Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Mabel Ellen Bogden
1913 - 2004
Mabel Ellen Bogden, 91, died Dec. 31 at Great Bend Health & Rehabilitation Center. She was born Jan. 24, 1913, in Pratt County, the daughter of Roy and Mary B. Huff Toothaker. She married
Robert Bogden in 1941 at Kansas City, Kan. He died in 1961. She was a registered nurse and a professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She had lived in Great Bend since 1996, coming from Cullison. Bogden was a member of the Methodist Church of Cullison and attended the Assembly of God Church in Great Bend. Survivors include a brother, David Toothaker of Wichita; four sisters, Myrtle Clark of Marion, Ind., May Thorpe of Muncie, Ind., Fay Smith of Great Bend and Bernice Smith of Hutchinson. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Austin and Thomas Toothaker, and five sisters, Alice Baker, Verlie Toothaker, Ethel Toothaker, Floy Nixon and Melva Huck. Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the Rev. Dwight Dozier officiating. Interment will be in Cullison Sunset cemetery at Cullison. Friends may call from 1 to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to service time Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the First Assembly of God Church or to the Cullison Methodist Church. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Edwin C. Suit
1915 - 2004
WICHITA - Edwin C. Suit, 89, of Wichita, died Dec. 29 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. He was born March 19, 1915, at Manford, Okla., the son of Charley W. and Estella Kennit Suit. He married
Margaret Brown at Great Bend on Jan. 5, 1942. She died in October 1972. He married
Mildred Jones Nov. 21, 1973. She died Aug. 9, 1984. He married
Mary Leigler on Jan. 1, 1985. She died in December 1988. He lived in McPherson 29 years, moving to Wichita in 1994. He was a truck driver for Farmland Industries of McPherson. Suit was a member of First Christian Church, Manford, Okla. Survivors include two sons, Clinton Suit and Virgil Suit, both of Wichita; two stepsons, Larry Jones of Midland, Texas, and Earl Jones of McPherson; three stepdaughters, Betty Tower of Olathe, Thelma Jean Willis of Moundridge and Kay Hayes of Topeka; eight grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, 16 stepgrandchildren and 29 stepgreat-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Richard Suit, and a stepdaughter, Frieda Elliott. Funeral service will be at 2:30 p.m. today, Sunday, at the United Methodist Church in Moundridge, with Pastor Jeanine Rishel officiating. Burial will be in Canton Township cemetery. Friends may call from 1 until 2:30 p.m. today at the United Methodist Church in Moundridge. Funeral arrangements provided by Moundridge Funeral Home 115 E. Cole, Box 410 Moundridge, KS 67107
James Allen Rusco, Ed. D.
1940 - 2004
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - James Allen Rusco, Ed. D., 64, died Dec. 29 at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock. He was born May 2, 1940, at Great Bend, Kan., the son of Orville John and Katherine Mary Schartz Rusco. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Fort Hays State University and his doctorate from Northwestern University near Chicago. A former Great Bend resident, he had lived in Little Rock for 27 years. He was a college professor and counselor for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Rusco was a member of the Catholic Church in Little Rock and of the American Counseling Association. Survivors include two sisters, Gloria Chediak of Lawrence and Vaunita Schnell of Newton Centre, Iowa; and three nieces and nephews. A vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Great Bend, with the Rev. Ted Stoecklein and the Rev. John J. Maes officiating. Interment will be in the Lakin-Comanche District cemetery at Ellinwood. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Catholic Community of Great Bend, to St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ellinwood, or to the James Rusco Scholarship Fund at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Kent N. Hughes
1941 - 2004
LA CROSSE - Kent N. Hughes, 63, died Dec. 31 at his La Crosse home. He was born Dec. 12, 1941, at Marceline, Mo., the son of Harvey Roland and Theda Virginia (Still) Hughes. He graduated from Marceline (Mo.) High School with the Class of 1959. He married
Genita Solomon Sept. 1, 1991, in Sheridan County, Mo. He was a retail salesman and had lived in La Crosse for 13 years, moving here from Great Bend. Hughes was a member of the U.S. Air Force. Survivors include his wife, Genita, of the home; a son, William Roland Hughes, of Jefferson City, Mo.; a daughter, Kimberly Ann Dorrell of Marceline, Mo.; three brothers, Rex Allan Hughes of Macon, Mo., Kim William Hughes of Marceline, Mo., and Rand Phillip Hughes of Minnesota; two sisters, Patricia Linn Couch of Chicago and Holli Kay Dowell of St. Louis; and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Gladys (Smith) Hughes, a brother, Gene Richard Hughes, and a sister, Kathy Virginia Hughes. Funeral service will be at 9 a.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in La Crosse, with the Rev. Marilyn Christmore officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Olivet cemetery, Marceline, Mo. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. today, Sunday, with the family receiving friends from 7 to 8 p.m., at Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse; or from 8 to 8:50 a.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church, La Crosse. Memorials may be made to Central Rush County EMS. Funeral arrangements provided by Janousek Funeral Home 719 Pine La Crosse, KS 67548
Margaret Gorham
1912 - 2005
NEWTON - Margaret H. Gorham, 92, died Feb. 24 at Newton Medical Center. She was born Sept. 22, 1912, in Potwin, the daughter of Earnest L. and Isabel Finch Hanstine. She graduated from Newton High School with the Class of 1930 and continued her education at the Venus Beauty Academy in Wichita. She married
Charles Irvin Gorham on June 3, 1936, in Newton. He died in April 1960. She was a former resident of Great Bend since 1940, and moved back to Newton in 1998 to the Kidron Bethel Retirement Village. Gorham was a member of St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Newton. Survivors include one son, Gary Gorham of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; one sister, Alberta 'Bertie' Woodward of Farmington, N.M.; two granddaughters; two stepgranddaughters and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Nolan Gorham; one brother, Ronald T. Hanstine; and one sister, Velma H. Moritz. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Luke Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Paul Wissink officiating. Memorials are suggested to St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Kidron Bethel Village and Newton Senior Center. Funeral arrangements provided by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home 120 E. Broadway Newton, KS 67114
Don R. Smith
1928 - 2005
Don R. Smith, 76, died Feb. 24 at Central Kansas Medical Center. He was born Nov. 18, 1928, in Jewell County, the son of Andrew Jackson and Amy Ozella Marshall Smith. He married
Eleanor M. Martin on June 3, 1951, at Iola. She survives. He worked in the parts department for International Harvester. He was a resident of Great Bend since 1966, coming from Salina. Smith was a member of the Methodist Church. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the United States Army. Survivors include his wife, Eleanor of the home; one son, Chuck Smith of Great Bend; one daughter, Joyce Schartz of Salina; one sister, Marjorie Lake of Hastings, Neb.; three grandchildren, Andrew Jackson Smith, Zachary Raymond Smith and Jennifer Apel; and one great grandchild, Dalton Apel. He was preceded in death by one brother, Keith Smith, and one sister, Ardis Gillette. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, March 4, at the Foundry Methodist Church, with the Rev. Kevin Baxter officiating. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. Memorials are suggested to the American Lung Association or Foundry Methodist Church in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Donald Lee Calvert
1937 - 2005
Donald Lee Calvert, 67, died Feb. 25 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. He was born April 7, 1937, at Great Bend, the son of Ivil Cleo and Marjorie Niesler Calvert. He married
Sylvia Esm'a Staggs May 7, 1965, at Larned. She survives. A lifetime resident of Great Bend, he was retired as a fire inspector for the Great Bend Fire Department. Calvert was a Methodist and a U.S. Army veteran. Survivors include five sons, Donald I. Calvert, of the home, Rickey A. Calvert and Chris Michael, both of Great Bend, James Michael of Otis and Steve Michael of Grandview, Mo.; one daughter, Tammy Cope of Wichita; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Cleo Calvert, and one sister, Eloise McDonald. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with the Rev. Don Paden officiating. Interment will be in Great Bend cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today, Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Sunflower Diversified Services. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Mary C. Kaiser
1938 - 2005
HOISINGTON - Mary C. Kaiser, 66, died Feb. 23 at her home. She was born Feb. 28, 1938, at Hoisington, the daughter of Adolph W. and Mary Demel Gerritzen. She married
Ernest J. Kaiser on Feb. 11, 1956, at Hoisington. He died May 4, 2003. She was a lifetime resident of the Hoisington area and a homemaker. Kaiser was a member of the St. John Evangelist Catholic Church and Altar Society, both of Hoisington, and Daughters of Isabella of Great Bend. Survivors include two daughters, Rose Mary Saunders of Wichita and Patricia Droste of Great Bend; two brothers, Jerome Gerritzen of Marietta, Ohio, and Robert Gerritzen of Hoisington; and three sisters, Evelyn Hammerschmidt of Hoisington, JoAnn Brown of Newton and Theresa Kelly of Omaha, Neb. Rosary will be at 6 p.m. Sunday followed by Altar Society Rosary, both at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hoisington, with the Rev. Pascal Klein officiating. Burial will be at St. John Church cemetery in Hoisington. Visitation will be from1 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the church or to Barton County Relay For Life, both in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home 415 N. Main / P.O. Box 146 Hoisington, KS 67544
Margaret Charlotte Button
1913 - 2005
Margaret Charlotte Button, 91, died Thursday, Feb. 24, at Central Kansas Medical Center. She was born July 22, 1913, at Great Bend, the daughter of Ralph G. and Nellie Campbell Smith. She married
Ralph W. Button on Sept. 11, 1936, at Golden, Colo. She was a resident of Great Bend and was a homemaker, teacher, farmer and owner-operator of 281 Sports Center in Great Bend. Button was a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Bible Book Study and Women's Organizations for the church, Fort Zarah Club, Dorcus Club, Lake Barton Women's Golf Club, Great Bend Area Panhellenic, and Red Hat Ladies, all of Great Bend. Survivors include one son, Quentin Button of Springfield, Mo.; three daughters, Charolette Ann Button of Fransville, Wis., Jan Button of Lamar, Mo., and Tricia Button of Albuquerque, N.M.; one brother, Ralph 'Bud' Smith of Baltimore, Md.; one sister-in-law, Edwina Speers; five grandchildren, Russ Rivest of Rochester, N.M., Lynda Rivest of Greendale, Wis., Sue and Steve Goodrich of Franksville, Wis., Janice and Dave Koza of Spring Grove, Ill., and Marc and Darlene Rivest of Union Grove, Wis.; nine great-grandchildren, Samantha, Mandy, Cassandra and Alex Goodrich of Franksville, Wis., Russell and Nicole Long of Greendale, Wis., Margaret 'Maggie' Rivest of Union Grove, Wis., and Joshua and Alain Koza of Spring Grove, Ill.; and nieces and nephews, Stephanie Ames, Bill Almquist, Yvonne Newman, Carolee Bailey, Michael Smith, Diane Smith, Michael Speers and Susan Speers. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph W. Button (Dec. 1, 2000); an infant son; two sisters, May Wing and Rosalind Almquist; and one sister-in-law, Ruth B. Ames. Memorial services will be at 11:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 28, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend, with the Rev. Diana Coberly officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend City cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, Feb. 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. with the family receiving friends at that time, at Charter Funerals Chapel in Great Bend. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend. Funeral arrangements provided by Charter Funerals* 2115 Washington Great Bend, KS 67530
Gerald L. 'Jerry' Schaffer
WICHITA - Gerald L. 'Jerry' Schaffer, 69, formerly of Great Bend, businessman and inventor, died Wednesday, Feb. 23. Visitation with family will be 6-8 p.m. Friday at Downing & Lahey Mortuary West, 10515 W. Maple, Wichita. Celebration of Life service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, at Heritage Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Marjorie; two sons, Mark of Delray Beach, Fla., and Matthew of Palm Beach, Fla.; two daughters, Jada Smith and husband, Terry, of Salina, and Geralyn Evers of Wichita; mother, Olinda Schaffer of La Crosse; twin brother, Paul of San Mateo, Calif., and five other brothers, Joe of Willits, Calif., Dennis and Charles of La Crosse, Ken of San Mateo, Calif., and Irvin of Mountain Home, Ark.; three sisters, Virginia Dreiling of Hays, Gladys Haugaard of Happy Camp, Calif., and Mary Ann Gariepy of Fort Myers, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Veronica, Vincent, Justin, Doug, Lexy and Jaclyn Schaffer, and Hollyn and Blake Smith. He was preceded in death by his father, Vincent, and a brother, Virgil. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established with Harry Hynes Hospice Center at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202 and Heritage Baptist Church, 13500 W. 13th St. N., Wichita, KS 67235. Funeral arrangements provided by Downing and Lahey Mortuaries and Crematory* 6555 E. Central Wichita, KS 67206
Lela L. Teasley
1916 - 2005
Lela L. Teasley died Feb. 23 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born Oct. 14, 1916, in Rooks County, the daughter of Theodore and Elsie Romine Loreg. She graduated from Codell High School and from beauty school in Salina. She worked at the Sharmee Beauty Shop in Plainville until her marriage to Maurice Teasley. He died in 1967. Teasley was a member of the VFW Auxiliary in Plainville. Survivors include two sisters, Grace Boyer of Plainville and Betty Reed of Great Bend. She was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice; one brother, Verl Loreg; and two sisters, Beulah Shubert and Virginia Hagerman. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday (today) at the Plainville cemetery, with the Rev. Todd Bohrer officiating. Memorials are suggested to the First Southern Baptist Church in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Moore Overlease Funeral Chapel 409 S. Cochran Plainville, KS 67663
