Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Kermit Becker
MONTEZUMA - Kermit Becker, 92, died Jan. 27, 2005, at Bethel Home, Montezuma.
He was born March 11, 1912, in McPherson County, the son of Peter J. and Katie Koehn Becker. A former resident of McPherson County, he was a farmer, carpenter and dairyman.
He belonged to Church of God in Christ Mennonite, Galva.
On April 1, 1934, he married
Sophia Christina Unruh, at McPherson. She died Sept. 20, 1994.
Survivors include: four sons, Larry, Canton; Marion, Montezuma; Dale, Gentry, Ark.; and Gordon, Kirksey, Ky.; a brother, Edwin Becker, Moundridge; a sister: Myrtle Unruh, Moundridge; 15 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by five brothers and two sisters.
Funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Lone Tree Mennonite Church, Galva, with Ministers Charles Schmidt, Herman Nightengale and Roger Unruh presiding. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Montezuma Funeral Home. Burial will be in Lone Tree Mennonite Cemetery, Galva.
Memorials may be sent to Bethel Home Inc., in care of the funeral home.
Helen L. Smith
FOX LAKE, Illinois - Helen Lorraine Cougher Smith, 87, died January 2005.
She was born July 12, 1917, at Watson, Okla., the daughter of Leonidus and Myrtle (nee Roundtree) Smith. A former Hutchinson resident she was a homemaker.
Survivors include: a son, David Cougher, Shelton, W.Va.; a daughter, Toma Lee Blowers, Antioch, Ill.; five grandchildren, Jon Sorensen, Springfield, Ill., Erik Sorensen, Kenosha, Wis., Anika Nohava, Lindenhurst, Ill., and Hailey and Alex Coughter, both of Shelton, W.Va., and five great-grandchildren, Meng Fan Wu, Twila, Nathan, Kara and Amanda Sorensen.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Eugene Cougher; and two brothers, Richard and Albert Smith. Private services were arranged by K.K. Hamsher Funeral Home, Fox Lake, Ill.
Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, in care of the funeral home, 12 N. Pistakee, Lake Road, Fox Lake, Ill.
Gaylord E. Cecil
DODGE CITY - Gaylord Eugene Cecil, 78, died Jan. 27, 2005, at his home, Dodge City.
He was born Nov. 28, 1926, at Cimarron, the son of James and Myrtle Durr Cecil. A longtime Dodge City resident, he graduated from Dodge City schools and was co-owner and operator of the Lamplighter Club from 1945 to 1965. He was a postal carrier until his retirement. He also owned and trained racehorses.
He belonged to Howard Gotschall Post No. 1714 VFW and the American Legion, both at Dodge City. He served two terms in the U.S. Navy.
In 1948, he married
Bethelene "Beth" Schreck, at Cimarron. She died March 29, 2004.
Survivors include: four sons, Jim and Dave, both of Dodge City; Tom, Raton, N.M.; and Jerry, Parker, Colo.; two sisters, Rosie Gubiotti, Covina, Calif., and Vivian Snyder, Dodge City; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City, with military rites conducted by the Howard Gotschall Post No. 1714 VFW. Cremation has taken place and there will be no public visitation.
Memorials may be sent to the Educational Fund for Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Gaylord and Beth Cecil, in care of Swaim Funeral Home, Dodge City.
Charles F. Carey
LENORA - Charles Fredrick Carey, 72, died Jan. 27, 2005, at Graham County Hospital, Hill City.
He was the father of Marilyn Murray, Garden City.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at United Parish Church, Lenora.
Enfield Funeral Home, Norton, is in charge of arrangements.
Barry K. VanDegrift
NESS CITY - Barry K. VanDegrift, 79, died Jan. 27, 2005, at Grisell Memorial Long Term Care, Ransom.
He was born Feb. 22, 1925, in Ness County, the son of Vernol and Rena Scarborough VanDegrift. He was a truck driver.
He belonged to the American Legion Frank Stull Post No. 152, Ness City.
On Oct. 7, 1950, he married
Loretta Arlene Switzer. She preceded him in death.
Survivors include: four sons, Michael, Hutchinson; Richard, Phoenix, Ariz.; Kirby, Ness City; and Kirk, Medicine Lodge; three brothers, Darrell, Ness City; Lawrence Duane "Dewey, " Wichita; and Terry Lee, Calif.; 18 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Harry; and a great-grandson, Ryan.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City, with the Rev. Tom Walters presiding. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday through Monday and before services Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Ness City Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to Grisell Memorial Long Term Care, in care of the funeral home.
Ruth M. Allen
ELLSWORTH - Ruth Mae Wallace Allen, 95, died Jan. 27, 2005, at Good Samaritan Retirement Village, Ellsworth.
She was born Nov. 10, 1909, at Bunker Hill, the daughter of William Robert and Della Flora Maynard Wallace. A resident of Ellsworth since 1994, formerly of Franklin, Neb., and Geneseo, she was a homemaker.
She belonged to Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Lyons.
On Aug. 29, 1927, she married
Hillard Grant Allen at Goodland. He preceded her in death.
Survivors include: three sons, Mike, Tecumseh, Ken, Waco, Texas, and Roger, San Bernardino, Calif.; four daughters, Jan Perkins, Lorraine, Kay Shriner, Moody, Texas, Donna Davis, Ellsworth, and Ruth Eloise Oriez, Lindsborg; 17 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by three sons, Harold, Duane and Donald; six brothers; five sisters; and two grandsons.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Parsons Funeral Home, Ellsworth, with Dr. Jim Morford presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Monday in Resthaven Cemetery, Wichita.
Memorials may be sent to Good Samaritan Retirement Village, Ellsworth, in care of the funeral home.
Maxine Curry
NEWTON - Maxine Curry, 83, died Jan. 27. 2005, at Kansas Christian Home, Newton.
She was born Nov. 27, 1921, at Eva, Okla., the daughter of Robert and Lola McCoy Niccum. She was a homemaker.
She belonged to East Side United Methodist Church, volunteered at Friendly Acres, assisted with local cancer drives and served on the Election Board.
On Sept. 19, 1943, she married
Raymond Curry, at Amarillo, Texas. He died June 24, 2000.
Survivors include: three daughters, Anita Curry and her companion Terry McClure, Wichita, and Carolyn Liggenstoffer and her husband Bud, Kiowa; two brothers, Ira Niccum, Kirksville, Mo., and Ray Dean Niccum, Longview, Texas; a granddaughter, Audra Liggenstoeffer, Stillwater, Okla.; and a grandson, Buddy Liggenstoffer, Alva, Okla.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Robert, Lloyd and Dwight Niccum; and four sisters, Hazel Thomas, Vera Schrader, Opal Halterman and Elizabeth Exem.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at East Side United Methodist Church, Newton, with the Rev. Ray Swearinger presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday, with the family receiving friends from 4 to 5 p.m., at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton. Burial will be in Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery, Bushton.
Memorials may be sent to East Side United Methodist Church or to Mission Field of Donor's Church, both in care of the funeral home.
Jim W. Gardner
DIGHTON - Jim W. Gardner, 77, died Jan. 27, 2005, at the Lane County Long Term Care Unit, Dighton.
He was born Oct. 20, 1927, at Garden City, the son of Theodore Joseph and Hazel Bowers Gardner. He graduated from high school at Fowler and attended Garden City Community College. He was owner and publisher of The Dighton Herald.
He belonged to St. Theresa Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council No. 3012 and American Legion Post No. 190, all at Dighton. He was in the U.S. Navy.
On May 19, 1951, he married
Barbara E. Willis, at San Diego. She survives.
Other survivors include: three sons, Rod, Hot Springs, Ark.; Roger, Lenexa; and Terry, Hays; a sister, Joan Woodruff, Dodge City; and seven grandchildren.
Vigil service will be at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the church. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Dighton, with Father Warren Stecklein presiding. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Boomhower Funeral Home, Dighton. Burial will be in Dighton Memorial Cemetery, with military graveside rites conducted by American Legion Post No. 190 Honor Guard.
Memorials may be sent to the Lane County Historical Society, in care of the funeral home.
Geneva L. Qualls
Geneva Lois Qualls, 85, died Jan. 27, 2005, at Buhler Sunshine Home, Buhler.
She was born March 30, 1919, at Oklahoma City, Okla., the daughter of Charles Richard and Nona L. Palmer Burchell. A resident of Hutchinson since 1972, she was a homemaker.
She attended Mennonite Brethren Church, Buhler.
On March 24, 1940, she married
Oliver Windell Qualls at Oklahoma City. He preceded her in death.
Survivors include: a son, Billy David, Helena, Mont.; a sister, Nancy Jane Roberts, San Jose, Calif.; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home and Crematory, Hutchinson, with Pastor Brent Warkentin presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Penwell-Gabel's Memorial Park Cemetery, Hutchinson.
Memorials may be sent to Buhler Sunshine Home in care of the funeral home, 300 East 30th, Hutchinson, KS 67502.
Edward Deutsch
TOPEKA - Edward Deutsch, 69, died Jan. 26, 2005.
He was born Oct. 13, 1935, at Hoisington, the son of Frederick and Emelia Bitter Deutsch. A graduate of Hoisington High School, he was employed by Dillons for 28 years.
On June 27, 1965, he married
Florence E. Pivonka, at Hoisington. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son; a daughter; three brothers, Junior and Robert Deutsch, both of Hoisington, and Dean Deutsch, Hutchinson; four sisters, Helena Mai and Irene Bitter, both of Hoisington, Wilma Haesemeyer, Hutchinson, and Theresa Dumler, Milberger; and two grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. John's Lutheran Church, Topeka.
Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, Topeka, is in charge of arrangements.
