Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Mildred J. McCaffrey
Mildred J. McCaffrey, 83, of Baileyville, Kansas, died Saturday afternoon, October 13, 2001, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law Edward and Mary McCaffrey, in Springdale, Arkansas.
She was born March 8, 1918, at Seneca, Kansas, the daughter of Joseph B. and Helen Gress Kramer. Her mother died when she was a baby, and she was raised by her aunt and uncle, George and Rose Gress.
On July 28, 1938, she married
Vernice "V.V." McCaffrey at Atchison, Kansas. They lived on the McCaffrey homestead north of St. Benedict for several years. They lived in several cities in Kansas and also at Beatrice, Nebraska. In 1947 they moved to Baileyville. Her husband, Vernice died January 24, 1995.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Church, the Altar Society, the Quilting Group and the Benedictine Oblates all at Baileyville
Survivors are six sons, Edward McCaffrey of Springdale, Arkansas, Eugene McCaffrey of Folsom, CA, Galen McCaffrey of Enterprise, Alabama, Dan "Pete" McCaffrey of Weston, MO, Rich McCaffrey of Hamburg, New York, and Tim McCaffrey of Springhill, Kansas; six daughters, Verna Barry of Raymond, NE, Ginny McCord and Mary McCaffrey, both of Topeka, Bette McCaffrey of Torrance, CA, Nina Jelsma of Sioux Falls, SD, and Karen Dierks of Arlington, NE; four brothers, Art Kramer of Seneca, Omer Gress and Melvin Gress, both of Yakima, WA and George P. Gress of Kansas City, MO; a sister, Rosemary Olberding of Kansas City, MO; 21 grandchildren and a great-grandson
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three children, Jean Marie McCaffrey on January 11, 1940, Robert John McCaffrey on October 18, 1953, Gerald McCaffrey on February 17, 1955, and a sister Sadie Waller.
The mass of Christian burial will be 11 A.M. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church at Baileyville. The burial will be in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at the Lauer Funeral Home on Tuesday at 2 P.M. and at 7 P.M.
Memorials may be given for Sacred Heart Church or the Circle of Life Hospice and sent in care of the family.
Virgil L. McClain
Virgil L. McClain, 83, of Goff, KS, died Monday, April 21, 2003, at the home of his granddaughter and her husband, April and Marti Pohl, in Sabetha, KS.
He was born December 29, 1919, on the family farm in Woodlawn, KS, the son of Ernest and Bertha Blanc McClain. He grew up on the farm and attended Woodlawn School.
On June 2, 1943, he married
Mary Belle Koch at Kansas City, MO. They lived southwest of Woodlawn and 1-1/2 miles from where he was born. They farmed, and he also started a bulldozing business in 1947. He did custom soil conservation work until about a year ago when he became ill. In 1994 they moved to a farm 1/2 mile south of Woodlawn. His wife Mary Belle preceded him in death on February 24, 1999.
He was a member of the Woodlawn Baptist Church and a trustee on the Capioma Township Board for 30 years. He loved to fish, especially with his family and friends, run his bulldozer, game hunt, mushroom hunt, take crop tours and play cards.
Survivors are two sons, Phillip McClain of Goff and Michael McClain of Fairview, KS; two daughters, Sondra Bundgaard of Colorado Springs, CO and Rhonda Schmelzle of Seneca, KS; a brother, Ernest McClain, Jr. of Fairview; ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Carl and an infant brother, Donald Eugene McClain.
Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, April 23, at the Woodlawn Baptist Church in Woodlawn. The burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery. The family will meet with friends from 7 to 8 P.M. Tuesday evening at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, where he will lie in state after 8:30 A.M. Tuesday.
Memorials may be given for the Northeast Kansas Hospice, the Woodlawn Baptist Church, or the Word of Life Church and sent in care of the family.
Grace M. McDaniel
Grace M. McDaniel, 90, of Seneca, Kansas, formerly of Wetmore, Kansas, died Saturday May 5, 2001, at Country View Estate Care Home in Seneca. She had been a resident there since 1994.
She was born July 10, 1910, on a farm north of Netawaka, Kansas, the daughter of Hubert and Emma Powers Sewell. After her mother died in 1911, her mother's older sister, Mae Powers, who became her stepmother, raised her. Grace attended a rural school in Granada and helped on the family farm.
On December 23, 1927, she married
E.E "Eddie" McDaniel at Hiawatha, Kansas. They lived and farmed north of Wetmore until 1960 when they retired and moved into Wetmore. Her husband, "Eddie" died November 23, 1970.
She worked as a cook for seventeen years from 1960 to 1977 at the White Way Nursing Home in Wetmore. For five years she worked at the Dinner Bell Café in Wetmore as a cook and baker specializing in pies. She continued to work part time for several years because she enjoyed it and was a great cook. Grace also liked gardening, crocheting, quilting, and other handwork.
Survivors are a son, Kenneth McDaniel of Lodi, CA; two daughters, Barbara Baugh of Phoenix, AZ and Brenda Mee of Wetmore; a brother, Roy Sewell, and a sister, Mildred Lynn, both of Holton, Kansas; and six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, John H. McDaniel on October 11, 1992; a brother, Hubert Sewell; and a sister, Helen Gilbert.
Funeral Services will be 2 P.M. Thursday at the United Methodist Church at Wetmore. She will lie in state at the church for an hour preceding the services. The burial will be in the Wetmore Cemetery, Wetmore, Kansas. A visitation will be held at the Lauer Funeral Home on Wednesday from 7 to 8 P.M. where she will lie in state after 3 P.M. Tuesday.
Memorial contributions may be given for the church or for the American Cancer Society and sent in care of the family.
Mary E. McDonnell
Mary E. McDonnell, 74, of Seneca, Kansas, died Sunday, October 22, 2000, at Country View Estates Care Home in Seneca. She had Alzheimer's Disease.
She was born May 31, 1926, on a farm southeast of Seneca, the daughter of Clem H. and Nellie J. Farley Dalsing. She grew up there, attended a country school and Sts. Peter & Paul School in Seneca. Mary worked for Emma Rottinghaus and other families in the area caring for children. She later worked as a live-in housekeeper for Duke and Starr Higbee in Seneca.
On October 22, 1949, she married
Kenneth McDonnell at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. They lived in Springfield, Utah, while her husband was a sales representative for Higbee Feeds. They returned to Seneca in the spring of 1950. Mary was an excellent seamstress and did sewing and alterations from the early 1950's until 1996. From 1959 to 1969 she helped her husband at the McDonnell Photography Studio, which he operated out of their home. In the early 1960's she worked cleaning the office for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She was employed as a clerk at J.C. Penney's from 1966 to 1970 and from 1970 to 1974 at Farrell's Ben Franklin Store. In 1974 she and her husband purchased Dorssom's Café which they operated as McDonnell's Café until 1979. Her husband, Kenneth, died May 15, 1988.
She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and St. Ann's Altar Society at the church. Mary enjoyed all kinds of handwork, crewel, crocheting, and quilting. She babysat with her Luckeroth grandchildren for several years.
Survivors are three daughters, Kathy Stallbaumer and Lexy Luckeroth both of Seneca, Jeanie Sack of Topeka; a brother, Raphael Dalsing of Seneca; a sister, Rosanna Mathewson of Topeka; and four granddaughters.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Wilfred, Paul, and Edward Dalsing and a sister Margaret "Peggy" Dalsing.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery. There will be a vigil prayer service at the Lauer Funeral Home on Monday at 7 P.M.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School or for Country View Estates and sent in care of the family.
Theodora B. McDonough
Theodora B. "Theo" McDonough, 93, of Seneca, Kansas, died Tuesday, February 13, 2001, at Country View Estates Care Home in Seneca.
She was born October 24, 1907, in Seneca, Ks., the daughter of Joseph M. and Mary E. Buening Wempe. She grew up in Seneca, attended Sts. Peter and Paul Schools, and graduated from the high school in 1926. Following high school, she moved to Omaha, NE, where she worked at Byrne Hammer Dry Goods Wholesale Co. for three years. In 1929 she moved to Topeka, KS, and worked as a secretary for Rock Island Railroad. Here she met her future husband, Ernest F. McDonough, who was an auditor for the Rock Island Railroad. She later moved to Des Moines, IA, when Ernest was reassigned there. They were married
on January 16, 1933 in Chicago.
Theo traveled with her husband until their son Jim was born in 1936. They lived in Chicago. Ernest preceded her in death on January 19, 1960. She then began working for Alexander-Corroan-Black Insurance Agency of Chicago as a secretary, and retired as the supervisor of their policy-writing department.
In April 1976 she moved to Seneca to live and care for her mother. After her mother's death, she chose to stay in Seneca and enjoy her many friends. She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, St. Ann's Altar Society, Seneca Golf Association, Nemaha County Historical Association (life member), the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Guild, and bridge clubs in Seneca. She enjoyed playing golf and bridge, knitting, especially Afghans, and working on crossword puzzles. She was a former member of St. Carthage Church in Chicago.
Survivors are a son, James McDonough of Hammond, IN; three sisters, Loretta McCool of Port Angeles, WA, Catherine Edelman of Palm Springs, CA, and Jean Kuckelman of Frankfort, KS; ten grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Maurice and Dr. Gerard Wempe and a sister, Patricia Wempe.
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 the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Thursday at 2 P.M.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter and Paul School or Nemaha Valley Community Hospital and sent in care of the family.
LeRoy C. McGeeney
LeRoy C. McGeeney, 80, Seneca, died late Wednesday evening, June 23, 2004, at the Sabetha hospital.
He was born May 5, 1924, at Lillis, the son of James F. and Margaret Hazlett McGeeney. They later moved to Axtell, and he attended St. Michael’s Grade School and graduated from Axtell High School in 1942.
After graduation, he was employed by Lambert Wholesale Co. Later he was manager and co-owner of McGeeney Grocery at Axtell. LeRoy then worked for Winterscheidt O’Neil Motors in Seneca until opening his own business known as McGeeney Motors, which he owned and operated for forty years.
On August 23, 1949, he married
Rose Mary Eagan at St. Michael’s Church at Axtell. She survives of the home.
LeRoy was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, the St. Joseph Society, and the State of Kansas Automobile Association. He was the founder and co-owner of the Medical Arts Clinic which opened in Seneca in 1980. He was a former member of the Seneca City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Seneca Planning Commission. LeRoy was active in the Boy Scouts of America and Little League baseball. He loved boating with his nine grandchildren.
Survivors besides his wife are two sons, Dr. Terry McGeeney of Ames, IA and Kent McGeeney of Overland Park; two daughters, Dianne Rettele and Debra Olberding, both of Seneca; three brothers, Gerald of Dallas, TX, Leo of Summerfield, James of Kansas City, MO; a sister, Joanne Crowley of Olathe; and 9 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Mark Rettele; a sister, Shirley Kokenge; and a brother, Edward “Bud” McGeeney.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery. A prayer service will be conducted at 7 P.M. Friday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, where he will lie in state after 8:30 A.M. on Friday.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul Church or for the Nemaha Basketball Association, and sent in care of the family.
Mary L. "Sissy" McGehee
Mary Louise “Sissy” McGehee, 71, St. Joseph, MO, formerly of Seneca, died Wednesday, September 24, 2003, at a St. Joseph care home. She had congestive heart disease and kidney failure. She had been hospitalized several times and had been a resident at the care home since August 8, 2003.
She was born January 25, 1932, in Seneca, KS, the daughter of John I. And Marie Josephine Offenburger McGehee. She grew up in Seneca and graduated from the Seneca Public High School in 1952.
In 1964 she moved to Pomona, CA where she did domestic work. Later she was employed by Pomona College as a cashier in the food service department. After her father died, she returned to Seneca in August of 1991 and made her home with her brother, Paul. In August of 2000, she moved to St. Joseph and lived with her son, Ray.
Survivors are a son, Ray McGehee and a brother, Paul McGehee, both of St. Joseph; and two grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph McGehee on March 17, 1997 and a grandson, David McGehee, December 26, 1987.
She will lie in state at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, KS for an hour preceding the graveside services at 1:30 pm Saturday. Family and friends will go in procession from the funeral home to Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery.
Memorials may be given for the Kidney Foundation and sent in care of the family.
