Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Richard L. Chilson
Richard L.“Dick” Chilson, 64, Rancho Cucamonga, California, died June 25, 2004, following a heart attack while visiting his family in Seneca.
He was born December 1, 1939, in Centralia, Kansas, the second child of Chalmer Lee and Lucille Wright Chilson. When he was a year old in 1940, the family moved to Riverton, Iowa, and in 1941 to San Diego, California. He graduated from El Cajon High School in 1958 and from San Lupisco University in 1962.
On November 16, 1960 he married
Patricia May Toft. They were later divorced.
He worked for the Ralston Purina Company. In 1973 he started his own company, Chilson’s Management Controls Inc., dealing in research, computer software and marketing with the poultry industry. The company is world wide.
On April 23, 1989, he married
Hedy Cohen. She died in 2000.
Richard enjoyed his company, the yacht club, where he served as commodore, and traveling back to Kansas to visit his family.
Survivors include his son, Patrick of Ramona, CA; a friend, Linda Brown; a sister Eileen Jacobs of Post Falls, ID; brothers, Donald of San Marcos, CA, and Leland of Seneca; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents and his wife, Hedy, he was preceded in death by a brother, Gary Chilson.
Private family memorial services are planned in Kansas and in California.
Ernest R. "Ernie" Claycamp
Ernest R. "Ernie" Claycamp, 65, of Seneca, KS, died just before midnight Tuesday on March 9, 2004 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka. He had been in ill health for many years.
He was born April 10, 1938, on a farm south of Wetmore, KS, the son of Eldon and Evelyn Smith Claycamp. Ernie attended Bancroft Grade School and Circleville High School. He worked for Welliever Construction Company of Holton, KS doing bridge construction all over Kansas. He was a member of the Kansas Army National Guard at Holton. In 1958 he entered the U.S. Army and served at Ft. Chaffee and in Germany in the field artillery. After his discharge in 1961, he returned to Wetmore and was again employed by the Welliever Construction Co.
On May 7, 1961, he married
Connie Schuneman at Woodlawn Baptist Church, Woodlawn, KS. They lived in Council Grove for several months before they moved to the Ford Community southeast of Seneca. He farmed for his father-in-law at the location where they presently live.
He was a member of the Woodlawn Baptist Church. Ernie liked carpentry and making things for his children. Some of his interests were antique tractors and machinery.
Survivors are his wife Connie of the home; a son, Roy Claycamp, Seneca; two daughters, Beverly Claycamp and Deborah Claycamp, both of Mayetta, KS; his mother, Evelyn Claycamp, Holton; four brothers, Everett of Edgar, NE, Edwin of Glendale, KY, Edgar of Wetmore and Edward of Topeka; and a sister, Ethabelle “Bonnie” Kranz of Dennison, KS.
He was preceded in death by a stillborn son, Jeffery Lee Claycamp, on March 4, 1969; his father; three brothers, Ervin, Emmett and Eugene; and a sister, Ellen Davis.
Funeral services will be 10 A.M. Saturday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Burial will be with military honors in the Seneca City Cemetery. The family will meet with friends from 7 to 8:30 P.M. Friday at the funeral home, where he will lie in state after 8:30 A.M. Friday.
Memorials are for the Woodlawn Baptist Church or the Equipment Fund at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, and should be sent in care of the family.
Dorothy L. Cleland
Dorothy L. Cleland, 76, of Seneca, died Saturday, July 19, 2003, at Country View Estates care home in Seneca. Due to health problems, Dorothy had been a resident there since 1985. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with metastasis to the lungs nine weeks ago.
She was born February 1, 1927, the daughter of Carl and Lucy Stone Hodges, at Topeka. After graduation from Topeka High School in 1945, she attended Baker University and Washburn University as music major. She was a piano teacher.
On May 6, 1956, she married
Paul I. Cleland at the First Methodist Church in Topeka where she sang in the choir. They lived on a farm near Eskridge. In 1964 they moved to Anthony where Paul worked for the Soil Conservation Service and to Seneca in 1967. Her husband, Paul, preceded her in death on December 29, 1986.
Dorothy was a member of the United Methodist Church in Seneca where she had been a soloist with the choir. When her son Larry sang a solo at the state music contest, she played the piano for him. She enjoyed playing the piano for church services and entertainment at the nursing home. Dorothy followed her grandchildren’s activities and enjoyed being with them. She was their sports fan, as well as following the sports of the care-home employees’ children on the local TV station. Nationally, she was an Atlanta Braves fan. Dorothy liked visiting with people and knew everyone by name, both care-home visitors and residents.
Survivors are two sons, James Cleland, Lafayette, CO, and Larry Cleland, Anchorage, AK; two daughters; Denise Nolte, Seneca and Linda Heinen, Goff; a brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Ruth Hodges of Topeka; twelve grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
She was also preceded in death by three stepchildren Gary and Sandra Cleland and Patricia Watkins.
Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, July 23, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The family will meet with friends from 7 to 8 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home, where she will lie in state after 8:30 A.M. Tuesday. The burial will be at 3 P.M. at the Burlingame Cemetery, Burlingame, KS.
Memorials may be given for the Activity Fund at Country View Estates and sent in care of the family.
Robert B. Clelland
Robert B. Clelland, 77, of Topeka, Kansas, died Saturday, September 8, 2001, at the Midland Hospice House, Topeka, Kansas. He had been in ill health since 1994.
He was born July 24, 1924, in Wichita, Kansas and adopted from an orpahage in Atchinson at age 2-1/2 years by Elzy and Ida Berridge Clelland. Robert graduated from Goff High School in Goff, KS in 1942. He worked on the family farm until he entered the U.S. Navy during World War II on March 14, 1944. He was discharged on April 27, 1946.
On July 3, 1946, he married
Rose Mary Gerleve in Topeka, Kansas. After his marriage he and his wife farmed in the Fairview and the Hiawatha area for 25 years. In 1971 they moved to Seneca and he went to work for the Herman oil Company. He also worked for Crestview Manor in the maintenance department. In 1979 they moved to Topeka where he worked for the Total Oil Company. He retired at the age of 62 but continued to work part time until 1999. She survives of the home in Topeka. Robert and Rose celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1996.
Survivors besides his wife are six sons, Charles Clelland of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Robert, Rick, Randy, David, Steve Clelland all of Topeka; four daughters, Susan Hockaday of King City, Missouri, Carol Clelland of Ottawa, Kansas; Helen Kneisel of Hiawatha, Kansas, Lori Wetzel of Bern, Kansas; 28 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son Louis Clelland on October 16, 1981.
There will be a visitation Wednesday September 12, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The funeral service will be at 11 am on Thursday, September 13, at Lauer Funeral Home. Burial will be at the FairviewCemeteryin Goff, Kansas. Military honors will be provided by the Harold Thieme Post #316 of the American Legion.
Memorials may be given for Midland Hospice House in Topeka and sent in care of the family.
Daniel D. Clements
Daniel D. Clements, 67, of Missoula, Montana, formerly of Seneca, Kansas, died late Thursday night, April 19, 2012 at his home under care of hospice and his family.
Daniel was born on December 27, 1944 in Seneca, Kansas to Durward Daniel and Kathryn Woltkamp Clements. Upon completion of his education at Seneca Public High School in 1962, Dan joined the U.S. Navy in September 1962. He was assigned as Plane Captain performing preflights and line servicing, and received the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam). He ended active duty in April 1966 though remained in the reserves until discharge in September 1968.
After leaving active military service he worked at the Climax Molybdenum Mine in Climax, Colorado and then at Boeing in Washington from 1966 to 1973. He retired from Texaco after working at the Anacortes, Washington refinery from 1973 to 2000.
Clem, as he was often called, married
Kaye L. Annett on February 14, 1988. He was a long time resident of Skagit Valley in Washington. He and his wife Kaye later retired to Montana to a mountainside house for “peace and quiet.” He loved to play cribbage with family and friends, to work on his “shop” projects, and help friends with their projects also.
Survivors include his wife Kaye of the home in Missoula; step-sons Aaron (Carrie) Annett with step-grandson Noah, and Brian Annett; one daughter, Stacey Clements of Monroe, Washington; a son, Daniel (Julie) Clements of Sedro-Woolley, Washington from a previous marriage which also included step-children Jeannie Harris, Jerry Fall, Vallaree O’Leary with step-grandchildren Baylee and Makenzee O’Leary; a sister K’Lynne (George) Gress of Kansas City, Missouri; and brothers, William and David Clements of Seneca and Robin (Rebecca) Clements of Boulder, Colorado.
He was preceded in death by his parents Durward and Kathryn, and a brother Jay B.
Private burial service will be at a later date.
Remembrances may given for Hospice or the Humane Society of Missoula, and sent in care of the family.
Thelma Maxine Shockey Clemmer
Thelma Maxine Shockey Clemmer, 74, of Slater, Missouri died Thursday, May 29, 2014 at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall, Missouri.
She was born on July 31, 1939 in Onaga, Kansas, the daughter of Fred and Lorena Rawlings Shockey. As a young girl, she moved with her family to a farm southwest of Havensville. She attended school in Onaga and graduated with the class of 1958. She completed Clark Business School in Topeka; and was then employed by the State Welfare Office.
On July 30, 1960 she married
Dean Clemmer, at the Base Chapel at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka. She provided a loving home, was a military wife for 22 years while Dean was in the Air Force, and was constant support to Dean during his ministry assignments in Seneca and then in Missouri. The couple celebrated 53 years of marriage.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Louise Kaster on August 30, 2010 and Vera “Darlene” McAuliffe on August 23, 2013.
She is survived by her husband; two sons, Leroy Clemmer of Bolivar and Jerry Clemmer of Pleasant Hope, MO; six grandchildren; brothers, Fred Shockey of Seneca, Bill Shockey of Soldier, Lyle Shockey of Seneca, Terry Shockey of Little Rock, Arkansas, Garry Shockey of Shawnee, Kansas; and a sister, Freda Galer of Holton.
Funeral Services will be 10 A.M., Saturday, June 7, 2014, at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 P.M. Friday evening, June 6th at the Lauer Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery.
Memorials may be designated later.
John R. Clifton, Jr.
John Raymond Clifton, Jr., 77, Frankfort, KS, died Friday, July 8, 2005, at Frankfort Community Care Home.
He was born February 27, 1928, on a farm southeast of Goff, KS, the son of John R. Sr. and Frances I. Dittman Clifton. He moved with his parents to Seneca in 1947 and graduated from Seneca Public High School in 1950. The family moved to Sabetha in 1953 and back to Seneca in 1971. John had cerebral palsy since his birth.
In 1978 after his mother’s death and his father’s admission to a care home, John entered the Twin Valley Developmental Services in Beattie. He was a client at the work shop in Beattie and lived in different Twin Valley places including Marysville. In 1996 John moved to the Frankfort Community Care Home because he needed more care due to his health.
He was a baptized member of the United Methodist Church in Seneca. John always had a quick smile and was kind to everyone. His mother’s guidance had taught him to be very independent, and he was an example to everyone with his determination to do as much as he could at work despite his disability.
He was preceded in death by his mother Frances on May 9, 1972 and his father, on March 5, 1981.
Funeral services will be conducted by Reverend Deborah Haynes-Nelson at 10 AM Wednesday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery. He will lie in state at the funeral home after 1 PM Tuesday.
Memorial contributions may be given for Twin Valley Developmental Services.
