Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Thelma D. Irsik
GARDEN CITY - Thelma D. Irsik, 84, died Dec. 1, 2004, at Garden Valley Retirement Village, Garden City.
She was born April 5, 1920, in Grant County, the daughter of Fred K. and Esther A. Higgins Dawson. A Garden City resident since 1928, formerly of Ulysses, she was a homemaker.
She belonged to St. Mary's Catholic Church, Garden City.
On Feb. 4, 1941, she married
Donald A. Irsik at Garden City. He died Nov. 14, 1970.
Survivors include: two sons, Jerome D. "JD" and Gary, both of Garden City; a daughter, Joyce M. Carr, Garden City; a brother, Virgil Dawson, Las Animas, Colo.; three sisters Hazel Skeeters, Fresno, Calif., Esther Buchanan, Great Bend, and Chris Coffey, Newton; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Donald R., two brothers, a sister, and a great-grandson.
Vigil service will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a rosary, both at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Garden City. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, with Father James E. Baker presiding. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Price and Sons Funeral Home, Garden City. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Garden City.
Memorials may be sent to the St. Mary's School Endowment Fund, in care of the funeral home.
Paul J. McElgunn
DODGE CITY - Paul J. McElgunn, 95, died Dec. 1, 2004, at Manor of the Plains, Dodge City.
He was born Sept. 20, 1909, at Dodge City, the son of Frank J. and Mary Madden McElgunn. A lifetime Dodge City resident, he was a clerk in the superintendents office for the Santa Fe Railroad for 30 years.
He belonged to Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Knights of Columbus Council No. 2955, both at Dodge City. He was the Scout master for Troop No. 162 for many years.
Survivors include: two nephews, Francis and Jerry, both of Dodge City; two nieces, Kathleen McElgunn and Marty McElgunn, both of Dodge City; and several great-nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Francis; and a sister, Margarite Cleary.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by a Knights of Columbus rosary, both at Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City, with Father Wesley W. Schawe presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City.
Memorials may be sent to the Sacred Heart School Endowment, in care of the funeral home.
George W. Tull
LIBERAL - George Washington Tull, 76, died Dec. 1, 2004, at his home, Liberal.
He was born Aug. 10, 1928, at Yale, Okla., the son of William Marion and Anna Jemima Burris Tull. He was a 1946 graduate of Jennings High School, Jennings, Okla. He was an oil field driller and tool pusher with Bruce Drilling. He also was a diesel mechanic with Mid America Diesel Service and Mid States Diesel Service. He was shop foreman for Diesel Equipment, all at Liberal.
He belonged to First Southern Baptist Church, was past master of Masonic Lodge Fargo No. 300 and was a 32nd degree Mason in the Scottish Rite, Wichita. He was former assistant Scout master of BSA Troop No. 182 and Webelos leader of Pack No. 43 and was a Kids Inc. baseball coach. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War, where he was a radar operator, serving from 1948 to 1952.
On Dec. 20, 1952, he married
Emma Lou Scott at Jennings. She survives.
Other survivors include: six sons, George Denys, Francis Keith, and Stuart Douglas, all of Liberal, Freddie William, Oklahoma City, Marvin Darrell, Beaver, Okla., and Daniel Jordan, Jay, Maine; two daughters, Louemma Wray Larman, Coyle, Okla., and Siretta Anne Lemmons, Turpin, Okla.; two brothers, Marvin, LaPorte, Colo., and Jessie, Jennings; two sisters, Anna Nugent and Barbara Dressler, both of Hallett, Okla.; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, W.M. "Jr., " John and Dale.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Southern Baptist Church, Liberal, with the Rev. Keith Bryant presiding. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Kitch-Brenneman Funeral Home, Liberal. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, in Jennings Cemetery, Jennings, Okla., with military honors and Masonic rites.
Memorials may be sent to Liberal Home Health and Hospice or to the National Cancer Institute, both in care of the funeral home.
Duane L. Lindenmeyer
ELLSWORTH - Duane L. Lindenmeyer, 70, died Dec. 1, 2004, at Ellsworth County Medical Center.
He was born April 27, 1934, at Salina, the son of Fred and Rachel DeWald Lindenmeyer. An Ellsworth resident since 1962, moving from Potwin, he was a retired teacher, having taught at Ellsworth High School for 36 years. He also had been an employee of St. Francis Academy for 40 years.
He belonged to United Methodist Church and AF and AM Lodge No. 146, both at Ellsworth. He was a U.S. Navy veteran.
On June 6, 1965, he married
Sharon Smysor at Ellsworth. She survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Daniel G., Newton, and R. Scott, WaKeeney; a daughter, Karen Ann Hunter, Vero Beach, Fla.; three brothers, Robert, Salina, Chester, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Fred, Hutchinson; a sister, Ruth Yandle, San Jose, Calif.; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Glenn.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church, Ellsworth, with Dr. John Snook presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at Parsons Funeral Home, Ellsworth. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Peabody.
Memorials may be sent to the church or to St. Francis Academy, both in care of the funeral home.
Harry W. Pritchard
ROSEBURG, Ore. - Harry Wesley Pritchard, 78, died Nov. 27, 2004, of natural causes.
He was the brother of Lee and Robert Pritchard and Katherine Caudillo, all of Kansas.
Autumn Funerals, Bend, Ore., is in charge of arrangements.
Clementine T. Oliva
NEWTON - Clementine T. Oliva, 93, died Dec. 1, 2004, at Friendly Acres Retirement Community, Newton.
She was born July 27, 1911, at Granger, Texas, the daughter of Joseph and Albena Tobolka Zrubec. She was employed as a waitress at the Village Cafe, Newton, and was a nurse's aide for most of her life.
She belonged to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Newton.
On Feb. 18, 1930, she married
Ervin Wayne Oliva at Granger. He died April 30, 1984.
Survivors include: a son, Lloyd E., Tyler, Texas; a daughter, Marjorie L. Driskill, Aurora, Colo.; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two stepgrandchildren.
Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Petersen Funeral Home, Newton, with the Rev. Floyd McKinney presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Newton.
Memorials may be sent to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church or to Central Homecare and Hospice, both in care of the funeral home.
Nellie K. Eitel
GREAT BEND - Nellie K. Bley Eitel, 89, died Nov. 27, 2004, at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend.
She was born Oct. 7, 1915, at Rozel, the daughter of Lewis and Clara Howell Bley. She lived at Colorado from 1953 to 1978, then moved to Pawnee County, retiring to Great Bend in 1993. She was a registered nurse.
She belonged to Fort Larned Bells, Walnut Valley Extension Program and the Great Bend Quilters Guild.
On Jan. 21, 1940, she married
Vernon Eitel at Frederick. He survives.
Other survivors include: a daughter, Leola Eitel; and a sister, Sophia Bley, Larned.
She was preceded in death by a son, Larry.
Cremation has taken place. Graveside services will be held at a later date. Beckwith Mortuary, Larned, is in charge of arrangements.
Robert W. Esping
GOLD CANYON, Ariz. - Robert Wendell "Bob" Esping, 85, died Nov. 30, 2004, at Banner Desert Medical Center, Mesa, Ariz.
He was born Oct. 2, 1919, at Parsons, the son of Julius and Myrtle "Babe" Kimmell Esping. In 1947, he opened the Gambles Store and moved to Harper. He also opened another location at Medicine Lodge. He later went into the construction business and built homes and commercial construction projects at Harper for 40 years. He was co-owner and operator of Bobco Homes, Harper, for 15 years.
On June 6, 1942, he married
Margie Reilly at Ellsworth. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Greg, Harper; a daughter; a brother; two sisters, Marji Sartori and Lillian Nelson, both of Lindsborg; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nephews and nieces.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Harper United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Harper Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the church, in care of Elliott Funeral Home, Harper.
Richard D. Popp
LITTLE RIVER - Richard D. Popp, 68, died Nov. 30, 2004, at his home, Little River.
He was born Jan. 17, 1936, at Bison, the son of Henry and Mary Leinweber Popp. A 19-year Little River resident, formerly of Great Bend, he was a retired truck driver.
He attended United Methodist Church, Little River. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Survivors include: a son, Rich McAllen, Texas; a daughter, Dawn Able, Cherry Hill, N.J.; and four sisters, Betty Wiziarde, Little River, Alma Leech, Illinois, Ruby Wells, Great Bend, and Geneva Steinert, Ellinwood.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Elmer and Walter; and a sister, Jenny Azzaro.
Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Sillin Funeral Home, Lyons, with the Rev. John Wiziarde presiding.
Memorials may be sent to the American Diabetes Association, in care of the funeral home.
