Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Seraphina M. Rodriguez
DODGE CITY - Seraphina M. "Sera" Rodriguez, 40, died Dec. 15, 2004, at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus, Wichita.
She was born Aug. 2, 1964, at Dodge City, the daughter of Mike B. and Jovita Briseno Rodriguez. She graduated from Dodge City High School and attended St. Mary of the Plains College and later Dodge City Community College, where she was on the dean's honor roll in 2004. A Dodge City resident, she worked at South Dillons, Dodge City, for 14 years.
She belonged to Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dodge City.
Survivors include: her parents; a brother, Demetrius, Dodge City; two sisters, Amanda Stroud, Jetmore, and Florina Kappel, San Antonio; a nephew; two nieces; and many close friends.
She was preceded in death by five uncles and three aunts.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Friday, and Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, both at Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the Rev. Ted Skalsky celebrating. Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Swaim Funeral Home, Dodge City. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City.
Memorials may be sent to the Arthritis Foundation for Lupus, Ronald McDonald House at St. Francis Hospital, Wichita, or to the Diabetes Association, all in care of the funeral home.
Henry A. Gronau Jr.
NEWTON - Henry A. Gronau Jr., 70, died Dec. 14, 2004, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita.
He was born Nov. 10, 1934, at Newton, the son of Henry Albert Sr. and Dorothy Eberhard Gronau. He graduated from St. Joseph Military Academy, Hays. A resident of Newton, he was a farmer and a self-employed plumber and electrician.
He was a lifetime member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newton, where he was on the finance committee, was an usher and volunteered his services as a plumber and electrician. He also was a member of Knights of Columbus, Whitewater American Legion and Circle 8 Square Dance Club and was a 4-H Leader. He was a U.S. Army veteran.
On Oct. 31, 1957, he married
Loraine Harms at Newton. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Jeffrey, Whitewater; a daughter, Kris Gronau, Kansas City, Mo.; two sisters, Agnes Doughty, Olsburg, and Lois Ann Fietz, Houston; and a step-great-grandson.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Petersen Funeral Home, Newton. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newton, with the Rev. John Hotze presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. The family will greet friends Friday following the rosary. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Newton.
Memorials may be sent to the church, to Whitewater American Legion, to the American Cancer Society or to the American Heart Association, all in care of the funeral home, 215 North Main, Newton, KS 67114.
JoAnn E. Kahler
LYONS - JoAnn E. "Jody" Kahler, 71, died Dec. 14, 2004, at Hutchinson Hospital, Hutchinson.
She was born Oct. 30, 1933, at Lyons, the daughter of Frank Roy and Margaret Hanna Welch. A lifetime Rice County resident, having lived in Little River and moving to Lyons in 1967, she was a homemaker. She graduated from Little River High School in 1951 and attended St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, Hutchinson and Fort Scott Jr. College. She obtained her EMT certification.
She belonged to United Methodist Church, Worthwhile Club, Lyons Town & Country Club, was a gray lady at the Lyons District Hospital and was a Lyons Library Board member, all at Lyons.
On July 12, 1953 she married
James G. Kahler at Little River. He survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Kirk, St. Louis: a daughter, Krysta Fischer, Salina; and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Elaine N. Smith.
Service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church, Lyons, with the Rev. Cindy Watson presiding. Burial will be in Bean Memorial Cemetery, Little River. Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, at Sillin Funeral Home, Lyons, with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Memorials may be sent to United Methodist Church, Hutchinson Hospital or to the Center for Basic Cancer Research KSU, all in care of the funeral home.
Earl E. Nightengale
EL DORADO - Earl Edward Nightengale, 69, died Dec. 14, 2004, at Wheat State Manor, Whitewater.
He was born May 9, 1935, at Parsons, the son of Henry Wells and Margaret Catherine Nightengale. A resident of El Dorado for five years, moving from Great Bend, he was a roughneck in the oil field.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War.
On Aug. 13, 1962, he married
Bernice Brown at Quenemo. She survives.
Other survivors include: three daughters; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the Rev. Don Paden presiding. Interment will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Great Bend, with military honors. There will be no visitation as the body has been cremated.
Memorials may be sent to the family.
Ferdinand F. Nemechek
WaKEENEY - Ferdinand F. "Ferd" Nemechek, 89, died Dec. 14, 2004, at Lutheran Home, WaKeeney.
He was born July 14, 1915, at Hill City, the son of Stephen and Philomena Reitmayer Nemechek. He attended Graham County rural school. A resident of WaKeeney, he was a farmer.
He belonged to Christ the King Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus, both at WaKeeney. He was a U.S. Navy veteran.
On Oct. 28, 1943, he married
Olinda Schneider at Collyer. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Terry, Rialto, Calif.; two daughters, Judith McCune, Albert, and Juanita Abston, Largo, Fla.; three sisters, Helen Lessor and Barbara Parke, both of WaKeeney, and Agatha Denning, Hutchinson; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Dennis; five brothers, Leo, Carl, Steve, Johnny and Leonard; and three sisters, Regina Aschenbrenner, Catherine Umstead and Dorothy O'Rourke.
Wake service will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Christ The King Catholic Church, WaKeeney, with Father Donald F. Pfannenstiel presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Interment will be in Christ the King Catholic Cemetery, WaKeeney, with military rites conducted by Randall Reid Veteran of Foreign Wars Post No. 3449 and American Legion, both at WaKeeney.
Memorials may be sent to Christ The King CatholicCemeteryin care of the funeral home, 336 North 12th St., WaKeeney, KS 67672.
Kenneth F. Fox
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kenneth Franklin Fox, 58, died Dec. 13, 2004, at Columbia, Mo.
He was born Jan. 27, 1946, at Wichita, the son of Kenneth C. and Wilma E. Burns Fox. A graduate of Garden Grove High School, Garden Grove, Calif., and of Fullerton College, he was employed by the Columbia Daily Tribune for five years and was a pilot.
He belonged to First Christian Church, Hutchinson. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving with the 101st Airbourne Green Beret Special Forces.
Survivors include: companion Mardella Johnston of the home; and two sisters, Farol Tillery, Macksville, and Fonnie Sligar, Garden City.
Service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, at Heritage Baptist Church, Moberly, Mo., with the Rev. Jim McElyea presiding.
Memorial Funeral Home, Columbia, Mo., is in charge of arrangements.
Georgia Trahern
SUBLETTE - Georgia Trahern, 84, died Dec. 15, 2004, at Garden Valley Retirement Village Inc., Garden City.
She was born Sept. 11, 1920, at Independence, the daughter of John Leslie and Loula Ellen Odneal Wiswell. She was a 1939 graduate of Sublette High School, Sublette. A resident of Sublette, she was a homemaker, retailer and farm wife. She worked at Moore's Ladies Store, Rixon Hardware, sold Cameo Paints and owned and operated The Treasure Exchange.
She belonged to Christian Church, Sublette, where she was a church treasurer for many years. She also was a member of Banner Friendship Club, Sublette.
On Jan. 13, 1941, she married
Howard Trahern at Sublette. He survives.
Other survivors include: a brother, Darrell Wiswell, Sublette; and many nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Carl Wiswell; and three sisters, Lena Agnes Wiswell, Alma Leona Burr and Leora Williams.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Christian Church, Sublette, with Minister David Erwin presiding. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Haskell County Funeral Home, Sublette. Burial will be in Banner Cemetery, Sublette.
Memorials may be sent to the church or to the donor's choice, both in care of the funeral home.
Kermit W. Flaming
HESSTON - Kermit W. Flaming, 59, died Dec. 15, 2004, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita.
He was born Oct. 6, 1945, at Newton, the son of Jacob B. and Sylvia Unrau Flaming. A lifetime Newton and Hesston area resident, he was an electrician.
He belonged to Gove Community Bible Church, Gove.
He served in the National Guard for six years.
On Oct. 23, 1966, he married
Jeanie Hester at Hutchinson. On June 20, 1997, he married
Linda Schaible Weber at Nashville, Tenn. She survives, Hesston.
Other survivors include: two sons, Jarrod, Siloam Springs, Ark., and Ben, Wichita; a daughter, Sarah Mader, Wylie, Texas; a stepdaughter, Dee Dee Stoll, Winfield; three brothers, Kenneth, Vinita, Okla., Darrel, Nappanee, Ind., and Jim; two sisters, Arlene Friesen, Ralston, Neb., and Jan Lang, Rockford, Ill.; and four grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Miller Funeral Home, Hesston, with the Rev. Lyman Bowling presiding, and 2 p.m. Saturday at Gove Community Bible Church, with the Rev. Paul Woodall presiding. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Gove Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the church or to the Leukemia Society, both in care of the funeral home.
Irl E. Pierce
TRIBUNE - Irl Eugene Pierce, 78, died on Dec. 14, 2004, at St. Catherine Hospital, Garden City.
He was born Feb. 18, 1926, at Tribune, the son of Paul W. and Mildred Pringle Pierce. Following graduation from Osawatomie High School in 1944, he immediately entered the U.S. Navy. He was co-owner of Pierce Lumber Co., Tribune, since 1983.
He belonged to United Methodist Church, Tribune, Anthem Masonic Lodge, Scott City, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7521, Tribune. He was president of Tribune Bowling Inc. and was a Boy Scout leader for many years.
On Oct. 24, 1948, he married
Irene Doris Nemechek at Tribune. She survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Michael Eugene, Port Neches, Texas, and Bruce Wayne, Tribune; a daughter, Myra Jo Stewart, Tribune; a brother, Richard, Farmington, Utah; a sister, Melba Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo.; six grandsons; two step-granddaughters; and three step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Ira Robert; and infant daughter, Denise Kay Pierce.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. (MDT) Saturday at United Methodist Church, Tribune, with the Rev. Gary Gooding presiding. Burial will be in Greeley County Cemetery, Tribune, with military honors presented by the Fort Riley Funeral Honors Detail. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Price & Sons Funeral Home, Tribune.
Memorials may be sent to United Methodist Church or to Greeley County Hospital, both in care of the funeral home.
Carmen Godinez
GARDEN CITY - Carmen Godinez, 74, died Dec. 15, 2004, at St. Catherine Hospital, Garden City.
She was born Jan. 26, 1930, at Garden City, the daughter of Andres and Mercedes Garcia Godinez. She attended Holcomb schools. A lifetime Finney County resident, she worked for 25 years in the Cafeteria at St. Catherine Hospital and in the laundry department at Wheat Lands Hotel, until her retirement after 22 years.
She belonged to St. Mary's Catholic Church.
Survivors include: an uncle, Epifanio Garcia Sr. and an aunt, Andrea Campos, both of Garden City; and several cousins.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Jesus Paz; and a sister, Connie Godinez.
Vigil service will be at 7:30 p.m., with Spanish rosary to follow, Friday at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, with Father James E. Baker presiding. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. Friday, both at Garnand Funeral Home, Garden City. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery, Garden City.
Memorials may be sent to the church, in care of the funeral home.
