Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Melita B. Haverkamp
Melita B. Haverkamp, 91, Seneca, died afternoon Friday, July 02, 2004, at Crestview Manor in Seneca.
She was born December 3, 1912, on a farm southeast of St. Benedict, the daughter of Frank and Lena Bergman Melcher. She attended St. Mary’s School.
On February 14, 1933, she married
Andrew J. Haverkamp at St. Mary’s Church at St. Benedict. They lived in Seneca where “Andy” managed the Farmer’s Elevator. He passed away March 3, 1979.
She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, St. Ann’s Altar Society, the Seneca Woman’s Club, where she held several offices, and the Sunflower Home Demonstration Unit. Melita was a CCD teacher and did other volunteer work at the church. She enjoyed playing bridge and painting along with her sisters. Melita took pride in her home, enjoyed having a garden and flowers.
Survivors are four sons, Gerald, Shawnee Mission, KS; Marvin, Fargo, ND; Carrol “C.E.”, Scottsdale, AZ; Terry, Olathe, KS; a daughter, Marlene Sinnott, Topeka; two brothers, Francis Melcher and Elmer Melcher, both of Seneca; three sisters, Lucille Wichman and Evelyn Waters, both of Seneca and LaVon Strathman, Juda, WI; 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by an infant sister in 1910, infant twin brother and sister in 1914, an infant brother in 1918, and a brother Vern on March 11, 1976.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at the Lauer Funeral Home on Monday at 2 P.M. by St. Ann’s Altar Society and a prayer service will be conducted in the evening at 7 P.M.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul Church or for St. Mary’s Restoration Fund and sent in care of the family.
Melvin H. Haverkamp
Melvin H. Haverkamp, 87, of Seneca, Kansas, died Thursday, December 20, 2012 at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca
Melvin Henry Haverkamp was born on December 2, 1925, son of Leo and Anna Fangman Haverkamp on a farm north of St. Benedict, Kansas. He grew up in the St. Benedict area, and after 8th grade graduation stayed at home to work on the family farm.
On October 18, 1949 he married
Annalene "Annie" Wilhelm at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict.
After working at the Donaldson IGA in Seneca, Melvin and Annie purchased the grocery store in nearby Axtell in 1951. They sold the grocery store in 1957 and Melvin went to work for Wayne Neff Construction. In 1964 he was hired by the Seneca City Hospital, later called Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, and retired from there in 1989 just prior to their opening their new facility on Community Drive.
Melvin and Annie also owned and operated Haverkamp Liquor & Mixer.
Melvin enjoyed listening to his polka music, eating chocolates, watching RFD channel, decorative rock carving, and numerous woodworking projects including many wooden fences for the Sts. Peter & Paul Mission Center.
He was a member of the Seneca Knights of Columbus Council #1769 as a 4th degree Knight, and the St. Joseph Society.
Melvin is survived by his wife Annalene "Annie"; his children, Carol Hood, of Waterville, Kansas, Diane (Jim) Bean of Topeka, Kathy Bohling, of Johnson, Nebraska, David (Myra) Haverkamp of Seneca, Myra (Dan) Koch of Seneca; three sisters, Lucille (Bernard) Kramer of Aurora, Nebraska, Theresa (Adrian) Koch of Holton, LeAnna (Pat) Baker of Topeka; a sister-in-law Dorothy (Vincent) Haverkamp of Seneca; 11 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, four step-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Marcellus "Sally" Haverkamp, and Vincent Haverkamp; and step-grandson Patrick Bean.
Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Sunday, December 23, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 AM Monday, December 24, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given in Melvin's name for Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Health Care Foundation, St. Peter & Paul School, or Relay for Life of Nemaha County, and sent in care of the family.
Robert L. "Bob" Haverkamp
Robert L. “Bob” Haverkamp, 67, Bern, KS, died shortly after arrival Sunday, January 23, 2005, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.
He was born September 8, 1937, on a farm northeast of Kelly, the son of George F. and Evelyn M. Winkler Haverkamp. He grew up there, helped on the family farm, graduated from St. Bede’s Grade School and from St. Bede’s High School in Kelly in 1955. He farmed and during the winter had worked for Koelzer Lumber Co, the Farmer’s Elevator and the Huerter Oil Co.
On November 24, 1958, he married
Janice Stallbaumer at St. Mary’s Church at St. Benedict. They lived northeast of St. Benedict three years before moving to a farm northwest of Bern in 1961. In 1970 they moved to their present farm northwest of Bern where they had crops, operated a dairy, and raised hogs. Bob did custom harvesting for several years. In 1980 he began working as a contract crop adjuster for Federal Crop Insurance and then with National Ag Underwriters and Blakely Crop Insurance. Bob became a claims representative for Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska. Since 1989 he has presented continuing education classes yearly to adjusters. Since 1994 he has been the claims representative for Eastern Kansas Rural Community Insurance Services.
He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and the St. Joseph Society at the church in Seneca. Bob collected John Deere tractors and toy tractors. He restored a 1958 Chevrolet, the same year and model he and his wife had when they got married.
Survivors besides his wife Janice of the home are six sons; Robert G., Mark, Alan, Leon, and Neal Haverkamp, all of Bern, and Kent of Denver, CO; five daughters, Nancy Steinlage and Julie Lierz, both of Seneca, Lynda Cross of Centralia, Donna Reschke of Overland Park, and Tricia Cain of Manhattan; four brothers, Avitus of Wetmore, Melvin, William "Bill" (Bob's twin), and George J., all of Seneca; a sister, Georgina Holthaus of Baileyville; and 27 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 2 and 7 Monday at the Lauer Funeral home in Seneca, where he will lie in state after 8:30 A.M. on Monday.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School Building Fund or the Bern Community Foundation and sent in care of the family.
Theresa J. Haverkamp
Theresa J. Haverkamp, 101, of Seneca, Kansas, died Thursday, September 5, 2002, at Country View Estates Care Home in Seneca. She had been a resident since March of this year.
She was born October 15, 1900, the daughter of Henry and Agnes Schaffer Olberding on a farm northwest of St. Benedict, Kansas. She attended Cottonwood School near their home, St. Mary's School at St. Benedict, and helped on the family farm. As a young woman, she did domestic work and helped families with their children.
On May 3, 1921, she married
John F. Haverkamp at St. Mary's Church, St. Benedict. They farmed five miles north of St. Benedict before farming in the Fidelity and Sabetha communities. In 1941 they returned to farm 1/2 mile east of St. Benedict. Following semi-retirement, they moved to a farm a mile west of Seneca where Theresa lived until March of 2002. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, on July 18, 1975, a son, Henry John Haverkamp on July 12, 1926, a granddaughter, Jane DeVillier, on March 29, 1966, and a great-granddaughter, Jessica Koelzer on September 10, 1997.
She was a member of St. Mary's Church at St. Benedict, the Altar Society at the church, and the Friendship Club, a sewing group. Theresa was an industrious person who loved cooking, taking care of her family, and entertaining guests with good food at her home. She also enjoyed gardening, raising fruit trees and chickens, and did a lot of canning. She celebrated her 100th birthday party in October 2000.
Survivors are three sons, Lillis Haverkamp, John J. Haverkamp, and Kenneth A. Haverkamp, all of Seneca; four daughters, Angela DeVillier of St. Mary's, Kansas, Cecilia Kohake of Sabetha, Luella Curti of Seneca, and Henrietta Dressman of Baileyville; 25 grandchildren, one step grandchild, and 26 great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband, son, and granddaughters, she was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph Olberding; three sisters, Rose Dreier, Frances Haug, Florentine Rethman, and six infant brothers and sisters.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10 AM Saturday, September 7, at St. Mary's Church in St. Benedict. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Friday at 2 P.M. and at 7 P.M.
Memorials may be given for St. Mary's Church and sent in care of the family.
George E. Heideman
George E. Heideman, 66, Seneca, died late Monday evening, February 16, 2004, at his home. He had bravely fought cancer since1997.
He was born October 21, 1937, in Kansas City, KS, the son of John B. and Rachael Aziere Heideman. He grew up in Seneca where the family lived. George attended Sts. Peter & Paul Schools and graduated from high school in 1955. During high school he worked with Bob Calderwood in the meat market at the A&P Store in Seneca. He also filled in for managers in meat departments in Sedalia, MO, Clinton, MO, and Kansas City, KS.
On January 10, 1957, he married
Shirley Meyer at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. They lived in Hiawatha for a year where he worked for George Gudenkauf Rendering Service. They returned to Seneca where they purchased the meat department at the A&P from Bob Calderwood. In 1964 they sold the meat market to Bill Murphy. They built the Heideman Locker in June of 1966 where they did custom slaughtering and meat processing for about 25 years. In 1989 they opened the Heideman Smoke House on Seneca’s Main Street and sold it in 1997. George also farmed north of Circleville and east of Seneca.
He served as mayor of Seneca twice, from April 1995 to April 1997, and April 2001 to April 2003, and on the Seneca City Council from April 1993 to April 1995.
He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, the St. Joseph Society at the church, and the Knights of Columbus #1769. He was also an active member of the Seneca Lion’s Club, the Seneca Golf Association, and a charter member of the Seneca Jaycees. When the Seneca Emergency Medical Technicians Association was organized, George was one of the first members and served several years as an EMT. He served on the Nemaha Valley School Board and was an instigator in the establishment of the present football field. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, fishing, hunting, and water skiing with the family.
Survivors are his wife, Shirley, of the home; a son, Daniel, of Wamego, KS; a daughter, Janice Grauer, of Seneca; a sister, Marilyn Enneking, of Seneca; and five granddaughters.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, John R. Heideman on October 4, 1989 and Leo “Galen” Heideman on May 9, 1995; and an infant sister, Mary Ann on January 10, 1930.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Thursday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Wednesday at 2 and 8:15 P.M.
Memorials may be given for the CT Scanner at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital or to the Step Foundation and sent in care of the family.
Raymond F. Heideman
Raymond F. Heideman, 84, of Corning, Kansas, died Friday, May 24, 2013 at the Onaga Community Hospital. Previously he had been a resident at Eastridge care home in Centralia for about a year and a half.
Raymond was born on August 22, 1928 to Henry F. and Catherine C. Henry Heideman in Baileyville. At age 16 months, he was afflicted with polio, but never let it slow him down in life. He attended Sacred Heart Grade School in Baileyville until his family moved to the Kelly area. He graduated from 8th grade at St. Bede's Grade School in Kelly and St. Bede's High School with the class of 1947.
Ray then began his lifelong career in farming. He appreciated every aspect of farm life, from planting and harvesting crops, to raising livestock and operating a dairy. He loved checking on the crops, and at harvest time could ride the combine from sun up to sun down.
He loved visiting with friends and family, and enjoyed playing cards, watching sports, and working puzzles.
He was a member of St. Patrick’s Church in Corning and the Knights of Columbus Council #1769 in Seneca.
Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a sister, Sr. Karen Heideman, OSB; and brother-in-laws, Vern Runnebaum and Charles Gress.
He is survived by five brothers, Jerry (Alice) Heideman of Corning, Bob (Eleanor) Heideman of Seneca, Charles Heideman of Topeka, Tony (Anna Marie) Heideman of Corning, Gene (Marilyn) Heideman of Topeka and Ben Heideman of Corning; four sisters, Virginia Runnebaum of Seneca, Ann Gress of Seneca, Carolyn (Jerry) Osterhaus of Seneca and Rita (Buck) Reed of Topeka; 58 nieces and nephews, and numerous great-nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 AM Tuesday, May 28, at St. Patrick’s Church in Corning. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM on Monday, May 27, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Burial will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery.
Memorials may be given for St. Patrick’s Church, and sent in care of the family.
