Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Leora Pelton
NEWTON - Leora Pelton, 97, died Feb. 5, 2000, at Presbyterian Manor, Newton.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Petersen Funeral Home, Newton.
Lola M. Kreis
LYONS - Lola M. Kreis, 78, died Feb. 6, 2000, at Lyons District Hospital.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Sillin Funeral Home, Lyons.
Randall `Randy' Forester
HUGOTON - Randall "Randy" Forester, 40, died Feb. 5, 2000, at his home.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Grant County Funeral Home, Ulysses.
Bertha B. Smith
MOUNDRIDGE - Bertha B. Smith, 80, died Jan. 29, 2000, at Moundridge Manor Inc.
She was born Feb. 25, 1919, at Fairview, Okla., the daughter of Edward B. and Ida B. Kahn Koehn. She lived in Isabella, Okla.; Cucushtemor, Chihuahua, Mexico; Campo and Gattillo, Coahuila, Mexico; Galva, Moundridge, Halstead, Burns and Newton, before moving back to Moundridge. She helped mothers with their newborn babies and worked as a cook at Bethel Deaconess Hospital, Newton, for 20 years.
On Nov. 30, 1952, she married
Ike Smith at Galva. He died Aug. 21, 1979.
Survivors include: two stepsons, Jake, Walnut Hill, Fla., and Ellis, Burns; a brother, Henry Koehn, Okolona, Miss.; seven sisters, Pauline Jantzen, Glenn, Calif., Esther Unruh and Hanna Koehn, both of Moundridge, Sadie Braun, Livingston, Ga., Maggie Base, Huma, Mo., Marie Penner, Isabella, Okla., and Eva Smith, Nevada, Mo.; eight grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Walter Koehn.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Grace Mennonite Church, Halstead, with Dean Becker, Kenneth Smith, Stanley Wiggers, and Raleigh Koehn officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Petersen Funeral Home, Newton. Burial will be in the Halstead Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to Moundridge Manor or Central Homecare & Hospice, in care of the funeral home.
Sylvesta A. `Peggy' Werner
DODGE CITY - Sylvesta A. "Peggy" Werner, 91, died Jan. 31, 2000, at Western Plains Regional Hospital, Dodge City.
She was born Jan. 24, 1909, at Silica, the daughter of Frank J. and Margaret Arensdorf Andra. She attended schools at Ellinwood. A Dodge City resident since 1978, formerly of Wichita, Garden City, Garfield and the Kinsley area, she was a homemaker and worked in the school-lunch programs at Wichita.
She belonged to Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Altar Society, Daughters of Isabella and the Dodge City Senior Center, all at Dodge City, and the RSVP and AARP.
On May 1, 1929, she married
Norbert A. Werner at Ellinwood. He died in 1977.
Survivors include: four sons, Russell, Santa Ynez, Calif., Rolland, Kenneth and Richard, all of Dodge City; two daughters, Mary Burke and Rebecca Werner, both of Littleton, Colo.; 17 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Adell Werner Stein; three sisters and two brothers.
Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 4 p.m. today, with a vigil service at 7 p.m., both at Swaim Funeral Home, Dodge City. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City, with the Revs. Louis Trung Hoang and John Maes presiding. Friends may call from noon to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City.
Memorials may be sent to the Sacred Heart School Endowment Fund, Dodge City, or the Trinity Alzheimer's Unit, both in care of the funeral home.
Mildred L. Skillings
KINGMAN - Mildred L. Skillings, 92, died Jan. 30, 2000, at Kingman Community Hospital, Kingman.
She was born Feb. 3, 1907, near Duquoin, the daughter of Bert and Annabel Russell Fox. A lifetime Kingman County resident, she was a retired schoolteacher.
She was a member and officer of the Women's Society for the United Methodist Church, Kingman, Shakespeare's Club, Federated Clubs, Kingman County Extension Advisory Board, Epsilon Sigma Omicron Sorority, and the Extension Homemakers Unit. She served as a "pink lady" at Community Hospital and delivered Meals on Wheels.
On July 20, 1927, she married
Clarence Skillings at Kingman. He died in 1985.
Survivors include: a brother, Gene, Duquoin; two sisters, Doris Vance, Wichita, and Darlene Huenergardt, Goddard; caregivers, Armin and Luella Gering, Doris Gering Prater and Greg Gering; and numerous nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by two brothers and three sisters.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, Kingman, with the Rev. John Schmitt presiding. Friends may call from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Livingston Funeral Home, Kingman, with the family receiving friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman.
Memorials may be sent to the church or the Kingman Public Library, both in care of the funeral home.
Merle Lee Pike
ASHLAND - Merle Lee Pike, 76, died Jan. 30, 2000, at Ashland Health Center Long Term Care Unit.
He was born June 11, 1923, at Ashland, the son of Robert E. and Jennie Pike Whitford. He attended the Coyote School, northeast of Ashland, and was a 1941 graduate of Ashland High School. A lifetime Clark County resident, he was a farmer, rancher and carpenter.
He belonged to Church of God, was on the Church Pulpit Committee and was a church board member, served on the Ashland City Council and was a member of the Kiwanis Club, all at Ashland.
On Nov. 22, 1942, he married
Ruth Helen Vallentine in the Lexington Community northeast of Ashland. She survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Gregory Lee, Claremore, Okla., and Max Waugh, Albuquerque, N.M.; two daughters, Kay Ruth Rich, Ashland, and Karen Sue Waugh Hoddy, Meade; 13 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Cinda Ruth Pike; a grandson; and a great-grandchild.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Church of God, Ashland, with the Rev. Roy Sprunger and David Hoddy presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, both at Myatt Funeral Home, Ashland. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Ashland.
Memorials may be sent to the Church of God, Ashland, or to Ashland Health Center Long Term Care Unit, both in care of the funeral home.
Clyde Emery `Jim' Hale
FORT SCOTT - Clyde Emery "Jim" Hale, 79, died Jan. 30, 2000, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo.
He was born Aug. 16, 1920, at Fort Scott, the son of Clyde Everett and Verna Rhodes Hale. A Fort Scott resident for most of his life, living in Washington state for 15 years, he worked in the lumber business and retired from Smico Norvell after 24 years.
He belonged to Grace Baptist Tabernacle, the Olson Frary Burkhart Post No. 1165 Veterans of Foreign Wars and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
On Oct. 19, 1946, he married
Violet Johnson at Fort Scott. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Jim, Fort Scott; two daughters, Mary Flanner, Haven, and Betty Bradbury, Fort Scott; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and several nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Don and Lyle; a sister, Vera Faulhaber; and a grandson.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel, Fort Scott, with the Revs. Paul Rooks and A.F. Collins presiding. Burial will be in the U.S. National Cemetery, with military honors by Olson Frary Burkhart VFW Post No. 1165.
Memorials may be sent to the church, in care of the memorial chapel.
