Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
David Purdy
ROSE HILL - David A. Purdy, 76, died Dec. 15, 2004, at Rose Hill.
He was born Jan. 8, 1928, at Dacoma, Okla., the son of Guy and Emma Adams Purdy. A longtime Rose Hill resident, he was retired from Boeing, Wichita.
On Sept. 28, 1952, he married
Peggy Ransom at Wakita, Okla. She survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Michael, Wichita, and Jeffrey, Rose Hill; two daughters, Marilyn Seivley, Wichita, and Susan Chambers, Sedgwick; four grandchildren; and three great- grandchildren.
Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Fairview Cemetery, Wakita, Okla.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Wakita Educational Foundation, in care of Prairie Rose Funeral Home, Anthony.
Marlyn L. Ensz
MONTEZUMA - Marlyn L. Ensz, 77, died Dec. 17, 2004, at Western Plains Regional Medical Center, Dodge City.
He was born June 2, 1927, the son of Abraham and Anna Loewen Ensz at Inman. He was a farmer.
He belonged to Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church, Montezuma.
On April 29, 1951, he married
Rosella Koehn. She died Nov. 27, 1992. On Aug. 18, 1995, he married
Edith J. Wenger Koehn at Montezuma. She survives.
Other survivors include: one son, Roger, Center, Colo.; two stepsons, Steve and Scott Koehn, both of Brooksville, Miss.; three daughters, Jane Koehn, Montezuma, Aneta Hochstetler, Marion, Ala., Teresa Miller, Brooksville, Miss.; three brothers Allen, Alberta, Canada, Leon, Louisville, Ga., Emory, Texline, Texas.; a sister, Erma Redger, Hardin, Mont.; 16 grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; and seven great -grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Jake; and a sister, Josephine Friesen.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at North Mennonite Church, Montezuma, with Ministers Donald Koehn and Kalvin Salsbury presiding. Additional services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Cedar Crest Mennonite Church, Faunsdale, Ala., with Minister Harold Schmidt presiding. Burial will be in Cedar Crest Mennonite Cemetery, Faunsdale, Ala. Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Montezuma Funeral Home, Montezuma.
Memorials may be sent to Christian Service International, in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 421, Montezuma, KS 67867.
Jack Stapleton
LARNED - Jack Stapleton, 59, died Dec. 17, 2004, at his home, Larned.
He was born Oct. 16, 1945, the son of Orbie and Marjorie Lawrence Stapleton. A lifetime Larned resident, he was a farm mechanic and farmer.
He belonged to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Larned.
On June 3, 1967, he married
Rena Feist at Kinsley. She survives.
Other survivors include: three daughters, Kim Stapleton, Larned, Vickie J. Miller, St. John, Stephanie Sphaler, Porter, Texas; his mother, Larned; two brothers, Bill, Merritt Island, Fla., and Melvin, Amarillo, Texas; and five grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned, with the Rev. Ken Walker presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and` Monday and 9 a.m. to service time Tuesday, all at the mortuary. Burial will be in Larned Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to Welcome Inn or to the Grandchildren Educational Fund, both in care of the mortuary.
Nellie K. Eitel
LARNED - Nellie K. Eitel, 89, died Nov. 27, 2004, at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend.
She was born Oct. 7, 1915, the daughter of Lewis and Clara Howell Bley at Rozel. A resident of Colorado, moving to Pawnee County in 1978 then to Great Bend in 1993, she was a registered nurse.
She belonged to Fort Larned Belles, Walnut Valley Extension Program and the Great Bend Quilter's Guild.
On Jan. 21, 1940, she married
Vernon Eitel at Frederick. He survives.
Other survivors include: a daughter, Leola Eitel, Denver; and a sister, Sophia Bley, Larned.
She was preceded in death by a son, Larry.
Cremation has taken place. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Rozel Cemetery, Rozel, with Pastor John Hester presiding.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned.
Lee R. Shepard
PENOKEE - Lee Richard Shepard, 20, died Dec. 21, 2004, near Penokee, as a result of a motorcycle accident.
He was born June 19, 1984, at Hoxie, the son of Kenny Dee and Karen Kay Bellerive Shepard. He was a student at Hutchinson Community College, majoring in fire science.
He belonged to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hill City.
Survivors include: his parents, Penokee; a brother, Nicholas, Penokee; and a sister, Sonya Shepard, Penokee.
A Christian wake service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hill City. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the church, with the Rev. Donald McCarthy presiding. Visitation will be from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Spencer-Stinemetz Chapel, Hill City, and from 9 a.m. until service time Monday at the church. Burial will be in Penokee Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to Graham County EMS, in care of the funeral home, 522 North Pomeroy Avenue, Hill City, KS 67642.
Nellie M. Woolery
NEWTON - Nellie M. Woolery, 83, died Dec. 22, 2004, at Newton Medical Center.
She was born March 30, 1921, at St. Joseph, Mo., the daughter of William and Blanche Lucille Thomas Price. She was a professional roller skater and performed at the San Francisco World's Fair. She worked at Boeing Aircraft during World War II.
She belonged to First Christian Church, Newton; Daughters of Union Veterans; Women's Relief Corps; and American Legion Ladies Auxiliary.
On July 10, 1946, she married
Lorin Woolery at El Dorado. He died June 24, 2004.
Survivors include: a son, Keith, North Newton; and two grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Corrina B. Brugman.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Petersen Funeral Home, Newton. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday, with the family receiving friends from 2 to 5 p.m., at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Newton.
Memorials may be sent to the Charles Olson Scholarship Fund, in care of the funeral home, 215 North Main, Newton, KS 67114.
Ronald L. Kerschen
GREAT BEND - Ronald Leo Kerschen, 47, died Dec. 23, 2004, at his residence.
He was born May 15, 1957, at Great Bend, the son of Wilferd J. and Dorothy Harbert Kerschen. A lifetime Great Bend resident, he was a part-time teacher's assistant for Holy Family School.
He belonged to The Catholic Community at St. Patrick.
Survivors include: his mother; a brother, Robert, Denver; and two sisters, Sue Doonan, Wichita, and Aimee Shank, Denver.
He was preceded in death by his father and a brother, Steven.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Bryant Funeral Home. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Great Bend with Father Ted Stoecklein presiding. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery, Great Bend. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be sent to Catholic Community of Great Bend, in care of the funeral home.
Esther I. Ratzlaff
MOUNDRIDGE - Esther I. Ratzlaff, 83, died Dec. 23, 2004, at Moundridge Manor.
She was born June 22, 1921, in McPherson County, the daughter of David and Dena Nightingale Schmidt. A homemaker, she was a lifetime Moundridge area resident.
She belonged to Lone Tree Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, rural Galva.
On April 20, 1941, she married
Dan Ratzlaff at Galva. He died Oct. 19, 2003.
Survivors include: two sons, Arnold, Moundridge, and Duane, Durham; two daughters, Delores Koehn, Galva, and Sharon Smith, Halstead; seven brothers, Chester, Howard and Norman Schmidt, all of Galva, Allen D. Schmidt, Topeka, and Kermit, Orman and Beauford Schmidt, all of McPherson; four sisters, Sadie Ratzlaff, Moundridge, Madeline Jantz and Roselen Schmidt, both of Galva, and Ada Koehn, Burns; 17 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Lone Tree Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, rural Galva, with Ministers Roger Unruh, Gary Nightingale and Weldon Koehn presiding. Burial will be in Lone Tree Church Cemetery, rural Galva. Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday, with the family present from 7 to 9 p.m., at Moundridge Funeral Home.
Memorials may be sent to Moundridge Manor, in care of the funeral home.
Rose P. Butler
GORHAM - Rose P. Butler, 85, died Dec. 23, 2004, at Hays Medical Center.
She was born Dec. 11, 1919, at Victoria, the daughter of John Peter and Maria Dreiling Geist. A resident of Hays since 2001, formerly a longtime resident of Gorham, she was a homemaker and worked at Travonal Lab, Hays, for 10 years.
She belonged to St. Mary's Catholic Church and Daughters of Isabella, both at Gorham.
On Nov. 18, 1942, she married
Roland W. Butler at Hays. He died May 6, 1982.
Survivors include: three sons, Allen, Portmouth, Va., DeVere, North Richland, Texas, and Galen, Gorham; two daughters, Sheila Bohannon, Oak Hills, Va., and Paula Karst, Russell; a sister, Linda Jensen, Atascadero, Calif.; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by four brothers, Bonaventure, Henry, Aurelius and Bernard Geist; an infant brother, Bernard; and three sisters, Agnes Wiesner, Bridget Stegman and Pia Staab.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and a Daughters of Isabella Rosary will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, both at Cline's Mortuary, Victoria. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Gorham. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary and 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Gorham.
Cline's Mortuary, Victoria, is in charge of arrangements.
Kenneth Friend
LARNED - Kenneth Friend, 96, died Dec. 18, 2004, at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital, Larned.
He was born Oct. 30, 1908, in rural Burdett, the son of John and Martha Notestine Friend. He graduated from Burdett High School. A lifetime resident of Pawnee County, he was a retired farmer and stockman. He loved to play baseball and had even played well into his 50ies.
He belonged to First United Methodist Church, Larned, and Burdett Seniors Inc., Burdett.
On Sept. 27, 1930, he married
Lena M. Blackwell at Garfield. She died Jan. 10, 1999.
Survivors include: a son, Larry, Syracuse; two daughters, Martha Nuchols, Burdett, and Joyce Darnell, Sun City West, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth; five brothers; five sisters; and a granddaughter.
Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Morell Funeral Home, Larned, with Pastor Ken Walker presiding. Friends may sign the register from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Monday and from 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday, all at the funeral home. A private burial of cremains will be in Browns Grove Cemetery, Burdett.
Memorials may be sent to Burdett Seniors Inc., in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 124, Larned, KS 67550-0124.
