Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Jeanne L. Wichman
Jeanne L. Wichman, 50, of Seneca, KS, died peacefully at home, on Sunday, January 8, 2012, with her loving family at her side after a battle against cancer.
Jeanne was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on June 2, 1961 to Thomas J. and Rachel A. Pelchet Dempe. Her family then moved to Missouri, and then in 1966 to Washington state, where Jeanne grew up. She attended Sumner High School in Sumner, WA.
In 2000, she moved to Kansas to be with her daughter, Dannyel. She met Robert Wichman and the couple was married
on February 14, 2001 and Seneca became Jeanne’s new home. Jeanne was employeed at Koch and Company from 2000 until her health prohibited her from working.
She was a member of the American Cancer Society and the National Wildlife Federation. Her love of animals and passion for horses was enduring. Jeanne lived life “her way” and to the fullest. She was well loved and respected by all. She was free spirited, kind hearted, hard working, spunky, fun, relentless and honest.
She leaves behind her loving husband Robert of Seneca; her devoted daughter Dannyel Kling of Seneca; step-children, Brian Wichman of Japan, Rodney Wichman of Vliets, Derrick Wichman of Hiawatha, Jessica Strathman of Rolling Prairie, IN, and Emily Wichman and Victoria Wichman, both of Hiawatha; three beautiful granddaughters, Jadin, Brooklyn and Kaitin; 10 step-grandchildren; her parents, Tom and Rachel Dempe of Sumner, WA; sisters, Patti Milburn of Camden, DE, Nancy Seger of Bonney Lake, WA and Mary Dempe-Smith of Puyallup, WA; eight nieces and nephews and numerous friends and “adopted” children.
She was preceded in death by a step-grandson, Preston Altas.
A rosary will be prayed at 7 PM Wednesday, January 11, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Inurnment will be at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jeanne's memory for the Dream Foundation, 1528 Chapala Street, Suite 304, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (www.dreamfoundation.org).
Lucille M. Wichman
Lucille M. Wichman, 93, of Seneca, Kansas, died on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the Evergreen Community of Johnson County, Olathe, Kansas.
Lucille was born June 12, 1919, on a farm southeast of St. Benedict, the daughter of Frank and Lena Bergman Melcher. She attended St. Mary’s School and was among the first St. Mary’s High School graduating class in 1937.
After graduation, Lucille attended a hair dressing academy in St. Joseph, Missouri. With her hair dressing certification, she returned to Nemaha County and worked for a variety of beauty shops in Marysville, Centralia, and Seneca prior to opening her own beauty shop in Seneca. Lucille was joined in business by her sister, Evelyn. Lucille and Evelyn operated a beauty shop on the second floor of the bank building at 5th and Main throughout World War II.
On November 28, 1945, Lucille married
Joseph F. Wichman Jr. at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict. Joseph had recently returned from four years of military service in North Africa and Europe from 1941 to 1945. They lived in Seneca at the corner of Roanoke and 7th Street for several years, before to moving to a house at 406 South 7th Street.
Lucille continued to operate her own beauty shop while Joe worked as assistant manager for the Farmers’ Elevator Company. Later, Joe and Lucille owned and operated the Seneca Furniture Store from 1972 until 1989.
Lucille was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church. Joe and Lucille enjoyed traveling with their sons on summer vacations. Summer weekends were spent at area lakes boating and water skiing. Lucille also enjoyed playing bridge with a group of long-time friends, the DHS sorority.
Survivors include three sons, Ross Wichman of Ellis, Kansas, Boyd Wichman of Lenexa, Kansas, and Curtis Wichman of Lenexa; a brother, Elmer Melcher of Seneca; two sisters Evelyn Waters of Hastings, Nebraska and LaVon Strathman of Juda, Wisconsin; nine grandchildren, Brian, Cheryl, Lisa, Kevin, Mark, Ross Joseph, Elizabeth, and Joseph; and seven great-grandchildren, Blake, Hayley, Emma, Whitney, Gus, Jalen, and Elijah.
Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph on December 30, 1995; her brother Vern Melcher on March 11, 1976; her sister Melita Haverkamp, on July 2, 2004; her brother Francis Melcher on July 3, 2006. She was also preceded in death by an infant sister in 1910, an infant twin brother and sister in 1914, and an infant brother in 1918.
A rosary will be prayed at 7 PM Friday, January 25, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 AM Saturday, January 26, at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict. Burial will be in Sts. Peter & PaulCemeteryin Seneca.
Memorials may be given for the Evergreen Community of Johnson County, the Sts. Peter & Paul Church, or the St. Mary’s Restoration Fund. Please forward your memorials to Wichman, 8405 Greenwood Circle, Lenexa, Kansas 66215.
Raymond L. Wichman
Raymond L. Wichman, 88, of Seneca, Kansas, died August 11, 2012 at Life Care Center in Seneca.
Ray was born September 19, 1923, on a farm southeast of Seneca. His parents were Louis H. and Mary Clare (Carlin) Wichman. He went to the Victory Country School for two years, then he attended Sts. Peter & Paul High School, graduating in 1942. After school he helped on the family farm.
For 22 years Ray was in the custom combining and trucking business combining wheat and other grains in Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, South and North Dakota and hauling livestock, grain, hay and other products. He worked at Missouri Beef Packers in Rock Port, Missouri and Friona, Texas as a security guard in the 1970s. Later he worked for nine years at Wichman Industries in Oneida, Kansas, as assistant manager.
During his retirement years his hobby was making wooden toys for his 10 nephews and 14 nieces and countless great-nieces and nephews. Another specialty was sculpting walnut into bowls and water goblets. Ray was the “fix it man” for broken snowmobiles and two-cycle engines in Seneca. He loved hunting elk and deer in Wyoming and in Nemaha County. Lastly, he loved the casinos in Laughlin, Nevada and the Sac and Fox in Kansas.
Ray entered the Life Care Center in Seneca in 2010, where he continued to enjoy his life with family and friends.
He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and the St. Joseph Society in Seneca.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Thomas, Walter, Glenn and Louis Jr.; and a sister, Lucille (Wichman) Lierz.
He is survived by two sisters, Ellen (Wichman) Ramsby of Portland, Oregon and Audrey (Wichman) Luckeroth of Lawrence, Kansas; and a brother, Harold Wichman of Litchfield Park, Arizona.
Ray will be remembered by all his many friends whom he enjoyed drinking coffee with at the Conoco Gas Station and eating lunch at Lori’s Diner.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 AM Wednesday, August 14, at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. A Rosary will be prayed at 7 PM Tuesday, August 13, at the funeral home.
Memorials may be given for Coins for a Cause or Sts. Peter & Paul Building Fund, and sent in care of the family.
Thomas B. "Tom" Wichman
Thomas B. "Tom" Wichman, 86, of Seneca, KS died early Tuesday morning, May 6, 2003, at the Hiawatha Community Hospital in Hiawatha, KS
He was born January 30, 1917, on a farm east of Seneca, the son of Louis, Sr. and Mary Carlin Wichman. He attended Victory School, Sts. Peter & Paul School, and worked on the family farm. He farmed east of Seneca and took over his Dad’s corn shelling business. For 35 years he did corn shelling for Raymond Russell at the Oneida Elevator and other farmers in the area. In 1958 he moved into Seneca where he lived with his parents. He retired from farming in 1977. In later years he made his home in Seneca with his sister, Lucille Lierz and brother, Raymond.
His memberships include Sts. Peter & Paul Church and the Knights of Columbus #1769 for over 50 years, at Seneca.
Survivors are three brothers, Raymond Wichman and Glenn Wichman, both of Seneca, and Harold Wichman of Litchfield Park, AZ; three sisters, Lucille Lierz of Seneca, Ellen Ramsey of Portland, OR and Audrey Luckeroth of Lawrence, KS.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Walter, Edwin, and Louis, Jr.
The mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 A.M. Friday, May 9, 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 at 2 and 7 P.M. Thursday.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & PaulCemeteryand sent in care of the family.
Clarence H. Wiesedeppe
Clarence H. Wiesedeppe, 87, of Sabetha, Kansas, formerly of Seneca, Kansas, died Thursday, February 14, 2002, at the Sabetha Community Hospital.
He was born October 2, 1914, on the home farm north of Seneca, the son of Herman and Emma Hecht Wiesedeppe. He grew up on the family farm attended Rogers School. When his father died, Clarence, 14 years old, quit school to do the farming. On October 4, 1934, he married
Vera L. Moore at Hiawatha, Kansas. They farmed together.
Clarence was the first one in Seneca to have a round baler and one of the first farmers to use a tractor instead of horses. They had a large dairy besides raising hogs, cattle, and crops. They lived on the Wiesedeppe homestead north of Seneca and moved to Kansas City when the farm was sold. In 1939 they returned to farm northeast of Seneca and in 1943 moved to their present farm north of Seneca. They celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries. In April of 1999 they moved to the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha. His wife, Vera, died May 8, 2000.
He was a member of the Frieden's United Church of Christ north of Seneca, the Nemaha County Co-op in Seneca.
Survivors are a daughter, Carol Hughes of Seneca; a brother, Albertus "Bud" Wiesedeppe of Leavenworth, KS; a sister, Lucille Edwards of Kansas City, MO; two grandsons, a great-grandchild and 3 step-great-grandchildren..
Funeral services will be 2 P.M. Monday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 P.M. Sunday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca where he will lie in state after 3 P.M. Saturday
Memorials may be given for the Frieden's United Church of Christ or the Apostolic Christian Home at Sabetha and sent in care of the family.
Vera Wiesedeppe
Vera L. Wiesedeppe, 84, of Sabetha, Kansas, formerly of Seneca, Kansas, died Monday, May 8, 2000, at the Sabetha Community Hospital.
She was born November 23, 1915, near Corning, Kansas, the daughter of George C. and Viola Britt Moore. When she was a young girl, the family moved to Seneca. There were eleven children in the family, and she was one of the middle children. Vera attended the Seneca Public Schools.
On November 2, 1934, she married
Clarence Wiesedeppe at Hiawatha, Kansas. He survives of the home in Sabetha. They lived on the Wiesedeppe homestead north of Seneca where they farmed for two years. When the farm was sold, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, until 1939 when they returned to farm northeast of Seneca.
In 1943 they moved to their present farm north of Seneca. She was an Avon representative from 1958 to 1966 in the Seneca and Sabetha area. They celebrated their 50th and 65 wedding anniversaries. In April of 1999 they moved to the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha.
She was a member of the Frieden's United Church of Christ and the Women's Fellowship at the church north of Seneca, Kansas. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, and fishing with her grandsons, Robert and Jeff.
Survivors besides her husband, Clarence Wiesedeppe of Sabetha are, a daughter, Carol Hughes of Seneca; a brother, Clinton Moore of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two sisters, Margie Latimer of Wichita and Betty Jean Haggerty of Kansas City, Kansas; two grandsons and a great-grandson.
Funeral services were held Thursday, May 11, at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Burial was in the Seneca City Cemetery.
Memorials may be given for the Frieden's United Church of Christ or the Osteoporosis Foundation and sent in care of the family.
