Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Catherine G. Buser
Catherine G. Buser, 104, of Seneca, KS, died Saturday morning, February 4, 2012 at Life Care Center in Seneca.
She was born on February 1, 1908, three months premature, to George Washington and Mary Elizabeth Brophy McCarthy. At birth she weighed three pounds, three-quarters ounce and was placed in a shoe box that was kept warm with a hot-water bottle and a lantern at each end. She attended school at Windy Ridge Schoolhouse in Nemaha County near the Marshall County border, and later at Axtell Boarding School in Axtell, KS. Her first two years of high school were in Turner, KS and she graduated in 1926 from Vermillion High in Vermillion, KS.
She married
Victor F. Buser on October 30, 1928 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church near Lillis, KS. The couple owned and operated Vic’s Super Saver Service Station in Seneca, Pacific Coffee Shop in Marysville, KS, Hotel West Point in West Point, NE and the Starlite Motel in Seneca. Catherine and Victor were blessed with a baby girl, Joan, in 1931. Catherine and Victor enjoyed 63 happy years of marriage before his death on August 15, 1991.
She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and St. Ann’s Altar Sodality in Seneca. Catherine enjoyed a good game of bridge, sewing and cooking.
Besides her husband she was preceded in death by her four brothers, Charlie, John, Bill and George McCarthy; and her three sisters, Esther, Gertrude and Genevieve.
She is survived by her daughter, Joan Sorensen of Seneca; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11 AM Wednesday, February 8, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Tuesday, February 7, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.
Memorials may be given in Catherine’s memory for St. Joseph Cemetery, Lillis, KS.
George J. Buser, Jr.
George J. Buser, Jr., 79, of Overland Park, KS, died Wed. August 16, at a Kansas City hospital.
He was born Sept. 2, 1920, at Seneca, KS, the eldest son of George J., Sr., and Elizabeth Karnowski Buser. He grew up in Seneca and graduated from Sts. Peter & Paul High School in 1938. After high school, he attended Rockhurst, Kansas State, and the University of Missouri at Kansas City where he received a BA in Economics, followed by a Juris Doctor.
During World War II, George served in the US Army Air Corps in the China-Burma-India theatre.
He was married
to Mary Brungardt in 1945. She survives of the home in Overland Park.
In 1990 he retired as vice president and trust officer for Valley View State Bank in Overland Park. His career in banking spanned 50 years, during which time he had been employed by the National Bank of Seneca, the Traders National Bank, Kansas City, Mo, the Plaza State Bank, Des Moines, IA, and the Suburban Bank, Kansas City, MO. He was also an instructor at the American Institute of Banking at the Evening Division of Rockhurst College.
He was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Overland Park where he served as an Eucharistic minister, lector, and assistant sacristan. He was a former president of the Eastern Kansas Estate Planning Council and of the Oakshire Homes Association. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Seneca Council #1769 of the Knights of Columbus and former member of the Earle W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion both at Seneca.
Survivors besides his wife Mary are: a son, Michael Buser of Overland Park; a daughter, Mary George Warren of New Orleans; three sisters, Sister Christella Buser of Concordia, KS, Mary Beth Morrissey of Aberdeen, WA, and Judith Lortcher, Hurst, Texas; a brother, Alfred Buser, Seneca; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Donald G. Buser, John F. Buser, Eugene E. Buser, and Burton L. Buser.
George wanted everyone to know that he always remembered Seneca as a special place. From the time he was taken under the wing of E.A. Grollmes at the old National Bank of Seneca, through his retirement years in Overland Park, he maintained his regard for Seneca, and kept up with Seneca news through a subscription to the Courier Tribune. He was especialy proud of the new library annex and the Fire and Sheriff's Departments, of which he fondly remembered Charles E. Carman and Dave Bieri.
George wished to thank everyone for the many fun days growing up in Seneca, from the Fall Festivals to the K of C picnics in the Koehler's Grove. One of his best memories is winning the Blue Ribbon for Best Potato at the Nemaha County 4-H Fair....though he now admits he bought that potato for 10 cents at the A&P store!
Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 7 P.M. Monday, August 21, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Overland Park, with visitation beginning at 5:30 P.M. at the church before the service. A reception in celebration of Mr. Buser's life will follow in St. Elizabeth's Hall at the church. Amos Family Funeral Home in Lenexa in charge of these arrangements.
The family will meet with friends at 1 P.M. Tuesday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Graveside services will be at 2 P.M. Tuesday at Sts. Peter & PaulCemeteryin Seneca, with full military honors by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Memorial contributions may be given for the Benedictine Sisters, 801 S. 8th St., Atchison, KS 66002 or to the Benedictine Fathers, Atchison, KS 66002.
Maurine E. Calderwood
Maurine E. Calderwood, 85, of Seneca, KS, died Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at the Life Care Center in Seneca.
She was born May 11, 1925 in Franklin Township, KS, the second of six children born to Cecil Lee & Effie Johnson Bowser. She grew up on a farm southwest of Mayetta. Since Doris and Maurine were the oldest, Doris helped with the farming chores, while Maurine helped inside cooking and cleaning house. She attended New Century and Rock Brook Country School, and then two years at Holton High School.
She married
Robert L. "Bob" Calderwood on December 26, 1942 in Lawrence, KS. Bob preceded her in death on May 14, 2006.
In May of 1957 Bob and Maurine opened the Lakeside Steakhouse near Lake Nemaha south of Seneca. Bob did the cooking and Maurine did whatever needed to be done. They started a “Supper Club” where members would meet once a month for socializing, drinks, dinner and dancing. Maurine loved to cook and Supper Club gave her a chance to be creative in preparing for events and dinners.
In 1959, they bought a dime store in Seneca and ran that by day while continuing to run the restaurant at night. They later sold the dime store to stay focused on the restaurant.
In 1965, they relocated the Lakeside Steak House to Seneca on the east end of the Highway 36 business district and renamed it Bob’s Sirloin Room. The Supper Club continued at the new location for several years until being discontinued. Bob's Sirloin Room was especially well known far and wide for its Friday night prime rib special.
After 49 years of memorable food and service for locals as well as travelers through Seneca, Bob’s Sirloin Room closed in February 2005.
Maurine was active in the United Congregational Church, a member of Eastern Star for over 50 years, and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW, all in Seneca.
Besides her parents and her husband Bob, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Rodney Calderwood; and two brothers, Lyman and John Bowser.
Survivors include her children and their spouses, Charles and Jennie Calderwood of Jacksonville, FL, Sharon and Mike Medica of Hot Springs Village, AR, Lyle and Susan Calderwood of Powder Springs, GA, and David and Margie Calderwood of Seneca; two sisters and their spouses, Doris and Evertt Kitrell of Holton, KS, and Alberta and Bill Townsend of Douglas, WY; one brother, Cecil Bowser of Mayetta, KS; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held from 7 to 8 PM Friday, March 25, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The funeral service will be 11 AM Saturday, March 26, at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery.
Memorials can be given for the Life Care Center of Seneca or the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, and sent in care of Lauer Funeral Home, or in care of the family at 929 146th Rd., Seneca, KS 66538.
Robert L. "Bob" Calderwood
Robert Lyle Calderwood, 83, of Seneca, KS, died Sunday evening, May 14, 2006, at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.
He was born on August 31, 1922 in Hoyt, KS, the 9th of ten children, to Henry Sabin and Sadie Belle Greg Calderwood. Robert was raised in Denison and Mayetta where he also attended school. As a young man, Robert plastered houses with his father and brothers.
On December 26, 1942, he married
Maurine Elizabeth Bowser in Lawrence, KS. He then was inducted and became active in the U.S. Army in February of 1943. While in the service, he served with the Army Air Corps in World War II in the European Theatre. As a sergeant he was a meat cutter and spent two and a half years overseas. He received the American Defense Service Medal, EAME Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
Throughout the years, Robert owned and operated many different businesses. He first had a butcher business in the A&P store on Main Street in Seneca. While a butcher at A&P, he also opened Lakeside Steakhouse, located at Nemaha County Lake on Kansas Highway 63, on Mother’s Day weekend in 1957, offering 13 items. Then in 1959, Robert got out of the butcher business and purchased a dime store in Seneca, which he and his wife Maurine operated by day, while still running their restaurant at night. They later sold the dime store to focus on the restaurant.
In 1965 they relocated their restaurant to Seneca on the east end of US Highway 36, and renamed it Bob’s Sirloin Room. "Bob's, " as everyone called it, started with one dining room, but eventually the facility was expanded to include a lounge and bar, two more dining rooms, a larger kitchen, and a bakery.
Bob prided himself on the fact that they cut all of their own meat and baked all of their own bread in-house. In 1985, he was given the Allied Pork industry award for his promotion of pork. Robert also received the Restauranteur of the Year award in 1987. Many people considered the prime rib the signature dish at Bob's Sirloin Room, and Bob took great pride in that.
As for his hobbies, nothing in the world topped Bob’s love for his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but playing golf came pretty close. He could usually be found on the golf course everyday at noon with his golf buddies. During his golf career, he was proud to have made six hole-in-ones. When he wasn’t playing golf, he enjoyed playing cards with his Monday night pitch group. He played pitch constantly with his sons, son-in-law, and grandchildren any time they were together. His favorite game phrase was, “Let’s play Bobby Calderwoody wins…”
Bob was a member of many different organizations throughout his life. He was an 11-year member of the Kansas Restaurant Association Board of Directors and was a past president. He was a Shriner of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Noblest of the Mystic Shrine and helped raise money for disabled children in Kansas. He was a 25-year member of the Seneca Lions Club, served on the Board of Trustees for his church, and was also a member of the VFW, American Legion, and Masonic Lodge AF & AM 39.
Bob loved the town of Seneca and had a hand in many improvements for the town and served on the city council.
Survivors include his wife, Maurine; four children, Charles and his wife Jenny of Jacksonville, FL, Lyle and his wife Susan of Powder Springs, GA, Sharon Medica and her husband Mike of Hot Springs Village, AR, and David and his wife Margie, of Seneca; one brother, Sam Calderwood of Topeka; two sisters, Emma Cress and Betty Woodward, both of Topeka; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Leon, Chuck, Ozzie, and Lou; two sisters, Gertie Banahan and Frieda Bohanan; and one grandson, Rodney Calderwood.
Visitation will be held from 6:30 to 8 PM Tuesday, May 16, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Services will be held at 11 AM Wednesday, May 17, at the funeral home.
Memorials may be given for the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, the new Seneca Pool Project, or Spring Creek Golf Course, and sent in care of the family.
Shyann M. Cannon
Shyann M. Cannon, 18, of Goff, Kansas died on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at the University of Kansas Medical Center, as the result of injuries from a one-vehicle accident in Atchison County on the previous Friday. Arrangements are pending at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.
Shyann Marie Cannon was born February 11, 1994, the daughter of Harold J. and Shirley F. Cannon in Lawrence, Kansas. She attended school in Lawrence until her senior year and then graduated from Onaga High School in Onaga in 2011.
Shyann loved music and dancing, and enjoyed traveling and drawing.
She was preceded in death by her great-grandparents, Billie Beerbower Sr., Elzie Junior Martin, Charles Hunt and Harold Cannon Sr.; her aunt Betty Lou Cannon; and cousins, Joshua Ryan Henninger and Shelby Lynn Brown.
She is survived by her parents, Harold and Shirley Cannon of Falls City, Nebraska; her brothers Ozzy and Jeffrey, both of Falls City, her grandparents, Billie Beerbower, Jr. of Lawrence, Becky Martin and Pops Berglund of Lawrence, Harold Cannon, Jr. of Baldwin, Joyce Hunt of Lawrence, and Ronnie and Liz Davis of Falls City; great-grandparents, Helen Beerbower of Lawrence, Shirley Martin of Lawrence and Dorothy Hunt of Branson, Missouri; aunts and uncles, Eddie and Carol Henninger of Goff, Derek and Laura Beerbower of Manhattan, John Michael and Kristi Berglund of Lawrence, Randy Berglund, of Lawrence, Jesse Berglund of Lawrence, Misty Cannon of Lawrence, Chad and Amy Brown of Baldwin and Dawn Moore of McClouth; and 30 cousins.
There will be a private inurnment at a later date.
Mary M. Gaston Chamberlin
Mary M. Gaston Chamberlin, 98, of Seneca, Kansas, died Wednesday, June 13, 2001, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca. She was transferred there from Country View Estates Care Home in Seneca where she had been a resident since April of this year.
She was born September 17, 1902, at Seneca, the daughter of L. Howard and Isabel Johnson Gaston. Mary grew up in Seneca and graduated from the Seneca Public High School in 1920. Following graduation, she worked as a dental assistant for Dr. J.L. Wheatly from 1920 to 1949. In 1949 she moved to Missoula, Montana, where she worked as a dental assistant and took care of her brother, Charles, who had been in ill health since World War II.
On December 18, 1949, she married
Nat Chamberlin at Missoula. He died September 3, 1953. Mary worked at a tuberculosis sanitarium at Galena, Montana, for eight years. In 1961 she moved to Topeka and was employed as a housemother for the Phi Delta Zeta Fraternity at Washburn University for three years. During Governor Bill Avery's term in office, she was the head of housekeeping at the governor's mansion. In the fall of 1967 she was employed at Manhattan as housemother at the Clovia Scholarship House for three years and at Sigma Chi Fraternity for three years, both at Kansas State University. In May of 1974 she retired, moved back to Seneca, and lived in Terrace Heights.
She was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, the Women's Fellowship at the church, and the Nemaha County Historical Society. Mary was active in the community, enjoyed playing cards, knitting, cross-stitch, crocheting, watching baseball, and discussing it with her friends.
Survivors are a stepson, John Chamberlin of Darby, Montana, a step-grandson, and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by six brothers, Arthur, John, Chester, Charles, Karl, Louis and three sisters, Pauline Gaston, Ada Rucker, and Gertrude Gaston.
Memorial services will be 11 A.M. Saturday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Inurnment will be following the services at the Seneca City Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given for the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Seneca, Kansas, 66538.
