Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Bertha M. Wempe
Bertha M. Wempe, 98, of Topeka, Kansas, died August 6, 2012 at McCrite Plaza Health Center in Topeka.
She was born on a farm west of Frankfort, Kansas on September 2, 1913, the daughter of August J. and Anna (Lorson) Wempe. She graduated from Frankfort High School in 1930. After getting passing a state examination for a teaching certificate, she taught at the Flag School south of Frankfort for four years. Using savings from her teacher salary, she attended nursing school at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, graduating in 1937.
She was employed as a private duty nurse in Fargo, North Dakota and Warm Springs, Georgia. Later she worked at Monterey Hospital in California and Lincoln General in Lincoln, Nebraska.
During World War II, Bertha enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, and served from June 1943 to February 1946 in England and France, where her duty included taking care of the men of Patton’s 7th Army.
After her discharge she worked as a registered nurse for the Colmery-O’Neil Veterans Administration Medical Center in Topeka, until her retirement in January of 1975 as the medical-surgical supervisor.
She was a member of the American Nurses Association, the Alumni Association of St. Mary’s School of Nursing, in Rochester, Minnesota, American Legion Capitol Post #1, Philip Billard Post #1650 of the VFW, St. Francis Auxiliary, St. Theresa’s Sewing Group, Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka and the Women’s Fellowship at the church. She also volunteered for Meals on Wheels and Let’s Help.
Bertha was preceded in death by her parents, August and Anna Wempe; three brothers, John Wempe, W.W. Wempe, DVM and Pete Wempe; and a sister, Clara Boan.
She is survived by a sister, Helen Wadick of Harwinton, Connecticut and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
She will lie in state after 2 PM Wednesday, August 8, at Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home in Topeka. A rosary will be prayed at 5 PM Wednesday at the funeral home in Topeka. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 AM Thursday, August 9, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka. A graveside service will be held at 1:30 PM in Sts. Peter & PaulCemeteryin Seneca. Lauer Funeral Home is handling the Seneca arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be given for Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka.
Dorothy H. Wempe
Dorothy H. Wempe, 98, of Seneca, Kansas, died Sunday, May 6, 2012 at Crestview Manor care home in Seneca.
Dorothy was born in Seneca, Kansas on March 21, 1914 to Joseph and Bertha I. Strathman Nolte. She grew up there and attended Sts. Peter & Paul Grade and High Schools. She then went to work for Strathman Department Store in Seneca until marriage.
She married
Kenneth C. Wempe on Jan 15, 1936 at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. Dorothy and Kenneth owned and operated a dairy farm near Corning for 17 years. Kenneth preceded her in death on December 4, 1956 after 20 years of marriage. At the time of her husband's death, they had four children with the youngest being 1 year old.
After losing her husband, Dorothy retuned to Seneca and worked for Strathman Studio until 1962. In 1962 she was hired as a teller for Citizens State Bank (now United Bank & Trust), eventually becoming head teller. Dorothy retired from the bank in 1979.
She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca, and the St. Ann’s Altar Society and the Sts. Peter & Paul quilters, at the church.
Dorothy enjoyed traveling and visited all the lower 48 states. When she wasn’t traveling she loved quilting, embroidery, sewing, cards and ceramics. She was a multi-talented person who loved her grandchildren and gave them most of her handiwork.
Besides her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by a daughter Judith Huninghake on July 20, 1991; two brothers, H.A. Jody and Herbert Nolte; and a sister Roberta Hurlburt.
She is survived by two daughters, Sarah Bowhay of Kansas City, Missouri and Alice (Bruce) MacCallum of St. Charles, Illinois; her son, Cloyd (Sandy) Wempe of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; siblings, James Nolte of Chicago, Illinois, Jeanette Wichman of Holton, Kansas, Claudia Woodruff of Nacadocious, Texas and Georgina Vancott of Klamath Falls, Oregon; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A rosary will be prayed at 7 PM Wednesday, May 9, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 AM Thursday, May 10, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be given in Dorothy’s memory for Sts. Peter & Paul Church, and sent in care of the family.
Dorothy J. "Dottie Jo" Wempe
Dorothy J. "Dottie Jo" Wempe, 72, of Kansas City, MO, formerly of Seneca, Kansas, died Monday, February 19, 2001, at Carondelet Manor Hospice Center in Kansas City, MO.
She was born December 25, 1928, at St. Anthony's Hospital, Sabetha, Kansas, the daughter of Clement H. and Josephine A. Eigenman Wempe. She grew up on the family farm, "Riverside Stock Farm, " northeast of Seneca, and graduated from Sts. Peter & Paul High School in Seneca in 1946. She graduated from St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City, MO in 1950, and passed her state boards to become a registered nurse. Later she studied for and received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She attended Mt. St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Ks. She was a surgical nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital, Menorah, and St. Luke's for many years. She received specialized training at the KU Medical Center and was on the surgical team that performed the first heart transplants in the Kansas City area.
Her memberships include the Redemptorist Catholic Church where she sang in the choir, the Kansas City Art Institute, and the Starlight Theater. She was a volunteer for the Community Blood Center, the United Way, the Salvation Army, and the Red Cross.
Survivors are two brothers, Dr. Charles Wempe, D.V.M. of York, Nebraska and Thomas Wempe of Scranton, KS.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Dr. Lillis Wempe, D.V.M, and Wilfred Wempe; and five sisters, Sr. Mary Borgia S.I.M. (Audrey), Odelia Paxson, Thelma R. Wempe, R.N., Gladys L. Buser, and Sr. Mary D. Carmelite (Beatrice).
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Thursday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery. A vigil prayer service will be held at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Wednesday at 7 P.M.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School, Seneca, Kansas 66538, cancer research or the donor's choice.
Paul R. Wempe
Paul R. Wempe, 85, of Seneca, Kansas, died Monday, July 29, 2013 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka.
He was born on April 4, 1928, to Paul A. and Augusta Voet Wempe on a farm east of Seneca. He graduated from Sts. Peter & Paul High School in 1945. Paul helped his parents on the family farm before entering the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.
On October 10, 1953, Paul married
his sweetheart, Rita C. Schraad, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Benedict. They moved to El Paso, Texas while Paul was stationed at Fort Bliss, and then to Rapid City, South Dakota when he was transferred to Ellsworth Air Force Base.
After being discharged from the military, Paul worked in Kansas City for General Motors, then for Union Pacific Railroad. In 1957, the couple moved to the Wempe homestead east of Seneca, where they farmed and raised their family. In 1968, they purchased a farm north of Seneca and made it their home.
Throughout this time, Paul continued working for Union Pacific as a switchman and brakeman based in Marysville, Kansas, retiring in 1990. After retirement, he remained active on the farm and enjoyed his hobbies.
Paul was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, the church choir, St. Joseph’s Society at the church, and the 4th degree Ponce de Leon Assembly of the Knights of Columbus Council #1769 in Seneca. He was also a member of the Union Pacific Junior Old Timers.
He enjoyed fishing, playing cards, bowling, dancing, a good joke, and especially singing. If Paul had a signature karaoke song, it would have been “Little Brown Jug, ” with his solo a regular feature at family wedding dances. He was also an avid KU basketball fan. Paul and Rita traveled to Europe and Hawaii and made many trips to visit their family. His grandchildren especially filled him with great joy.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Rita, of the home; children, Paul Michael (Madonna) of St. Charles, Illinois, Judy (Joe) Niehues of Corning, Joyce Wempe (Morgan Rettele) of St. Louis, Missouri, Jean Darrah of Topeka, Joan (Dave) Crowder of Lilburn, Georgia and Patrick Wempe of Lawrence; grandchildren, Jessica Darrah, Paul August Wempe, Kate Crowder, Lee Hamlet, Stephen Crowder, and Makenzie Crowder; step-grandchildren, Mike Cohoon, Kevin Cohoon and Jackie Crowder Young; siblings, Ruth Wanless of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Mary Jane Rochel of Axtell, Clara Lackey of Beloit, Jerry Wempe of Marysville, Rosemary Luebbe of Seneca, Elsie Steck of Mequon, Wisconsin, and Sally Smith of St. Joseph, Missouri.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandsons, Joseph Niehues and Wyatt Rettele; and siblings, Mark Wempe, Art Wempe, Marcella Lierz, Betty Haug, and Cleta Harris.
Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Thursday, August 1, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be on 10 AM Friday, August 2, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be given in remembrance of Paul for the Seneca Veterans Wall, and sent in care of the family.
Rita E. Wende
Rita E. Wende, 83, of Seneca, KS, died on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.
Rita was born on January 7, 1929, to Oscar and Anna Gertrude Volz Hughes of Axtell. She grew up in the Beattie / Axtell community and graduated from Bern High School. She attended nursing school for a short time, and worked at the Sabetha Hosiptal before getting married.
She married
Raymond W. “Ray” Wende on April 2, 1949, in Seneca. They lived in Sabetha, then relocated to Bern in 1957, then moved to Seneca in 1960. The couple celebrated 56 years of marriage before Ray’s death on February 16, 2006.
Rita worked at a café in Sabetha from 1948 to 1950; she then cleaned homes in the Sabetha / Bern communities from 1957 to 1960. After moving to Seneca, she worked at Paramount Cleaners, Evelyn’s Café, Northside Café and for the Luckeroth Veterinary Clinic.
Rita was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and St. Ann’s Altar Society in Seneca. She enjoyed cooking and handiwork. She was active in the VFW Auxiliary and took pleasure in volunteering at the VA Hospital. She also volunteered at Sts. Peter & Paul Mission Center, in addition to making rosaries.
Survivors are three daughters, Rose (Bill) Brinker of Shawnee, KS, Ruby Corman of Greeley, CO and Ruth (Richard) Haen of Dittmer, MO; two brothers, Donald Hughes of Sabetha and Patrick (Mary Jo) Hughes of Lee’s Summit, MO; three sisters, Helen Schwindamann and Cathy Utecht, both of Marysville, and Mary Ann Baker of Sabetha; three grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren.
Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Wednesday, February 8, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11 AM Thursday, February 9, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery.
Memorials may be given in Rita’s memory for the Sts. Peter & Paul Mission Center.
Albert H. Wessel
Albert H. Wessel, 84, of rural Seneca, Kansas, died Sunday, April 15, 2001, at the Nemaha Valley Hospital in Seneca. He had been in ill health since July of 2000.
He was born April 8, 1917, on the Wessel family homestead, a farm southwest of Kelly, Kansas, the son of Frank and Elizabeth Macke Wessel. He attended St. Bede's School at Kelly and helped on the family farm. During World War II, he served in the US Army from May of 1942 to May of 1945. Albert was in the infantry and stationed in Newfoundland. After his discharge, he returned to Kelly.
On February 22, 1945, three months before he was discharged from the army, he married
Lucille Kramer at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. She survives of the home. They lived and farmed northeast of Kelly for 56 years where he was a farmer and a dairyman. He also worked for the Nemaha County Co-op at the Corning elevator for several years, operated the road maintainer for Nemaha County for 28 years and for Adams Township for several years, and had driven a school bus besides working for Wassenberg Construction Co. during building projects on Seneca's Main Street.
He was a member of St. Bede's Church and the St. Joseph Society at Kelly where he served on the Church Council and helped to build the parish house. Albert served on the Adams Township Board. He was a member of the Earle W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion at Seneca.
Survivors besides his wife, Lucille, are a son, Frank Wessel of Axtell, Kansas; three daughters, Rose Wilhelm of Seneca, Alice Hards of Oneida, Kansas, and Rita Pfannenstiel of Silver Lake, Kansas; two brothers, Andrew Wessel of Seneca and George Wessel of Corning; a sister, Rita Stuke of Seneca; 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a daughter Karen Curtis on September 4, 1996; two brothers Francis Wessel on March 28, 2000, and Henry Wessel on December 18, 1995; and a sister, Mary Korte, on June 9, 2000.
The mass of Christian burial will be Tuesday at 10:30 A.M. at St. Bede's Church in Kelly. The burial will be with full military honors in the church cemetery. The rosary will be prayed Monday at 2 P.M. and 7 P.M. at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.
Memorials may be given for St. Bede'sCemeteryand sent in care of the family.
