Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
PITTSBURG - Wilma C. Kinsch, 97 of Pittsburg, KS passed away at
6:43pm, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
Wilma was born January 3, 1912 in Oswego, KS to Henry Edward and
Nettie (Morgan) Van Trease.
Her family moved to Pittsburg when she was five years old. She attended
Lakeside Elementary School, Roosevelt Jr. High at 8th and Broadway
and graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1930.
On June 14, 1930, Wilma married
George Aikman. Of that union three
children were born, Duane Edward Aikman, George William Aikman and
Wilma June Aikman. They later divorced in 1950. She married
Ralph T.
Kinsch on June 17, 1961 in Pittsburg, KS. He preceded her in death on
December 8, 1982.
Wilma worked at the KSTC, now PSU for 9 years in the cafeteria, retiring
in 1961.
Wilma was a member of Countryside Christian Church. She joined the
church in 1967 when it had been in existence for 10 months, and was
active in helping in the building of the church. She was also a member of
the AARP.
Survivors include her daughter, June Vanderpool and husband George,
who provided for her care. Two daughters-in-law Judy Aikman of
Pittsburg and Carol Aikman of Prescott, AZ; five grandchildren Steven
Vanderpool and wife Tina, who helped to provide for her care, Troy
Aikman, Shelly Aikman, Bill Aikman, Tina Gilbert along with 14
great-grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren and one niece Betty
L. Briggs Green.
Wilma was preceded in death by her parents, two sons Duane and
George Aikman, granddaughter Penny Vanderpool Beasley Burrous,
brother Rolla Cook; three sisters Beulah Briggs, Juanita Ladd and Zelma
Winn; one brother and sister who died in infancy.
Funeral services will be 10:00am, Saturday, June 20, 2009 at
Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, 522 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, KS with Rev. BA
Austin officiating. Burial will follow in Crocker Cemtery in rural Pittsburg.
The family will receive friends from 7-8pm on Friday at the funeral home.
Friends many call the funeral home after 4pm. E-mail condolences may
be left at our website www.bathnaylor.com. The family suggests
expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorials to the Countryside
Christian Church Memorial Fund, Gideon's International, Campus
Christian Building Fund and the Family Resource Center Building Fund.
Memorials may be left at or mailed to the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home.
PITTSBURG, KS – David Francis Sopata, 43, of Pittsburg, died
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at his home.
He was born August 9, 1965 in Passaic, New Jersey and had been a
resident of Pittsburg for 10 years.
David served his country in Iraq with the US Navy and is a disabled war
veteran since his discharge from the service.
Membership was held in the Meadowside Baptist Church in Pittsburg.
Survivors include his mother and step father Barbara and Joe Adams of
Pittsburg; his father Carl Sopata of Pittsburg; two brothers John Sopata
of New York State and Dan Sopata of Pittsburg; two nieces Ashley
Sopata and Hanna Sopata and one nephew Christopher Sopata.
Memorial services will be 2 pm Tuesday at the Meadowside Baptist
Church with Rev. Don Alexander, officiating. Inurnment will be in the
Highland ParkCemeteryin Pittsburg. Flag folding ceremonies, at the
graveside will be conducted by the Benjamin Fuller American Legion Post
#64 of Pittsburg. Taps is by Owen Dunlap. The family will receive their
friends from 2 to 4 pm Monday at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home &
Crematory, 522 S. Broadway in Pittsburg, KS.
PITTSBURG - Jessie M. Hellwig, 89 of Pittsburg, KS died at 6:20am,
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in
Pittsburg, KS.
Private services will take place at a later date. Arrangements are under
the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg.
PITTSBURG — Peyton Michael Harris, infant child of Michael Kevin and
Kurstie Elaine (Bland) Harris died on June 14, 2009.
He was born May 14, 2009 in Pittsburg.
Other survivors include paternal grandparents Chris and Patricia Bell of
Pittsburg; maternal grandparents: Natalie Fuller-Rose of Pittsburg, Jerry
Bland, Sr. and his wife Zolene of Iola, KS; paternal great grandparents:
Thelma Williams of Mindenmines, MO, Raymond Greenwood of
Mindenmines, Stella Bell of Frontenac and David and Cynthia
Cheesebrough of Joplin, MO and George and Nelda Bass of Parsons,
KS; maternal great grandparents Orva and Virginia Bland of Iola, KS,
Frank and Jan Fuller of Iola, KS, Earl and Sheila Forman of Bailey, CO;
paternal great great grandmother: Martha Keys of Mindenmines.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather Jessie Rose, great
grandfather Jack Bell, 2 maternal uncles: Sonny Bland and Levi Bland;
great great grandfather Damon Stevens and 2 paternal cousins: Heather
Bright and Richard Fisher.
Graveside services will be 10 am Friday June 19, 2009 at the Crocker
Cemetery with Rev. Daryl Gaddy officiating. Burial will follow. Friends
and family will meet at thecemeteryfor the services. Family will receive
friends following the services at the Lighthouse Tabernacle for a light
luncheon. Memorials may be made to help with final expenses; these
may be left at Bath-Naylor Funeral home 522 S. Broadway Pittsburg, KS
66762.
CHEROKEE - Wanda Marie Rice, 68, of Cherokee, KS died 4:59am
Saturday, June 13, 2009 at St. John's Regional Medical Center following
a short illness.
Wanda was born July 3, 1940 in rural Columbus, KS to Leslie and
Raydell (DeWitt) Hamblin. She grew up in Weir, KS and attended area
schools graduating in 1958. She later moved to Kansas City for a while
before moving to Michigan to raise her kids from 1966-1978, before
finally moving back to the area. In September of 1958 she married
James Young; they later divorced. In December of 1981 she married
Charles A. "Blackie" Rice in Pittsburg, KS; he survives at the home.
Wanda was a homemaker. She was of Christian faith. She loved to sew,
crochet, camp, fish, and most of all her kids and grandkids who she
helped raise. She was known by her grandkids as Nana.
Survivors include her husband Blackie of the home; children Bob Young
of Shelbyville, KY, Craig Rice of Fort Scott, KS, Theresa Hill, Karen
Jameson and Barb Young all of Cherokee, KS; siblings Raymond
Hamblin of Franklin, KS, Walter "Deanie" Hamblin of Weir, KS, Bob
Hamblin of Wichita, KS, Mary Mangan of Gridley, KS; grandchildren
Jamie, Sarah, Jerad, Andi, Casey, Brandon, Chay, Jason, Autumn, Devin
and Kinley; and great-grandson Brice.
She was preceded in death by her parents and son Kelly Rice.
Memorial services will be 10am Wed., June 17, 2009 at the Bath-Naylor
Funeral Home in Weir, KS with Rev. Jamie Tickel officiating. Burial will
follow at Hosey HillCemeteryin Weir, KS. Family will receive friends prior
to the service. In lieu of flowers the family ask expressions of sympathy
be in the form of memorials to the First Baptist Church in Cherokee, KS.
Friends may drop off or mail memorials to Bath-Naylor Funeral Home 104
W. Main St., Weir, KS 66781. E-mail condolences may be left at
www.bathnaylor.com. Arrangements are by Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of
Weir, KS.
Carol Elaine Jemison, 61, of Pittsburg, KS passed away at 9:10 a.m.
Saturday, June 13, 2009 at Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center, after
a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
She was born February 27, 1948 in Topeka, KS the daughter of Everett
and Dorothy (Skalla) Krouse.
She was raised in Wichita, KS and graduated from Southeast High
School.
On November 22, 1963, Carol met her future husband, John A. Jemison,
on a blind date. They were united in marriage on February 18, 1967.
She graduated from Pittsburg State University with a B.S. in Education in
1971.
For 42 years, Carol resided in Pittsburg, building a home, a family and a
life together with John. She was a full-time mother, but worked on and off
part-time, over the years, for several local businesses. Her passion was
for helping and giving to others and her career choices allowed her to do
both. She was a long-time paper carrier for the Morning Sun, and
received the honor of “Paper Carrier of the Year”; she delivered flowers
for Hornback’s Posey Shop; she was the original/manager of the Sears
Dealer Store in Pittsburg; she managed the sales and installation of
fencing for Tri-State Building and Supply, and most recently was a
salesperson at Famous Barr in Joplin.
She was one of the original founders of the annual Community
Thanksgiving Dinner at St. John Lutheran Church. She also served as a
Girl Scout leader for 6 years and provided assistance to elderly residents
at the Knights of Columbus Towers.
She was a long-time and active member of South Broadway Baptist
Church of Pittsburg. She loved singing in the praise choir and served on
many committees over the years.
She had a giving spirit which was evident to all that knew her. Her love
and concern for others spilled over into everything that she did. She
enjoyed her adventurous travels with her husband, family and close
friends with included mountain climbing in Colorado, several cruises,
numerous trips to San Antonio and to Disney World. She was extremely
creative and enjoyed hobbies such as pottery, painting, sewing, baking,
stamping and card making. She owned and managed two executive
rental properties which she designed and decorated with furnishings and
treasures she found at local auctions, which was one of her favorite
pastimes.
Carol was a beloved wife and mother, treasured Nana and cherished
friend. She is survived by her husband John, of the home; daughter
Michelle (Jemison) Coulter Morrell and son-in-law Brian of Pittsburg and
their children, Caleb and Devon Coulter and Kody Morrell; son, John B.
Jemison and daughter-in-law Barbara, of Pittsburg and their children,
Samantha Blanchard and Alexander and Mollie Jemison; her parents
Everett and Dorothy Krouse of Pittsburg. She was preceded in death her
sister, Janet Krouse-Saylor. Carol also loved and will be missed by many
cousins, in-laws, and numerous friends.
The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. Thursday June 18, 2009 at
the South Broadway Baptist Church in Pittsburg. Funeral services will
follow the visitation at 11:30 a.m. also at the church; services will be
conducted by long-time friend Pastor Joel Hahn. Burial will follow in the
CrockerCemeterysoutheast of Pittsburg. Friends may call at the Bath-
Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg after noon on Wednesday. Pallbearers
for the service will be: Mark Paul, Brian Morrell, Caleb Coulter, John
Fleske, Gary Bell and Alexander Jemison. Condolences can be sent to
www.bathnaylor.com Memorial contribution in lieu of flowers can be
made to the South Broadway Baptist Church choir fund or to the St. John
Lutheran church Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Memorials may be
brought by or mailed to the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home 522 S. Broadway
Pittsburg, KS 66762.
