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Ilis (Clore) Davis
TOPEKA — Ilis (Clore) Davis, 73, Topeka, formerly of Herington, died March 1, 2005.
Mrs. Davis was born Oct. 11, 1931, in Winfield. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Dillie, of the home; two daughters, Colleen DeTommaso of El Dorado and Sherry Williams of Andover; a son, Roger Clore of Park City; a sister, Doris Travis of Salina; two brothers, Marlin Wilson of Forest Hill, Calif., and Robert Falls; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A private graveside service was held at Clarks Creek Cemetery, rural Latimer.
Memorials may be made to the Heart of America Hospice in Topeka, in care of Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home, 404 S. Broadway, Herington 67449.
Ileene George
COLBY — Ileene George, 89, Colby, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mrs. George was born Sept. 25, 1915, in Clay County. She was a homemaker.
Her husband, Earl, died in 1997.
Survivors include a son, Robert of Aiea, Hawaii; a daughter, Barbara Hansen of Wichita; a sister, Nadine McKale of Longford; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
The funeral will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Longford Bethel United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Keystone Cemetery, Longford.
Memorials may be made to the church, in care of Kersenbrock Funeral Chapel, 745 S. Country Club, Colby 67701.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral chapel.
Anna Mae Greene
Anna Mae Greene, 57, Salina, died Thursday, March 10, 2005.
Mrs. Greene was born Anna Mae Gans on Sept. 30, 1947, in Salina. She worked as a certified travel consultant for 32 years. She was a world traveler and had visited around the globe, including Rome, Africa, Cancun, Las Vegas and Alaska. She was an avid Kansas State University fan and coordinated and escorted charters to Wildcat football bowl games. The area surrounding Salina, where she grew up, was her favorite place.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Kathryn Hickman Gans.
Survivors include her husband, Dennis, of Salina; two sons, Chuck Kipp and wife Julie of Manhattan and Travis Greene and girlfriend Michelle Kalas of Salina; two daughters, Tiffany Greene and fiance Jeromy Benien and Tennille Greene, all of Salina; her father, Willis Gans Sr., of Niles; a brother, Bill Gans and wife Joyce of New Cambria; a sister, Cindy Heina and husband Dan of Lincoln; and four grandchildren, Kaylee, Garrett, Hannah and Ryker.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401, the Rev. Harry Tysen officiating. Burial will be in Greenview Cemetery, Niles.
Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. today at the mortuary.
Minnie F. Klein
LUCAS — Minnie F. Klein, 93, Lucas, died Friday, March 11, 2005.
Miss Klein was born Nov. 14, 1911, in Lucas. She was a secretary.
Survivors include a brother, Jake Klein of Centralia, Ill.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Rodrick & Minear Chapel, Sylvan Grove. Burial will be in Sylvan Grove Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Beverly Health Care Center, Lucas.
Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Robert D. Paget
WALDO — Robert D. Paget, 69, Waldo, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mr. Paget was born June 16, 1935, in Hays. He was a farmer and stockman.
Survivors include his wife, Sue, of the home; a daughter, Cathy Paget of Hutchinson; a son, Bill of Waldo; and two grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Waldo United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Grand Center Cemetery, Waldo.
Memorials may be made to the church or the Shriner’s hospitals, in care of Pohlman-Heise Mortuary, 610 N. Maple, Russell 67665.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today at the mortuary, where the family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m.
Margaret Lucille Smedley
AGRA — Margaret Lucille Smedley, 88, formerly of Agra, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mrs. Smedley was born Margaret Lucille Dragoo on April 19, 1916, in Osborne. She was a retired teacher.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melbern, in 1995; and a son John in 1953.
Survivors include six daughters, Abbie Fenton of Westlake Village, Calif., Anitra Breit of Walla Walla, Wash., Thais Wiener of Weaverville, N.C., Kathleen LeFebre of Socorro, N.M., Janet Smedley of Ogden, Utah, and Margaret Rose of Pell City, Ala.; three sisters, Catherine Billings of Lincoln, Neb., Louise Sinclair of Middlebourne, W.Va., and Ruth Cloud of Salina; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, 1115 Second, Phillipsburg 67661. Burial will be in Agra Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Howard Lee Taylor
HOXIE — Howard Lee Taylor, 77, Hoxie, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mr. Taylor was born Aug. 25, 1927, in Hoxie. He was retired from the wholesale grocery business.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret, of the home; a son, Howard Jr. of Eden Prairie, Minn.; two daughters, Paula Carver and Linda Mask, both of Hoxie; a brother, Wayne of Hoxie; a sister, Maxine Meis of Salina; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Mickey-Leopold Chapel, 1024 Sheridan, Hoxie 67740. Burial will be in Plainville Cemetery, with military rites conducted by Fort Riley.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Services of Phillipsburg.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Don M. Thomas
Don M. Thomas, 77, Salina, died Saturday, March 12, 2005.
Mr. Thomas was born Sept. 26, 1927, in Hammond, Ind. He was a graduate of Purdue University. An electrical engineer, he was in a top-secret countermeasure outfit at Fort Monmouth, N.J., and served as a countermeasure specialist in Korea. He worked for Indiana and Michigan Electric Co., was a consultant to the steel industry and was head of public works in Indiana. He finished his career in sales to electric utilities and telephone companies, retiring in 1991. He gave a seminar at MIT on high-speed photography and presented various papers to engineering groups. He was a member of the Isis Shrine Temple Patrol Unit, Trinity United Methodist Church and the Salina Country Club.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy, of the home; two sons, Jeffrey of Lawrence and Mark of Elk Grove, Calif.; a daughter, Vicki Teter of Hutchinson; a brother, Dale of Lockport, Ill.; and two grandchildren, Blaine Teter of Hutchinson and Cassandra Thomas of Elk Grove, Calif.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 901 E. Neal, Salina, Pastor Andrew Gardner officiating. Burial will be in Gypsum Hill Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the church or Isis Shrine Temple.
Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. today at Roselawn Heights Memorial Chapel, 1920 E. Crawford, Salina 67401, where the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Gene Barclay Bellairs
OGALLAH — Gene Barclay Bellairs, 74, Ogallah, died Saturday, March 26, 2005.
Mr. Bellairs was born May 28, 1930, in Trego County. He owned and drove trucks, retiring in 1993.
Survivors include his wife, Eileen, of the home; a son, Steven of Red Oak, Texas; a daughter, Jackie DeWitt of Morrison, Colo.; two brothers, Duane of Little Rock, Ark., and Robert of Tampa, Fla.; and six grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Christ the King Catholic Church, WaKeeney. Burial will be in Ogallah City Cemetery, with full military rites by the Fort Riley Color Guard.
Memorials may be made for Masses, to the church parking lot fund or Trego County Home Health, in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 N. 12th, WaKeeney 67672.
A wake will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary.
Harold H. Bender
RUSSELL — Harold H. Bender, 91, Russell, died Sunday, March 27, 2005.
Pohlman-Heise Mortuary, Russell, is handling arrangements.
Jimmie Allen Duncan
PAOLA — Jimmie Allen Duncan, 81, Paola, died Wednesday, March 23, 2005.
Mr. Duncan was born Feb. 12, 1924, in Fort Scott. He was a clerk for the Frisco Railroad for more than 30 years, retiring in 1974.
His wife, Marie Frances, died in 1992.
Survivors include four sons, Myrl of Topeka, Dale of Kansas City, Mo., Keith of Tuttle, Okla., and Brian of Salina; a brother, Gerald of Lake Kahola; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. today at First Christian Church, Paola. Burial will be in Hillsdale Cemetery, Hillsdale.
Memorials may be made to Paola Sunrise Lions Club or Paola Senior Center, in care of Wilson & Son Funeral Home, 305 N. Pearl, Paola 66071.
Erma I. Holt
OBERLIN — Erma I. Holt, 87, Oberlin, died Saturday, March 26, 2005.
Pauls Funeral Home, Oberlin, is handling arrangements.
Vernon “Ray” Huffman
St. FRANCIS — Vernon “Ray” Huffman, 82, St. Francis, died Saturday, March 26, 2005.
Mr. Huffman was born Sept. 24, 1922, in Mitchell County. He was a retired teacher and coach.
Survivors include his wife, Rachel, of St. Francis; and a sister, Erma Campbell of Beloit.
Memorials may be made to St. Francis High School Scholarship Fund, Cheyenne County Hospital or the United Methodist Church, all at St. Francis.
Knodel Funeral Home, 202 S. Benton, St. Francis 67756, is handling arrangements.
Eldon W. Knak
HILLSBORO — Eldon W. Knak, 83, Hillsboro, died Saturday, March 26, 2005.
Mr. Knak was born March 13, 1922, in Hillsboro. He was a farmer and machinist.
He was preceded in death by an infant son, Steven R.
Survivors include his wife, Hilda, of the home; six sons, Michael D. of Hillsboro, Ronny L. of Wichita, Don E. of Florence, Glenn D. of Salina, Larry A. of Thomason Town, Pa., and Roger D. of Russell; a daughter, Clerice A. Warkentin of Hillsboro; a sister, Lois Koehn-Wells of California; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Mennonite Church, Hillsboro. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Haven of Rest Cemetery, rural Hillsboro.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the church or American Heart Association, in care of Jost Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington, Hillsboro 67063.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary.
