Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Ruth Mae Wright
Ruth Mae Wright, 92, died May 13, 2000, at the Ralph Thorne Health Center.
She was born March 1, 1908, at Luther, Okla., the daughter of Joe Lee and Fannie Palmer Allen. A Hutchinson resident since 1967, moving from Great Bend, she was a homemaker.
She belonged to First Assembly of God Church.
On June 18, 1926, she married
Carl Claude Wright. He died Feb. 13, 1966.
Survivors include a grandson, Robert Belford, Great Bend; three granddaughters; four great-grandsons; and two great-granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Lee; four brothers; and five sisters.
Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Johnson & Sons Funeral Home, Hutchinson. She will lie in state from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in City Cemetery, Great Bend.
Memorials may be sent to First Assembly of God Church, in care of the funeral home.
Esther Marie Hamm
LIBERAL - Esther Marie Hamm, 94, died May 16, 2000, at Wheatridge Park Care Center, Liberal.
She was born Sept. 11, 1905, in Marion County, the daughter of Isaac W. and Nettie Cornelson Wiebe. She completed her eighth-grade education in Marion County. A Liberal resident for the past 25 years, moving from Hooker, Okla., she was a homemaker.
She attended First Southern Baptist Church, Liberal, and maintained her membership at Gospel of Grace Church, Hooker.
On March 8, 1925, she married
Henry S. Hamm at Hooker. He died Feb. 10, 1994.
Survivors include: a son, Willis, Denver; two daughters, Lorena Classen, Liberal, and Melvina Wichert, Hooker; a brother, Ernest Wiebe, Hooker; three sisters, Helen Hamm, Hooker, and Mabel and Sarah Toews, both of Enid, Okla.; eight grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by a son, H. LaVerne "Hank"; a brother, Albert Wiebe; a sister, Bessie Voth; and a grandson.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gospel of Grace Church, Hooker, with the Rev. Keith Bryant presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Kitch Funeral Home, Liberal. Burial will be in Hooker Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the Gideons Bible Society, in care of the funeral home.
George 'Buddy' Seeley
MEADE - George "Buddy" Seeley, 65, died May 16, 2000, at his home in Meade.
He was born Dec. 25, 1934, at Sunset, Ark., the son of Willy Robert and Sarah Moore Seeley.
He had been a security guard at Southwest Medical Center, Liberal, retiring in 1998.
On March 2, 1962, he married
Judith Ann Bergen at Mingo. She survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Raymond, Meade, and Richard, Ulysses; two daughters, Roxann Paramore, Little River, and Rosalee Hulett, South Hutchinson; his mother, Sarah Hutchinsons, Arkansas; four brothers, James, Donnie and J.D. Seeley, all of Arkansas, and Charles Hutchinsons, Meade; and three sisters, Daisy Harrison, Ruby Golab and Martha Cooper, all of Arkansas; and seven grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Church of the Nazarene, Meade, with the Rev. Wayne Wilson presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Fidler-Orme Mortuary, Meade. Burial will be in Plains (Kans.) Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the George Seeley memorial fund, in care of the funeral home.
Mark J. Densberger
PEORIA, Ill. - Mark J. Densberger, 41, died May 15, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria.
He was born Feb. 28, 1959, at Peoria, the son of Willard F. and Rita A. Klieber Densberger. He was a carpenter.
On July 7, 1990, he married
Shelly L. Schroeder at Marion, Mass. She survives.
Other survivors include: two daughters; his parents; two brothers; a sister and a grandmother.
Memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Wright & Salmon Mortuary, Peoria, with the Rev. Charles Karl presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the mortuary. Cremation is planned.
Jean Bigger
NEWTON - Jean Bigger, 74, died May 15, 2000, at the Bethesda Home, Goessel.
She was born July 2, 1925, at rural Newton, the daughter of Francis John and Katherine Lavilla Meyer Chapple.
She was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post No. 971, the American Legion Auxiliary, the 40 & 8 Club, the Lady Elks and the Secretary's Club, all at Newton, and the Cooties, Derby.
On Sept. 2, 1942, she married
Roland B. Bigger at Sedgwick. He died Aug. 5, 1981.
Survivors include: a brother, Ralph W. Chapple, Fountain, Colo.; two sisters, Margaret Feather, Wichita, and Virginia Adams, Newton; several nephews and a niece.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel, Newton, with Pastor Dennis Clough presiding. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. until service time Friday, all at the funeral home, with the family greeting friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Whitewater Cemetery, Whitewater.
Memorials may be sent to VFW Auxiliary Post No. 971 or to Central Homecare and Hospice, both in care of the funeral home.
Iris Lorea Blakesley Brollier
ULYSSES - Iris Lorea Blakesley Brollier, 92, died Oct. 14, 2000, at Western Prairie Care Home, Ulysses.
She was born July 8, 1908, at Ashland, the daughter of Edward Lee and Maude Elaine Gattenby Allmon. A Ulysses resident since 1916, moving from Ashland, she was a homemaker.
She belonged to First Baptist Church, the National Grange and Rebekah Lodge No. 685, all at Ulysses, the SEG Club, the Rhythm Band, HDU Unit, Kitchen Kuties and was a charter member of the Cimarron Grange, all in Grant County.
On March 27, 1929, she married
William K. Blakesley at Ulysses. He died Sept. 29, 1957. In September 1967, she married
David "Lon" Brollier at Ulysses. He died Feb. 6, 1989.
Survivors include: a son, Thane Blakesley, Ulysses; two daughters, Eunice Comer, Ulysses, and Judith Clifft, Stuart, Okla.; 16 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Robert Kenton and Lloyd Keith Blakesley; three brothers, Robert Allmon, Jesse Allmon and an infant; three sisters, Odetta Kruger, Audell Duvall and an infant; and two grandsons.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church, Ulysses, with Pastor Barry Durkee presiding. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, Tuesday and Wednesday, all at Grant County Funeral Home, Ulysses. Burial will be in Ulysses Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the church or to the Western Prairie Care Home, Ulysses, both in care of the funeral home.
Vada Niehaus
HESSTON - Vada Niehaus, 101, died Oct. 14, 2000, at Schowalter Villa, Hesston.
She was born Nov. 22, 1898, at Ottawa, the daughter of Melvin and Jennie Peterson Howell. She was a teacher.
She belonged to Hesston United Methodist Church.
On June 30, 1926, she married
Clarence Niehaus at Ottawa. He died in 1973.
Survivors include: two daughters, Valeta Parmely, Leroy, and Jennie Niehaus, Pittsburg; and two grandchildren.
Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Schowalter Villa Chapel, Hesston, with the Rev. Ron Rich and Beverly Baumgartner presiding. There will be no visitation. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, at a later date.
Memorials may be sent to Schowalter Villa or Union Chapel Church, Ottawa, both in care of Miller Funeral Home, Hesston.
Vaughn E. Brown
GOODLAND - Vaughn E. Brown, 82, died Oct. 13, 2000, at Hutchinson Hospital after a lengthy illness.
He was born Oct. 22, 1917, in Ottawa County near Delphos, the son of Edward O. and Harriet Reafsnyder Brown. He attended school at rural Delphos. A longtime Goodland resident, formerly of Hill City and moving to Hutchinson in 1999, he and his wife owned and operated a restaurant at Minneapolis. He then worked for the City of Goodland Electrical Department as a linesman for 25 years, retiring in 1982.
He belonged to the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, Goodland Masonic Bodies, Isis Shrine, Scottish Rite and the Minerva Chapter of the Eastern Star No. 146, Minneapolis, and was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, where he served as a post commander. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and remained in the Naval Reserve, returning to active duty in 1950 during the Korean War.
On Oct. 22, 1938, he married
Opal Briggs at Abilene. She died in June 2000.
Survivors include: two sons, Clinton, Hutchinson, and Richard, Great Bend; a sister, Myrna Lake, Big Fork, Mont.; five grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
He was preceded in death by three brothers and two sisters.
Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. (MDT) Tuesday in Goodland Cemetery, with military graveside honors. Friends may call from 8 a.m. to service time (MDT) Tuesday at Bateman Funeral Home, Goodland.
Memorials may be sent to the Kansas State University Cancer Research Center, in care of the funeral home.
