Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Evelyn E. Alexander
Evelyn E. Alexander, 85, of Corning, KS, died early Saturday morning, January 31, 2004, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca, KS.
She was born March 19, 1917, on the family farm west of Corning, the daughter of Frank and Dora Kempley Holsapple. Evelyn attended the Mentor School and graduated from the Corning Rural High School in 1935.
On July 31, 1935, she married
Frank Alexander at Corning. They lived and farmed on her grandfather’s place north of Corning for a year before they moved to their present home, the Alexander homestead south of Corning. They celebrated their 40th, 50th, 60th, and 65th wedding anniversaries.
Evelyn was a member of the United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women at the church, and the Corning Extension Unit for 45 years. In 1947 she and her husband started the Red Vermillion 4-H Club south of Corning. She was the project leader and community leader for 17 years until she had a heart attack in 1960. Evelyn and Frank enjoyed traveling around the United States. They often had family “get-togethers.” She did quilting, embroidering, and other sewing, besides gardening and flowers.
Survivors are her husband, Frank, of the home, a daughter, Kay Rethman, Corning; a sister, Thelma Brower, Peoria, IL; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Urban and Glen Holsapple.
Funeral services will be 11 A.M. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church at Corning where there will be a visitation for an hour preceding the services. The burial will be in the Corning Cemetery. She will lie in state at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca after 8:30 A.M. Tuesday.
Memorials may be given for the Red Rustlers 4-H Club of Corning and Goff and sent in care of the family.
Frank C. Alexander
Frank C. Alexander, 98, of Corning, KS, died on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at Life Care Center in Seneca, where he had been a resident since October 2010.
Frank was born on a farm west of Corning on July 6, 1913 to William D. and Margaret Hanks Alexander. When he was age two, the family moved to the farmstead on which Frank lived until he was 97. He attended country school and graduated from Corning High School in 1933. His father passed away in 1934 and Frank took over the family farming operation.
He married
Evelyn E. Holsapple on July 31, 1935 in Corning. The couple celebrated their 40th, 50th, 60th, and 65th wedding anniversaries, and enjoyed 68 years of marriage before Evelyn’s death on January 31, 2004.
Frank started his farming operation with crops and a small dairy herd, which later included stock cattle and registered quarter horses. In 1935, he purchased his first registered Duroc gilt and from that point on, was in the swine business. He sold his hogs to young 4-Hers across northeast Kansas, and made a point of attending County Fairs to watch them show “his hogs.” In 1947 Frank and Evelyn started the Red Vermillion 4-H Club among the families south of Corning. He was a Project and Community Leader for 21 years.
Frank served on the Nemaha County FFA Board as Director, the Nemaha County 4-H Fair Board, the CorningCemeteryBoard, the Scenic Boar Testing Station Board at Wymore, NE; and on the KABSU Bullstud Board at Kansas State University. He was a founding Board Member of the Brown/Nemaha Pork Producers and of the Swine Testing Station Board at Kansas State University. In 1994 he received the honor of being named the Grand Marshall of the Nemaha County Fair and in 1997 received the Friend of 4-H Award for his lifetime contributions. However, his greatest recognition came in 1985 when he was presented the Kansas Master Pork Producer Award.
Frank was a member of the Corning United Methodist Church and served on numerous church committees. Frank and Evelyn enjoyed traveling around the United States, and he loved attending hog “events” and sales, as well as fishing, hunting and playing cards.
He is survived by a daughter Kay (Roger) Rethman of Corning; grandchildren, Stacy (Julie) Rethman of Circleville, Beckie Wells of Manhattan and Jason Rethman of Corning; and two great grandchildren, Kurtis Wells and Baylee Rethman, both of Manhattan.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, and by his brother Wendell, and his sister Mildred Baciac.
The funeral service will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, November 5, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, where he will lie in state after 8 AM on Saturday. There will be a visitation at the funeral home starting one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Corning City Cemetery.
Romaine L. Alvis
Romaine L. Alvis, 84, Seneca, died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, at Midland Hospice in Topeka. She had diabetes and had been in failing health.
She was born February 17, 1920, at Manhattan, KS, the daughter of John F. and Dona A. Milsap Tennant. Her father worked for the Union Pacific Railroad so she lived in several different towns including, Onaga, Lincoln, NE, and Kansas City, MO.
On December 19, 1945, she married
Gordon “Bub” Alvis, Jr. at Seneca. They lived in Seneca and were active in their church and community. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service and she and his mother owned and operated the Style Shop on Seneca’s Main Street for many years. Her husband “Bub” died March 21, 1997.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church at Seneca where earlier she sang in the choir. Other memberships included the P.E.O., the Eastern Star, the Sweet Adelines, and the Earl W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion Auxiliary for over 48 years. Romaine was an avid reader as well as enjoying knitting and crocheting.
Survivors are her son David and his wife, Marie, of Peru, NE; three grandchildren, Aminta Alvis of Glendale, AZ, Seth Alvis of Phoenix, AZ and Jesse Alvis of Harleysville, PA; and two step-grandchildren, Jane Henry of Topeka and William Henry of Peru, NE.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, and an infant grandson, Levi Alvis on May 12, 1978.
She will lie in state at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca after 8:30 A.M. Sunday, with a visitation from 7 to 8 P.M. on Sunday. Family and friends will meet at the Lauer Funeral Home on Monday at 12:30 and proceed to the Seneca CityCemeteryfor a 1 P.M. graveside service. Due to the illness of her son, a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be given for the United Methodist Church and sent in care of the family.
Violet I. Baker
Violet I. Baker, 97, died Thursday October 5, 2000 at St. Lukes Northland Hospital, Kansas City, MO.
She was born December 15, 1902 at Onaga, KS. She had been an actress in the early years of movies in Hollywood. She and her daughter Gloria Barnett (pen name Gloria Elmore) were involved in writing scripts and acting in several TV shows, including Hawaii Five-O. For the past several years she had lived in Kansas City, MO near her surviving nephew Bill Painter.
Private graveside services were held Friday afternoon October 6, 2000 at Onaga Cemetery, Onaga, KS.
Lynval E. Ball
Lynval E. Ball, 92, of Independence, Missouri, formerly of Oneida, Kansas, died Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cameron, Missouri.
Lynval was born on September 13, 1919 to Clinton and Lucinda (Davis) Ball, on their home place west of Oneida. He attended Union Dale Grade School in rural Oneida and graduated from Oneida High School in 1938. He served in the U.S. Army from January 19, 1943 until his honorable discharge on January 15, 1945 with the rank of Technician Third Grade (T/3).
He was united in marriage to Martha L. Modeland of Willis, Kansas on December 26, 1948 in Horton, Kansas. He and his wife farmed west of Oneida, and they owned and operated the Ball Grocery Store in Oneida. In 1966 they moved to Independence, Missouri, where Lynval worked at Allis Chalmers until his retirement. In addition, Lynval and Martha owned and maintained rental properties in Independence.
He was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Oneida and Independence, and the Masonic Lodge in Oneida.
He was preceded in death by his wife Martha on March 4, 1999; a daughter LaVonne Sue Low on March 19, 1988; a brother, Norman Ball; and a sister, Jessie Ball.
He is survived by his three daughters, Lynn Ellen (Charley) Bain of Prairie Village, Kansas, Deanna (Jim) Staples of Overland Park, Kansas and Mary Lue Courtney of Independence; two sons, Lynval Ball II of Independence and Kerby (Julie) Ball of Prairie Village; 15 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM Saturday, September 15, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, Kansas. Family with meet with friends for one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the OneidaCemeterywith military honors.
Memorial contributions may be given for the Missouri Veterans Home, c/o Friends of Veterans, 1111 Euclid, Cameron, MO 64429.
John Amos Beck
John Amos Beck, 84, of Centralia, died Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at Eastridge Care Home in Centralia.
John was born February 22, 1930, three and a half miles south of Baileyville to Joseph W. and Gladys Belveal Beck. John attended the Center Country School in Center Township south of Baileyville and graduated from the 8th grade. John went to high school for one year in 1944 before deciding to stay home and help his father. He made his living by trapping for many years. He also enjoyed fishing.
He served his Country from 1951-1956, in the Army and earned the rank of Corporal before his discharge. He also earned the Korean Service Medal, W/2 Bronze Service Star, United Nation Service, Marks Men Carbine and the Korean War Combat Artillery.
He owned a TV and radio repair in Centralia, where he sold Admiral TVs for many years; until forced to retire due to health issues. He also farmed and painted homes in the Vermillion, Centralia and Seneca areas.
He was a member of the United Church of Christ and the American Legion Post 216, which he was member of for over 55 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his father in 1967, his mother in 1994, and his brother, Derry J. Beck in 2004.
He is survived by his Uncle Norman and Aunt Margerie Belveal of Nortonville, his Uncle Bill Bramhall of Vermillian and by several nephews and cousins.
Funeral Services will be held at the Centralia Community Church, West Building in Centralia at 10:30AM on Thursday, May 22nd; a visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Centralia City Cemetery.
Memorials may be left in John’s memory to Eastridge Care Facility.
Ardella F. Becker
Ardella F. Becker, 58, of Corning, Kansas, died Saturday, May 26, 2001, as the result of a single-auto accident. Her car was located Sunday morning a mile south of Corning after an area-wide search by Nemaha County law enforcement, local fire departments, emergency personnel, relatives and friends.
She was born May 19, 1943, at Axtell, Kansas, the daughter of Edwin and Anna Deters Ronnebaum of Baileyville. She grew up on the family farm and attended St. Benedict School, graduating from high school in 1961 as the valedictorian of the class. She worked as a waitress at local cafes, for Jay Adriance at the Courier Tribune newspaper in Seneca, Bauman Catering at Centralia, and the Sage Grocery in Corning. She also also did domestic work for local people, and helped with the family farming operation.
On October 12, 1963, she married
John Becker at St. Mary's Church, St. Benedict. He survives of the home. They lived and farmed south of Corning.
She was a member of St. Patrick's Church, where she was a religion teacher; the Altar Society; the American Legion Auxiliary, of which she was a past president; and the Corning Extension Unit, all in Corning. She was on the board of the Nemaha County Training Center, the Nemaha County Council on Aging, Nemaha County Cancer Society, and the Nemaha County Historical Society. She was also a newspaper correspondent reporting on Corning for area newspapers.
Survivors besides her husband are two daughters, Marcia Gillie of Holton and Kathryn "Kaye" Becker of Salina, Kansas; a brother Elmer Ronnebaum of Baileyville, Kansas; a sister, Darlene Hillhouse of Live Oak, Florida; two grandchildren and a step granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by a son, John Francis Becker, Jr. on October 15, 1965.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, May 30, at St. Patrick's Church at Corning . The burial will be in the church cemetery. Prayer services will be 7 P.M. Monday and Tuesday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, Kansas, where she will lie in state after 4 P.M. on Monday.
Memorials may be given for the American Cancer Society, St. Patrick's Church, or the Restoration Fund at St. Mary's Church, St. Benedict and sent in care of the family.
Arthur L. Becker
Arthur L. Becker, 93, of Seneca, Kansas, died Thursday, April 27, 2000, at Country View Estates Care Home in Seneca. He had been a resident there since June of 1998.
He was born March 25, 1907, on the family farm east of Seneca, the son of Louis and Anna Luckeroth Becker. Art attended a rural school near his home and helped on the family farm. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad prior to his marriage. He was a farmer and a stockman most of his life. While he was farming, he also worked for Uhlig & Reese, the Farmers Elevator, and Hall Brothers.
On September 15, 1936, he married
Marcedes Melcher at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. They lived and farmed southeast of Seneca. In 1939 they moved to the Louis Becker farm, the family homestead, east of Seneca. His wife, Marcedes, died November 26, 1995.
He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, the St. Joseph's Society at the church, and the Knights of Columbus #1769 at Seneca for over 50 years. Art enjoyed his family, friends, and a good game of cards.
Survivors are four sons, David Becker and Glen Becker both of Seneca, Max Becker of Meriden, KS, Michael Becker of Topeka; two daughters, Janice Heinen and Connie Thompson both of Topeka; a sister, Elsie Mathewson of Seneca; 19 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by six brothers; Leo, Roy, Clarence, Alvin, Lawrence (Pat), Harvey, and six sisters, Alma Becker, Rose Gress, Leona Haefele, Clara Rogers, Stella Koelzer, and Edith Roche.
The rosary was prayed at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Friday afternoon by the Knights of Columbus and in the evening by Fr. Donald Redmond, O.S.B. The mass of Christian burial was offered on Saturday by Fr. Donald at Sts. Peter & Paul Church. The lector was Tom Becker who also eulogized his grandfather. The Eucharistic minister was Regis Becker. Servers were Melinda, Vanessa, and Brandon Feldkamp. Giftbearers were Keri Heinen, Tammy Thompson, Brenda Thompson, DeAnn Bennett, and Kim Koci.
The burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Dennis Becker, Don Becker, Jim Becker, Dan Becker, Scott Becker, and Kevin Heinen.
Memorial contributions may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School and sent in care of the family.
