Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Josephine D. Orozco
1922 - 2005
LAMAR, Colo. - Josephine D. Orozco, 82, died Jan. 19 at her home. She was born Nov. 2, 1922, at Lamar, the daughter of Felipa and Dionisia L. Morales Jara. She was a longtime Lamar resident. Survivors include two sons, Luiz Ramon Orozco, Sr. of Garden City, and Vincent R. Orozco of Lamar; three daughters, Sister Teresa L. Orozco of Great Bend, Susanna Stegman and Laura Denise Estep, both of Lamar, Colo.; two brothers, Phillip Jara of Ordway, Colo., and Ruben Jara of Loveland, Colo.; 23 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Pascual M. 'Paul' Orozco, Sr.; one son, Paul M. Orozco, Jr.; three sisters, Grace H. Ramirez, Juanita M. Hernandez, and Lorena Arias; and two grandsons. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Francis de Sales/Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church with the Rev. Tony Wojcinski officiating. Burial will be at the Riverside cemetery. Visitation will be today from 1-5 p.m. at the Peacock Funeral Home in Lamar, Colo. Memorials are suggested to St. Francis de Sales/Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church directly or in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Peacock Funeral Home 209 S. Fourth St. Lamar, CO 81052
Georgia F. Secord
1927 - 2005
Georgia F. Secord, 77, died Jan. 20 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. She was born Sept. 26, 1927, at Omaha, Neb., the daughter of Jon and Frances Mudroch Pejskar. She married
Don Secord on March 26, 1949, at Lincoln, Neb. He died Oct. 6, 1980. She was a retired manager of Hoisington Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7428 and a former employee of the Great Bend Petroleum Club. She had lived in Great Bend since 1968, coming from Oberlin. Survivors include one son, David Secord and his wife Teresa, of Galva; two daughters, Paula Piland of Great Bend and Laura Bowers and her husband Mike of Galva; eight grandchildren, Megan Piland, Josh Piland, Will Unruh, Jenny Unruh, Johnathon Bowers, Nicole Bowers, Tara Rolfe and Tiffany Rolfe; and one great-grandchild, T.J. Wooderson. A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in Great Bend cemetery, with the Rev. Don Paden officiating. There will be no visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Great Bend Humane Society or Shriners Hospitals of St. Louis, Mo. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home* 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Edith 'Edi' Kinman
1926 - 2005
HOISINGTON - Edith 'Edi' Kinman, 78, died Jan. 20 at Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington. She was born Dec. 16, 1926, at Hoisington, the daughter of Alfred and Susie Belle (Butler) LaOrange. She married
Freddie L. Kinman on Sept. 25, 1949, at Minneapolis. He died Dec. 5, 1957. She was a receptionist at the Hoisington Lutheran Hospital, retiring in 1991. She was a lifetime resident of Hoisington. Kinman was a member of the First Christian Church and VFW Auxiliary, both of Hoisington. Survivors include two sons, Kenneth Kinman of Hays and Keith Kinman and his wife Loretta of Hoisington; one daughter, Susan Lamb and her husband Rick of Hoisington; one brother, George 'Jim' LaOrange of Gillette, Wyo.; two sisters, Jean New of Derby and Gloria Kline of Northglenn, Colo.; and five grandchildren, Chris Kinman, Mark Kinman, Joe Lamb, Jaime Lamb and Audra Lamb. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington, with the Rev. Pascal Klein officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. until service time Saturday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Clara Barton Foundation or the American Red Cross in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home* 415 N. Main / P.O. Box 146 Hoisington, KS 67544
David Thomas Renfrow
1946 - 2005
LARNED - David Thomas Renfrow, 58, died Jan. 19, 2005, at his Larned residence. He was born March 29, 1946, in Pawhuska, Okla., the son of Oscar L. and Jewel L. Webster Renfrow. A Larned resident since 1975, moving from Willow Lake, S.D., he was a coach, school counselor and elementary principal for the Pawnee Heights School District. He belonged to the First Christian Church, La Crosse. He had previously been a member of First Christian Church, Larned, where he was elder, Sunday School teacher and lay preacher. He was also a member of the Jordaan Foundation Research Committee, Larned. On Aug. 27, 1967, he married
Rita J. Kingsbury at Fredonia. She survives. Other survivors include his parents, of Pawhuska, Okla.; two daughters, Rebecca Ann (Mrs. Lance) Weeks, Lawrence, and Rhonda Jean (Mrs. David) Stephen, Independence; two brothers, Dean and his wife Anne, of Hulbert, Okla., and Duane and his wife Kathy, of La Crosse; two sisters, Ruth Ann (Mrs. Larry) Woodruff of Wichita and Rosemary (Mrs. Don) Webb of Bartlesville, Okla.; and two grandchildren, Judson King and Ashton Weeks, both of Lawrence. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Pawnee Heights School Auditorium in Rozel, with the Rev. Ron Keith and the Rev. Troy Schroeder presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel in Larned. Memorials may be sent to the Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice, or the memorial of your choice, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, Inc., P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Funeral arrangements provided by Beckwith Mortuary, Inc. Box 477 Larned, KS 67550
Ralph E. Opie
1914 - 2005
Ralph E. Opie, 90, died Jan. 19 at his Great Bend home. He was born May 7, 1914, at Olmitz, the son of Alfred and Bertha Harper Opie. He married
Ruth Essmiller Jan. 30, 1938, at the Essmiller home in rural Barton County. She survives, of the home. He was a farmer and a lifetime resident of the Great Bend area. Opie was a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church and all orders of the Masonic Lodge and Shrine. Survivors, in addition to his wife, include two daughters, Roberta Bartlett of Great Bend and Rae Jean Hunt of Manhattan; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Eric and Todd Kintigh. A graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Friday in Great Bend cemetery, with the Rev. Gary Brooks officiating. Masonic graveside rites will be conducted. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Memorial funds have been established with the Sunflower Shrine Travel Fund and with the First United Methodist Church Choir Fund, in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Edith Lucille Simmons Cecil Reser
1918 - 2005
BUSHTON - Edith Lucille Simmons Cecil Reser, 86, died Jan. 17 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. She was born July 26, 1918, at Beuhla, the daughter of Perry and Katherine Crawford Burns. She married
Bruce Simmons on April 17, 1936, at Balboa, Calif. He died May 17, 1974. She married
Glen Cecil in October 1975, at Las Vegas, Nev. He died June 1, 1988. She married
Bob Reser on Feb. 14, 1994. She was a Bushton resident since 1994, formerly of Ellinwood, and Santa Ana, Calif. She was the owner/operator of Wee Tykes Nursery School, and was formerly Long Distance Supervisor of Pacific Bell. Reser was a life member of Isis Temple and American Legion Auxiliary of Ellinwood. Survivors include her husband, of the home; one adopted daughter, Belinda Menges of Ellinwood; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 25 at Kimple Funeral Chapel in Ellinwood, with the Rev. Phil Smith officiating. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to KSU Center for Basic Cancer Research or the Bushton First Responders. Funeral arrangements provided by Kimple Funeral Home 113 N. Main Ellinwood, KS 67526
Edith Lucille Simmons Cecil Reser
1918 - 2005
BUSHTON - Edith Lucille Simmons Cecil Reser, 86, died Jan. 17 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. She was born July 26, 1918, at Beuhla, the daughter of Perry and Katherine Crawford Burns. She married
Bruce Simmons on April 17, 1936, at Balboa, Calif. He died May 17, 1974. She married
Glen Cecil in October 1975, at Las Vegas, Nev. He died June 1, 1988. She married
Bob Reser on Feb. 14, 1994. She was a Bushton resident since 1994, formerly of Ellinwood, and Santa Ana, Calif. She was the owner/operator of Wee Tykes Nursery School, and was formerly Long Distance Supervisor of Pacific Bell. Reser was a life member of Isis Temple and American Legion Auxiliary of Ellinwood. Survivors include her husband, of the home; one adopted daughter, Belinda Menges of Ellinwood; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 25 at Kimple Funeral Chapel in Ellinwood, with the Rev. Phil Smith officiating. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to KSU Center for Basic Cancer Research or the Bushton First Responders. Funeral arrangements provided by Kimple Funeral Home 113 N. Main Ellinwood, KS 67526
Brenda Ann Stephens
1960-2005
HOISINGTON - Brenda Ann Stephens, 44, died Jan. 14 at the Hutchinson Hospital in Hutchinson. She was born Dec. 12, 1960, at Hutchinson, the daughter of Raymond and Leta Jackson Akins. She married
Steven Harris Stephens. They were divorced. A lifetime resident of Hoisington, coming from Hutchinson, she was a technical manager and a photographer. Stephens was a former member of the First Christian Church, in Hoisington. Survivors include one son, Tigie Stephens of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; her father of Hutchinson; her mother and step-father, Leta and Alan Ochs of Hoisington; three brothers, Wendel L. Akins, Mike Akins, and Orlin Akins; five sisters, Ruby Akins, Mary Leshore, Linda Bayse, Justine Ochs, and Angela Grissom; and two grandchildren. Funeral service will be at 5 p.m. Friday, at the House of Faith in Hoisington. There will be no visitation; cremation has taken place. Memorials are suggested to the Brenda Ann Stephens' Expense Fund, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home 415 N. Main / P.O. Box 146 Hoisington, KS 67544
Walter L. Roth
1912-2005
ELLINWOOD - Walter L. Roth, 92, died Jan. 15 at the Ellinwood District Hospital. He was born Sept. 21, 1912, in rural Ellinwood, the son of William Peter and Catherine Teresa Strothman Roth. He was a 1930 graduate of Ellinwood High School and a graduate of Adele Hale Business School. He married
June Rader on Nov. 15, 1938, in Ellinwood. She died April 4, 1988. A lifetime resident of Ellinwood, he was retired from People's State Bank as chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, after 42 years of service, in 1980. Roth was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus No. 1187 and Rotary Club, all of Ellinwood. He was a charter member of Grove Park Golf Club in 1939, served on the public school board and city council, and was selected as Ellinwood's Distinguished Citizen in 2003. He was a World War II U.S. Navy Veteran serving with the Hospital Corps. Survivors include four sons, James R. Roth of Wichita, Thomas Roth of Denver, Colo., Randall W. Roth of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Kent A. Roth of Great Bend; one brother, Don Roth of Ellinwood; two sisters, Marian Southern of Ellinwood, and Dorothy Dueser of Breckenridge, Texas; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Altar Society Rosary will be at 3 p.m. today, with a vigil service at 7 p.m. followed by K of C Rosary. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with the Rev. John Maes officiating. Burial will be at the Lakin-Comanche District cemetery in Ellinwood. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. today at Kimple Funeral Home in Ellinwood. Memorials are suggested to the St. Joseph's School Endowment in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Kimple Funeral Home 113 N. Main Ellinwood, KS 67526
JoDean Whitacre Spurlock
1926 - 2005
JoDean Whitacre Spurlock, 78, passed away peaceably Tuesday evening, Jan. 11, 2005, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Great Bend, Kan., on Feb. 3, 1926, the daughter of Joseph and Hazel Whitacre. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Charles Franklin Spurlock of Lakeway, Texas; her daughters, Carolyn Giffen and Nancy Traynor, her son, Charles W. Spurlock, and her grandchildren, Charles Daniel Giffen, Scott D. Giffen, J. Ryan Giffen and Kimberly Traynor. JoDean attended The Oklahoma College for Women in 1944-1945 and was graduated from Phillips University in Enid, Okla., in 1949. She taught music at the elementary and high school level in Minneapolis, Kan., from 1949-1950. She sang on the first televised broadcast in the state of Oklahoma in 1948. She was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota and National Honor Sorority (Cardinal Key). JoDean taught first grade and sixth grade in Hutchinson, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., and Dallas, Texas. She directed children's choirs and devoted volunteer time to the literacy of children. Services will be held at The Lakeway Church, 2203 Lakeway Blvd., on Monday, Jan. 17. A viewing will commence at 1 p.m. A service celebrating her life will start at 2 p.m. Interment will be at the Dallas-Ft. Worth National cemetery, Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lakeway Church, Lakeway, Texas. Funeral arrangements provided by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home 3125 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, Texas 78705
