Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Opal N. Hoyt
SYRACUSE, Neb. - Opal Nickerson Hoyt, 81, died Nov. 15, 2004, at her daughter's home south of Syracuse, Neb.
She was born Dec. 26, 1922, southwest of Syracuse, Kan., the daughter of James H. and Clara Belle Jobe Nickerson. She attended Syracuse High School. A lifelong Syracuse, Kan., resident until moving to Syracuse, Neb., she was a farm wife and worked at restaurants and Duckwalls.
She belonged to First Presbyterian Church, where she was a past Sunday school teacher, Ladies American Legion Auxiliary and ESA Sorority, and she was Brownie and Girl Scout leader. She played on Syracuse Women's Softball team.
She helped to raise money for research by riding a bike 50 miles to Garden City for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
In 1940, she married
Ralph Eakin. On July 20, 1945, she married
Elmer Arthur Hoyt at Liberal. He died Nov. 24, 1992.
Survivors include: three daughters, Jeanne Pollart, Guymon, Okla., Fonda Scoggins, Aurora, Colo., and Gaynell Shufflebarger, Syracuse, Neb.; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by an infant son, David Dean Eakin; four brothers, Ivan, James, Orlie "Mike, " and Earl; four sisters, Amy, Maggie, Roxella and Viola; and a grandson.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. (MST) Friday at First Presbyterian Church, Syracuse. Burial committal service will follow in Syracuse Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (MST) Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (MST) Thursday at Greene-Fellers Funeral Home, Syracuse.
Memorials may be sent to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or Tabitha Hospice, Nebraska City, both in care of the funeral home.
Opal B. Nielsen
LAVERNE, Okla. - Opal Bernice Nielsen, 93, died Nov. 15, 2004, at Twin Oaks Manor, Booker, Texas.
She was born Jan. 2, 1911, at Madison Community southwest of Laverne, Okla. She graduated from high school at Laverne in 1929. An Odessa, Texas, resident, formerly of Beaverton, Ore., and the Slapout area southwest of Laverne, she worked for the U.S. Postal Service.
On Jan. 28, 1946, she married
Harold G. Nielsen at Las Vegas. He died Aug. 1, 1989.
Survivors include: four nephews; three nieces; and two sisters-in-law.
Graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Madison Cemetery, Madison Community, with the Rev. Carol Reich presiding. Friends may call at Myatt-Seeger Funeral Home, Laverne.
Memorials may be sent to thecemeteryin care of the funeral home.
James F. Colvert
SAN JOSE, Calif. - James Franklin Colvert, 71, died Nov. 5, 2004, at his home.
He was born March 5, 1933, at Statesville, N.C., the son of Nenie Oliver and Margaret Jane Lutz Colvert. He was an electronics engineer.
He belonged to The Valley Church, Cupertino, Calif. He had served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
On April 19, 1958, he married
Maranda Ann Pebley at Reno, Nev. She died Sept. 20, 1996.
Survivors include: a son, Timothy James Colvert, Scottsdale, Ariz.; a daughter, Cherie Lynn Veatch, Scottsdale.; a sister, Eleanor Maranello; and a grandchild.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Union Valley Bible Church, Hutchinson, with Pastor Steve Hodgson presiding. Burial will follow in North Inman Cemetery, Inman.
Memorials may be sent to the church, in care of Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home and Crematory, Hutchinson.
Esther M. Dietz
WaKEENEY - Esther Marie Phares Dietz, 83, died Nov. 15, 2004, at Trego Lemke Memorial Hospital, Wakeeney.
She was born Jan. 2, 1921, in Trego County, the daughter of Thurman Allen and Marie Mensing Phares. She was a housewife and homemaker.
On Nov. 19, 1939, she married
Fred G. Dietz at Hays. He survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Dennis Allen Dietz, Polk City, Iowa; a daughter, Vicki Lynn Krehbiel, Dighton; a brother, Ernest Phares, Mesa, Ariz.; two sisters, Margaret Dietz, Garden City, and Helen McCoy, Augusta; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Kenneth and Ronald Dean Phares, and two sisters, Elizabeth Elsen and Erna Phares.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, WaKeeney, with the Rev. Jon Anderson presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m., at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney. Interment will be in WaKeeney City Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the church or Trego Lemke Memorial Hospital, both in care of the funeral home.
Dale E. Brooks
NEWTON - Dale E. Brooks, 81, died Nov. 15, 2004, at Newton Medical Center.
He was born Oct. 21, 1923, at Winfield, the son of Paul and Data Miles Brooks. He attended Southwestern College and received his Ph.D. in education from Kansas State University. He taught agriculture for many years before becoming the director of the Central Kansas Area Vocational Technical Schools, Newton.
He belonged to Trinity Heights United Methodist Church, American Legion, Winfield, the Walnut Valley Sailing Club, the Santa Fe Trail Association and the Bridge Builders Sunday school class. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
On June 1, 1948, he married
Marie Barkman at Winfield. She survives.
Other survivors include: three daughters, Beverly Brooks, Chatsworth, Calif., Diane Spear, Mannford, Okla., and Sandy Hendrickson, Jetmore; three brothers, Lee, Lawrence, Ray, California, and David Brooks; and three sisters, Nadine Isaacson, Montana, Margret Fields, California, and Shirley Hendrix, Miltonvale.
He was preceded in death by two grandchildren.
Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church, Newton, with the Rev. Phil Fischer presiding.
Memorials may be sent to the church or Cottonwood Crossing Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association, both in care of Petersen Funeral Home, Newton.
James A. Baier
HOLCOMB - James A. "Jimmy" Baier, 63, died Nov. 13, 2004, at St. Catherine Hospital, Garden City.
He was born March 7, 1941, at Holcomb, the son of Val and Marcella Irsik Baier. A lifetime Holcomb resident, he was a self-taught carpenter.
He belonged to St. Mary Catholic Church, Garden City.
Survivors include: four brothers, Joe E., Charles, both of Holcomb, Larry, Garden City, and Gerald, Tyron, Okla.; seven sisters, Agnes Millershaski, Marie Millershaski, both of Ingalls, Marcy Culver, Dodge City, Rosie Sander, Colorado Springs, Lorraine Becket, Mendota, Ill., Wanda Murry, Garden City, and Betty Simmons, Holcomb; many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother, John; a brother-in-law; and a nephew.
Vigil service and rosary will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Garden City. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, with Fr. James E. Baker celebrating. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, both at Garnand Funeral Home, Garden City. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery, Garden City.
Memorials may be sent to St. Mary School Endowment Fund or St. Dominic School Endowment Fund, both in care of the funeral home.
Orrin W. Miller
WILSON - Orrin W. Miller, 79, died Nov. 15, 2004, at Ellsworth County Medical Center.
He was born June 22, 1925, at Russell, the son of Henry and Dorothea Bisterfeld Miller. A lifetime resident of the Wilson area, he was a salesman.
He belonged to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wilson.
In 1955, he married
Erma Dewald. She preceded him in death. In 1975, he married
Carolyn Herbel. She survives, Wilson.
Other survivors include: a son, Adrian, Wilson; a daughter, Suzanne McGuire, Scottsdale, Ariz.; a stepson, Don Herbel, Salina; three stepdaughters, Pam Kasper, Manhattan, Cathy Smith, Wilson, and Joni Moran, Claflin; a brother, Edwin, Wilson; four sisters, Velma Borell and Arline Stoppel, both of Wilson, and Helen Buckley and Margaret Miller, both of Dodge City; and 11 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by: a daughter, Kyrah Gayle; two brothers, Henry and Levi; and a granddaughter.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wilson, with Pastor James Strassen presiding. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Foster Mortuary, Wilson, and 9 a.m. to service time Thursday at the church. Burial will be in Wilson City Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the church in care of the funeral home.
Helen J. Foresman
ULYSSES - Helen J. Foresman, 79, died Nov. 16, 2004, at Western Prairie Care Home, Ulysses.
She was born Dec. 18, 1924, at Liberal, the daughter of Floyd and Bessie Richardson Bangs. She was a 1943 graduate of Grant County Rural High School. She was a homemaker.
She belonged to Country View Baptist Church and had worked with the Hospital Service League, both at Ulysses.
On Aug. 15, 1943, she married
Robert E. Foresman at Lakin. He survives.
Other survivors include: a son, M. R. Foresman, Johnson; two sisters, Peggy Tarbet and Jane Eddie, both of Ulysses; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Beverley Foresman and a brother, Merle Bangs.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Ulysses Cemetery, with the Rev. Sam Bynum presiding.
Memorials may be sent to Western Prairie Care Home, in care of Garnand Funeral Home, Ulysses.
