Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Kenneth J. "Kenny" Lehmkuhl
Kenneth J. "Kenny" Lehmkuhl, 82, Seneca, died early evening Friday, April 2, 2004, at his home. He had been in ill health with cancer since September of 2003.
He was born July 7, 1921, on a farm near Kelly, KS, the son of Joseph B. and Gertrude Waller Lehmkuhl. The family moved to Fidelity where he attended St. Augustine School, and then to Oneida, where he graduated from grade school. Kenny worked on the family farm. Shortly before World War II, he shucked corn for a time around Mason City, IA, and from there enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served at Camp Cook, Santa Maria, CA in the tank destroyer division. After transfers to Muskogee, OK and Brownsville, TX he was stationed overseas in Hawaii and the Phillipines. He was discharged in 1945.
On July 4, 1943, he married
Crescentia “Tiny” Feldkamp at Camp Cook, Santa Maria, CA. Kenny and Tiny celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries.
After leaving the Army, Kenny returned to Seneca and worked for Lawrence Olberding at the Skelly Oil Station on Main Street in Seneca. He bought the Log Cabin service station and operated it for several years. He also worked for Duke Higbee delivering feed around the Midwest, and for Winterscheidt Milling Co., and for the City of Seneca as caretaker of the cemetery.
In 1962 he took on the job of custodian of Sts. Peter & Paul School where he kept the place running for 25 years, while serving up joking banter and general good humor for all the kids and faculty. He liked to play the ornery ol' cuss, but really it was just a "put on" with the kids to make them laugh. He enjoyed being around young people and was always very positive and encouraging. He will no doubt be remembered and loved by 25 years of SPPS alums.
In 1987 he started work as a maintenance tech for Nemaha County Training Center in Seneca and Sabetha, a job he held until the present time.
As a young man he played catcher on Seneca baseball teams, and also played baseball in the Army. He coached American Legion baseball in Seneca for several years. He liked hunting with his dog and watching western movies.
Kenny was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and the St. Joseph Society. He was a member of the Earle W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion and a lifetime member of the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors are his wife, Crescentia “Tiny, ” of the home; four daughters, Sharon Norwood, Kansas City, MO, Elaine Broxterman and Bernita Manos, both of Topeka; and Glenda Moore, Columbia, MO; two sisters, Mildred Hermesch of Seneca and Jeannette Barkley of Uhrichsville, OH; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald and Elmer; and three sisters, Delores Haler, Jane Gay, and Virginia Wilhelm.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, April 6, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church. The burial with military honors will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed on Sunday at 7 P.M. and on Monday at 2 and 7 P.M. at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, where he will lie in state after 4 P.M. on Sunday.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School or for the Nemaha County Training Center and sent in care of the family.
Doris E. Leonard
Doris E. Leonard, 75, of Seneca, Kansas, died Tuesday evening, October 9, 2001, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.
She was born January 29, 1926, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Fern Vernice Benedict and Eldon Tolby. She grew up in Omaha and attended Belvedere School.
On June 21, 1944, she married
Lloyd S. Leonard in Omaha. They lived in Omaha where she worked for Western Union delivering messages for several years. She moved Seneca in 1969 with her family. Her husband, Lloyd, died January 4, 1991.
Survivors are two sons, Le Roy Leonard of Marysville, KS, and James Leonard of Omaha; four daughters, Pauline Leonard of Omaha, Judy Anderson of Pawnee City, Nebraska, Linda Thompson of Henderson, Nevada, and Ramona Robinson of Seneca; 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband, she was also preceded in death by son, David E. Leonard on February 11, 1995; two grandchildren Christopher Leonard in 1982 and Lonell Anderson in 1972; and a brother, Richard Tolby in July 1999.
Funeral services will be 1:30 P.M. Saturday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery, Seneca, Kansas. The family will meet with friends from 7 to 8 P.M. Friday at the Lauer Funeral Home where she will lie in state after 11 A.M. on Friday.
Memorials may be given for the United Methodist Church Sunday School at Seneca and sent in care of the family.
Lawrence E. Levret
Lawrence E. Levret, 99, of Kelly, KS, died Saturday, December 6, 2003, at a Shawnee, KS, care home. He had been a resident there since June of 2001.
He was born June 23, 1904, on a farm north of Goff, KS, the son of August and Emma Jacobs Levret. Lawrence attended Sunny Knoll School near his home and graduated from Goff High School in 1926. He worked on the family farm and built bridges for Gerald Stevens in Wilson, Marshall, Nemaha and Brown Counties. In 1928 Lawrence purchased a truck and started Levret Truck Line. He hauled mostly cattle and grain to St. Joseph, Kansas City, Omaha and Atchison. Lawrence kept his business active until 1988 when he retired after 60 years of trucking.
On June 7, 1938, he married
Hilda A. Altenhofen at Sts. Peter & Paul Church. They lived in Kelly for many years. They celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries.
He was a member of St. Bede’s Church, the St. Joseph Society at the church at Kelly, and a life member of the Knights of Columbus at Seneca, KS. He was also a member of the Kansas Motor Carriers of Topeka for over 60 years and the Commerce Club of Goff. He enjoyed working in his shop, fishing, and being with his children, grandchildren and many friends.
Survivors besides his wife, Hilda, are a son, Larry Levret of Overland Park, KS; a daughter Ruthann Fein of Westwood Hills, KS; a sister, Marjorie Huerter, Kansas City, KS; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Francis “Frenchy” Levret and a sister, Helen Altenhofen.
The mass of Christian burial will be Tuesday, December 9, at 10:30 A.M. at St. Bede’s Church at Kelly. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed Monday at 2 P.M. by the Knights of Columbus and at 8 P.M. by the parish at the Lauer Funeral Home.
Memorials may be given for St. Bede’sCemeteryand sent in care of the family.
Dorothy M. Lierz
Dorothy M. Lierz, 88, of Seneca, Kansas, died Monday, March 5, 2001, at Crestview Manor Care Home in Seneca. She had suffered a stroke on January 2, 1995 and entered the care home on May 1, 1995.
She was born March 31, 1912, at her home in Baileyville, Kansas, the daughter, one of thirteen children, of William H. and Anna M. Larkin Broxterman. She grew up and attended school there in Baileyville, and also worked in the family store, the Broxterman Grocery and Hardware Store. Her father died when she was 16 years old, and she continued to work in the store with her brothers and sisters until her marriage.
On February 7, 1934, she married
Paul H. Lierz at Sacred Heart Church at Baileyville. They farmed west of Seneca for three years and east of Seneca before moving to a farm southwest of Sabetha where they lived for 24 years. In 1967 they retired and moved to Seneca. They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in February of 1974. Her husband, Paul died September 5, 1974.
She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, St. Ann's Altar Society, and the Quilting Group, which she headed for over seven years, at the church. She was also a member of the L.C.B.A. in Seneca and a former member of Sacred Heart Church and the Altar Society in Sabetha.
Survivors are three sons, Marvin Lierz and Roger Lierz, both of Sabetha, and Larry Lierz of Fairview, Kansas; two daughters, Roselita Roggenkamp and Isa Faye Wegman, both of Wheaton, Kansas; two brothers, Raphael Broxterman of Baileyville and Kenneth Broxterman of Chicago, Illinois; four sisters, Cecelia McEnaney of Shenandoah, Iowa, Loretta Carter and Ann Sommers, both of Topeka, and Viola Haug of Axtell, KS; 23 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by five brothers, Aloysius, Lawrence, and Celestine, Virgil, Gilbert, and a sister, Rose Dultmier.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery. There will be a prayer service at 2 P.M. Tuesday and a rosary at 7 P.M. Tuesday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School or the Sts. Peter & Paul Mission Center and sent in care of the family.
Helen E. Lierz
Helen E. Lierz, 88, of Iola, Kansas, formerly of Seneca, Kansas died Monday, March 4, 2002 at Allen County Hospital in Iola.
She was born May 20, 1913, on a farm east of Baileyville, Kansas, the daughter of Owen J. and Jane H. McNamara Larkin. She attended Sacred Heart School at Baileyville and helped on the family farm. Following her schooling, she did domestic work in Seneca.
On January 23, 1936, she married
Charles P. "Chike" Lierz at Sacred Heart Church at Baileyville, Kansas. They lived and farmed east of Seneca and in 1937moved to a farm west of Seneca. In September of 1953 they moved to Seneca where she was employed by Kampert's Drug Store for 18 years. Her husband, "Chike" died December 16, 1995. She moved to Iola in May of 1999 to be near her family.
She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and St. Ann's Altar Society at the church, the Seneca Garden Club, and the Sunflower Unit, all in Seneca. She attended St. John's Church in Iola.
Survivors are three daughters, Jane Lee Kipp of Piqua, Kansas, Karen Carpenter of Iola, Kansas, Bette Penka of Garnett, Kansas; a brother, M.J. Larkin of Rapid City, South Dakota; five grandsons and two great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Owen Larkin and Francis Larkin, and two sisters, Mildred Winkler and Aurelia Cornick.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Friday at Sts Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 2 P.M. and a vigil prayer service will be conducted at 7 P.M. Thursday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. She will lie in state at the funeral home after 3 P.M. Wednesday.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & PaulCemeteryor Sts. Peter & Paul School and sent in care of the family.
LaVerne C. Lierz
LaVerne C. Lierz, 91, Baileyville, KS, died Thursday, May 15, 2003, at Country View Estates care home in Seneca.
She was born May 25, 1911, on a farm northwest of St. Bridget, KS, the daughter of Patrick and Barbara Skoch Mulryan. LaVerne attended school at St. Bridget, and when she was 10 years old, the family moved to a farm southeast of Axtell. She graduated from St. Michael’s High School at Axtell in 1930.
On January 5, 1938, she married
Raymond A. Lierz at St. Michael’s Church at Axtell. They lived and farmed northeast of Baileyville for two years. In 1940 they moved to the Lierz farm south of Baileyville where they lived until 1959, when they bought a farm west of Baileyville. In the spring of 1972, they moved into Baileyville.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Church, the Altar Society, where she served as secretary for three years, and the Benedictine Oblates. She enjoyed sewing, and handcrafted wedding dresses and many bridesmaid dresses. She also created wedding cakes and other special event cakes for people.
Survivors are her husband, Raymond of the home in Baileyville; four sons, Kenneth Lierz of Tempe, AZ, Ronald and Robert Lierz, both of Topeka, and Adrian Lierz of Mission, KS; two daughters, Rosemary Kennedy of Kansas City, MO and Clara Niehues of Wetmore, KS; a sister, Josephine Heideman of Baileyville; 16 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Dennis and Victor Mulryan, and a sister, Barbara Buessing.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10 A.M. Saturday at Sacred Heart Church at Baileyville. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 2 & 7 P.M. Friday at the Lauer Funeral Home.
Memorials may be given for Sacred Heart Church and sent in care of the family.
