Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Gertrude A. Kreger
Gertrude A. Kreger, 91, a resident of the Parsons Presbyterian Manor, died there at 7:22 a.m. Saturday, July 19, 2003. She had been in failing health for several months.
She was born May 7, 1912, in Cherokee, the first of eight children of Alfred and Eva (Wilkinson) Gore. She graduated from high school in Cherokee.
She married George L. Birdsell of Cherokee on Sept. 14, 1929. They were divorced.
During World War II, she worked at the Kansas Ordnance Plant in Parsons, rising to the level of supervisor. After the war she moved to Parsons and was employed at the Montgomery Ward store.
She married Odell Kreger of Parsons on Aug. 3, 1946. They became pioneers in the Dairy Queen business from 1952 to 1971 as owner/operators of the first stores in Atlanta, and Jacksonville, Fla. In 1971, they retired and returned to Parsons. From 1975 to 1978 they managed Belmont Towers in Parsons. He preceded her in death on June 21, 1999.
She was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church. She was active in quilting groups and loved fishing and golfing.
Survivors include five grandchildren, Robert Vaughan Montague of Navarre, Fla., William Kenton Montague of Crystal Lake, Ill., Patrick Odell Montague of Warsaw, Poland, Kathleen Montague Coleman of Fort Worth and Cynthia Lynn Montague of Orange, Texas; four great-grandchildren, Wesley Odell Coleman of Fort Worth, Micah Vaughan Montague of Navarre, Martha Ann Montague of Navarre and Mindy Lou Montague of Chicago; one brother, Louis E. Thompson of Branson, Mo.; and two sisters, Delphine A. Sheme of Bremerton, Wash., and Katherine Drenik of Frontenac.
She was preceded in death by her only daughter, Bobbie Lou Montague, on March 15, 1995, and several brothers and sisters.
The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons with the Rev. Peggy Hillmon officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight at the funeral home in Parsons.
Memorials may be made to the Wesley United Methodist Church.
Velma Kuntz
Velma Kuntz, 92, a resident of Elmhaven East nursing home, died there at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, 2003. She had been in failing health.
She was born Sept. 13, 1910, in Thayer to Ray M. and Mary M. (Harms) Adams. She grew up in the rural Thayer area and graduated from high school there. She also attended business college in Parsons.
She married George L. Kuntz of Thayer on Dec. 31, 1929. They lived in Parsons many years and in the late 1970s moved to Bella Vista, Ark. They lived in Bella Vista about 20 years before returning to Parsons in 1997. He preceded her in death on Dec. 14, 2000.
She was employed many years at Newfield Jewelry Store in Parsons, where she worked as bookkeeper and repaired watches.
She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Parsons and in past years was active in the former First United Methodist Church in Parsons and its United Methodist Women's groups. She and her husband traveled extensively and were active in camping groups.
Survivors are a sister, Ortha Elrod of Parsons; three nieces, Melba Knight and Agnes Jones, both of Parsons, and Carolyn Reece of Leavenworth; and two nephews, Darold Elrod of Chanute and Duane Elrod of Erie.
The service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons with the Rev. Paul Hett officiating. Burial will be in Thayer Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to either St. John's Hospice or Wesley United Methodist Church.
Jean Lambert
Jean Lambert, 81, a longtime resident of Parsons, died at 12:33 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2004, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin. She had been in failing health for several years.
She was born Sept. 16, 1922, on the family farm northeast of McCune to M.S. "Mike" and Grace M. (Cox) Freeberg.
She graduated from McCune Rural High School in 1940. She worked on the family farm. She attended Girard High School as a post-graduate in normal training to obtain a teaching certificate. She taught in rural schools in the McCune and Girard areas for five years. She moved to Perry, Okla., where she lived for two years before moving to Norfolk, Va., for a short time. In 1952, she came to Parsons with her father. She was employed by several Parsons businesses including Kansas Ordnance Plant, Beatrice Foods, Parsons Ford Tractor Co., Abshier Real Estate and Insurance Agency for 13 years; Parsons State Hospital and Training Center for seven years, and Labette County Chapter March of Dimes for two years, retiring in 1986.
She was a member of Faith United Methodist Church and AARP.
There are no immediate survivors.
She was preceded in death by an infant brother, Andrew Charles, and a brother, Roscoe Morris, on Sept. 19, 1950, at the age of 32.
The service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home with the Rev. Deborah Hanes-Nelson officiating. Burial will be in Girard Cemetery. Friends may call at their convenience at the funeral home.
Memorials to Operation Bright Touch may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, 405 Main.
Richard S. 'Dick' Larsen
SANDY, Utah - Richard S. "Dick" Larsen, 85, died Saturday, June 28, 2003, in Sandy, Utah.
He was born Aug. 17, 1917, in Parsons to Herman Carl and Genevieve (Shoff) Larsen.
He married Gladys Lucille Witt of Sherman on Feb. 18, 1940.
During World War II he served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Engineering Corps in both the European and Pacific Theaters. He moved to Kearns, Utah, in 1962 to work at the Bacchus-Hercules plant for the Department of the Navy, where he performed final inspections on missiles. He retired from the Department of the Navy on Aug. 26, 1977.
After retiring he enjoyed fishing, gardening and traveling. He worked at the food bank in Kearns and donated produce to friends and the needy.
Survivors include his children, Richard E. Larsen of Sandy and Janet Schieving of West Bountiful, Utah; seven grandchildren; two brothers, Melvin and Kenneth; and three sisters, Betty Forman, Maxine Gaiser and Mary Ferguson.
He was preceded in death by his wife; three sisters, Pauline Cottengim, Nellie Larsen and Dorothy Clevenger; and three brothers, Eugene Morton, Charles Larsen and Donald Larsen.
The service was today at the St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Sandy. Burial was in the Redwood Memorial Estates.
Donald Letterman
FREDONIA - Donald Letterman, 71, of rural Fredonia died Wednesday, March 17, 2004, at Veterans Hospital in Wichita.
He was born Jan. 3, 1933, in Fredonia to Estel and Hazel (Armstrong) Letterman.
He married Shirley Hallbauer in 1954. She survives of the home.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was retired from Archer Daniels Midland Co., where he worked for more than 17 years. He had also worked for the city of Fredonia for 15 years.
He was a life member of the V.F.W. in Fredonia.
Other survivors include two sons, Danny Letterman and Jack Letterman, both of Fredonia; three daughters, Debra Kukovich of Fredonia, Cathy Wilcox of Neodesha and Christina McClenning of Parsons; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Rex Letterman of Chanute and Larry Letterman of Fremont, Neb.; and a sister, Mary Letterman of Fredonia.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Peggy McGaugh.
A graveside service was today at Fredonia City Cemetery with Elder John Cohee officiating. Military rites were given by V.F.W. posts No. 3018 and No. 5962.
Timmons Funeral Home of Fredonia was in charge of arrangements.
Douglas G. Lloyd Jr.
HUTCHINSON - Douglas G. Lloyd Jr., 30, of Hutchinson died Wednesday, June 16, 2004, of leukemia. He was diagnosed Dec. 5, 2003.
He was born Jan. 13, 1974, in Sterling, Ill., to Douglas George and Nancy Lynn (Wilcox) Lloyd. He graduated from Girard High School in 1992.
He studied fire science at Labette Community College in Parsons, Garden City Community College in Garden City, Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson and KU Fire Service Training in Lawrence. He attended the National Fire Academy in Emmittsburg, Md., and the Texas A&M Fire School for aircraft crash and rescue certification.
While in high school at the age of 17 he was certified as a Kansas and national recognized EMT.
He was a cadet firefighter at the age of 15 and a regular volunteer firefighter/part-time driver for Girard Fire Department at age 18. He had worked as a police reserve officer in Girard, an EMT for Crawford County EMS/Rescue, firefighter-EMT for Parsons and Cherryvale fire departments. a fire lieutenant for Garden City Fire Department and a part-time deputy sheriff for the Finney County Sheriff's Posse.
He was currently working at Hutchinson Fire Department as a fire fighter-EMT and a volunteer firefighter-EMT for Reno County Fire District 8.
He was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in South Hutchinson.
Survivors include his parents, Douglas Lloyd Sr. and Nancy of La Cygne; one sister, Jennifer Moore of La Cygne; and his paternal grandparents, George and Lily Lloyd of Rock Falls, Ill.
He was preceded in death by a sister at birth and his maternal grandparents, Walter and Edith Wilcox.
The service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Hutchinson with the Rev. Stuart M. Smeltzer officiating. The parish rosary will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Elliott Mortuary Chapel in Hutchinson, where the family will receive friends afterward. Friends may call after noon Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date in Girard Cemetery.
Memorials to Douglas G. Lloyd Jr. Fire Science Education Fund may be left at the funeral home in Hutchinson.
Douglas Lloyd services
The service for Douglas G. Lloyd Jr., who died Wednesday, June 16, 2004, in Hutchinson, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Hutchinson with the Rev. Stuart M. Smeltzer officiating. The rosary will be at 7 p.m. today at Elliott's Funeral Home in Hutchinson, where the family will receive friends afterward.
Another service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Girard, with the Rev. Donald R. Thissen officiating. Burial will be in Girard Cemetery. A rosary will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Girard, where the family will receive friends afterward. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home in Girard. The family will be at the home of Dustin and Christy Johnson in Girard.
Josephine Lollar
JOPLIN - Josephine (Greenstreet) Lollar, 90, of Joplin died Sunday, June 13, 2004, at her home.
She was born April 19, 1914, in Shell Knob, Mo., to Medford and Carrie (Cooper) Greenstreet. She lived in Mound Valley, Independence, Wichita and Augusta before moving to Joplin.
She was preceded in death by five sisters; five brothers; a daughter, Jeannie Ewert; and a son, Jackie Lollar.
She is survived by a brother, Howard O. Greenstreet of Joplin.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Edna City Cemetery at Edna with the Rev. Ron Hymer officiating. Memorials are suggested to Community Hospice of America, in care of Parker Mortuary.
Ralph W. Long
OSWEGO - Ralph W. Long, 94, of Oswego died Tuesday, March 16, 2004, in Infinia nursing home.
He was born July 24, 1909, in Ramona, Okla., to Walter and Martha (Holstin) Long. He attended school in Oklahoma.
He owned and operated the Case Implement dealership in Columbus for a number of years. He also owned the Strauss Implement Co. in Strauss and Long Equipment Co. in McCune.
He farmed in Cherokee, Crawford and Labette counties.
Survivors include one son, Larry Long of McCune; two daughters, Corrine O'Neal of Junction City and Betty Schieneberg of Indianapolis; seven grandchildren; 32 step-grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 11 stepgreat-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four stepgreat-great-grandchildren; and one brother, Lloyd Long of Whittier, Calif.
A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Sherman City Cemetery in Sherman City with the Rev. Lloyd Davolt officiating. Friends may sign the memorial book today and Friday morning at Murdock Funeral Home in Oswego.
Howard Love
Howard Love, 87, a resident of Good Samaritan Center in Parsons, died there at 5:10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, 2003, after a lengthy period of failing health.
Among his survivors are his son, Harvey Love, and his daughter, Judith Babcock.
The service is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday. Further obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
Roy A. Lowmaster
EL DORADO - Roy A. Lowmaster, 93, of El Dorado died Saturday, March 27, 2004, at Lakepoint Nursing Center in El Dorado.
He was born March 10, 1911, in Greenfield, Mo., to Clarence Ward and Minnie Isis (Bailey) Lowmaster.
He was a retired oil field driller, working for Saco Oil Co. in El Dorado for 37 years. He lived for a time in Altamont.
He was a member of Prospect Baptist Church, National Horseshoe Association and National Campers and Hikers Association.
He married Vera Grace Leonard on June 14, 1932, in Girard. She preceded him in death on July 26, 1987.
Survivors include two sons, Milton L. Lowmaster of Independence and Darrel Lowmaster of El Dorado; four daughters, Minnie Hines of Phoenix, Thelma Scheidegger of El Dorado, Margaret Hines of San Diego, and Diana Liggett of Helena, Mont.; 32 grandchildren; 65 great-grandchildren; 13 great-great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Jesse Lowmaster of Erie and Merle Lowmaster of Austin.
He was preceded in death by both wives; two sons, Roy Jr. and Wayne; two brothers; two sisters; and a grandson, Gale Roy Lowmaster.
A graveside service will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Urbana Cemetery in Urbana.
Memorials to Hospice Care of Kansas may be left at Carlson Funeral Home of El Dorado.
