Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Richard E. Spanier
1938 - 2005
GILLETTE, Wyo. - Richard E. Spanier, 66, died Jan. 31 at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center. He was born July 3, 1938, at Great Bend, the son of Charles F. and Marie Miller Spanier. He attended the St. Joseph Catholic School and graduated from Ellinwood High School. He joined the U.S. Navy where he served from 1956 until 1960 as a Navy Seal. He returned to Great Bend, where he worked as a fireman for 18 years. He later moved to Gillette, Wyo., where he lived for the past 20 years. Spanier was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include one son, Scott Spanier of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two daughters, Kim Kennedy and Ann Hamilton, both of Colorado Springs; one brother, Don L. Spanier of Sparks, Nev.; two sisters, Dorothy Liggett of Gillette, Wyo., and Barbara Tindall of Hoisington; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, S.D. Burial with military honors provided by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard will follow at Black Hills National cemetery. Friends may call from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral chapel.
Helen L. Nutting
1911 - 2005
Helen L. Nutting, 93, of Great Bend, died Jan. 30 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation in Great Bend. She was born Oct. 28, 1911, at Neck City, Mo., the daughter of James William and Arkadelphia Durham Sanders. She married
Harlie Nutting on March 18, 1934, in rural Stafford County. She was a homemaker and had been a resident of Great Bend since 2002, coming from Lewis. Mrs. Nutting was a member of Crossroads Victory Lighthouse Assembly of God church in Kinsley. Survivors include her husband of the home; three sons, Harlie Nutting Jr. of Temple, Texas, Larry Nutting of Great Bend and Michael Nutting of Port Lavaca, Texas; two daughters, Eleanor Smith of Poway, Calif. and Rita Giles of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada; one sister, Wilma Smiley of Stafford; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her step-mother, Lena Sanders; three brothers, Glen, Edwin, and Robert Sanders; one step-brother, Earl Head; and one grandchild, Sheri Lynn Tillman. Graveside service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Wayne cemetery in Lewis, with the Rev. John Hubbard officiating. Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend. Memorials are suggested to the church or The Gideons International. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Rd. Great Bend, KS 67530
Leonard C. Stimatze
1934 - 2005
Leonard C. Stimatze, 70, died Jan. 30 at his residence in Great Bend. He was born Nov. 27, 1934, at Macksville, the son of Cheever Stimatze. He married
Irene Jennix on July 1, 1986, at Great Bend. A lifetime resident of Barton County, he was a driller for Blue Goose Drilling Inc. Stimatze was a member of Elks BPO Lodge No. 1127 in Great Bend. Survivors include his wife, of the home; one son, Andrew Stimatze of Olathe; four daughters, Marilyn Murphy of Olathe, Andrea Davenport of Kansas City, Sarah Gilbert of Martell, Neb. and Emily Stimatze of Topeka; step-mother, Anna Stimatze of Perry; two brothers, William 'Bill' Stimatze of Ridgway, Colo. and Roger Stimatze of Conifer, Colo.; three sisters, Imagene Poteet of Perry, Dorothy Schuckakosee of Lawrence and Rose Edwards of Clearwater, Okla.; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one sister, Joan Roberts. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Seventh Day Adventist Church in Great Bend, with the Rev. Jan Follett officiating. There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place. Memorials are suggested to the Leonard Stimatze Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Rd. Great Bend, KS 67530
Anthony S. "Tony" Kaiser
1924 - 2005
BUSHTON - Anthony S. 'Tony' Kaiser, 81, died Saturday, Jan. 29, at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He was born Jan. 3, 1924, at Redwing, the son of Englebert and Anna Reif Kaiser. He married
Dolores L. Zink on July 31, 1947, at Bushton. She survives. He was a retired farmer/stockman. He was a Bushton resident since 1947, coming from Hoisington. Kaiser was a member of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Bushton, Knights of Columbus Council No. 1187 in Ellinwood, lifetime member of Ralph B. Prager Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8668 in Claflin, and a past board member of Bushton Grain and Supply. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, serving in the Asiatic Pacific. Survivors include his wife, Dolores L. Kaiser, of the home; two sons, Paul and his wife, Kathy Kaiser, of Great Bend, and Kent and his wife, Mary Kaiser, of Bushton; one daughter, Beth Foster and her husband Eldon of Great Bend; one brother, Ed Kaiser of Hoisington; one sister, Rose Riedel of Ellinwood; seven grandchildren, Kimberly Kaiser, Eric Kaiser, Keri Suppes, Brian Foster, Kayla Kaiser, Kyle Kaiser, Karl Kaiser; and one great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Suppes. He was preceded in death by one son, Bert Kaiser; an infant grandson, Kevin Kaiser; six brothers, Joe, Lawrence, Louie, John, Frank and Walter Kaiser; six sisters, Sister Rita Kaiser, Sister Bertran Kaiser, Margaret Rabenseifner, Theresa Nather, Leona Stuart and Eleanor Schwartz. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Bushton, with celebrants Father Steven Scheier and Father James Roth. Burial will be at Holy Name cemetery in Bushton with full military rites by a Fort Riley Honor Guard. Memorials are suggested to First Responders of Bushton or Holy Name cemetery Fund in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements provided by NicholsonRicke Funeral Home 415 N. Main / P.O. Box 146 Hoisington, KS 67544
Geary Grant Guthrie
1937 - 2005
HOISINGTON - Geary Grant Guthrie, 67, died Jan. 7 at Unity Hospital in Fridley, Minn. He was born March 12, 1937, at Utica, the son of Harry and Inez Smith Guthrie. He married
Aileen Sue Temple on Dec. 7, 1959, at Great Bend. He was a retired truck driver for CF with 30 years of service. He was a former Hoisington, Great Bend, and North Platte, Neb., resident, having lived in Coon Rapids, Minn., since 1978. Guthrie was a U.S. Army veteran serving in the Korean Conflict. Survivors include his wife Sue of the home; one daughter, Melanie Siganos of Coon Rapids.; his mother of Hoisington; one sister, Judy Mullis of Craig, Colo.; and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother, Don Guthrie. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, in Hoisington, with the Rev. Wayne Flanders officiating. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home 415 N. Main / P.O. Box 146 Hoisington, KS 67544
Carl Leigh Wood Jr.
1961-2005
LARNED - Carl Leigh Wood Jr., 43, died March 28 at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital, Larned. He was born Oct. 5, 1961, in Oneida, N.Y., the son of Carl Wood Sr. and Evelyn May (Wood) Wood. He married
Carla Leanne Lewis on March 20, 1996, at Larned. She survives. A Larned resident since 1980, moving from New York, he was a refuse collector II for the City of Larned. Other survivors include his father, Carl Wood Sr., of Old Forge, N.Y.; two brothers, Paul of Chittenango, N.Y., and Todd, Camden, N.Y.; seven sisters, Kim Toberman of Costa Rica, Joyce Schoeneck and Audrey White, both of Munnsville, N.Y., Lynn Trumble, Cicero, N.Y., Carole Daniels, Monroe, Wash., Doris Loveless, Oneida, N.Y., and Wendy Berg of Lawton, Okla. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned, with Pastor Dan Lundgren presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 9 a.m. until service time Friday at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned. Burial will be in Larned cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association or the Larned Emergency Medical Service, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Funeral arrangements provided by Beckwith Mortuary Box 477 Larned, KS 67550
Billy F. Brown
1924-2005
RUSSELL - Billy F. Brown, 80, of Russell, died March 29 at Russell Regional Hospital. He was born Nov. 2, 1924, on a farm near Fairport in Russell County, the son of William and Geneva Mertle (McKinley) Brown. He married
Vera Mae Ulrich at Natoma on Aug. 3, 1946. He grew up near Fairport and started school there before his family moved to a location south of Russell. He completed his education at Ikler Rural School south of Russell. He entered the U.S. Army during World War II and served during the Normandy Invasion. He was a lifelong Russell-area resident. He began working in the oilfields at age 14. He became a drillingrig supervisor. He retired June 1, 1989, as production superintendent, ending a 40-year career with Murfin Drilling Company. Brown was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Russell; a life member of Russell Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6240, and a member of The American Legion in Russell. Survivors include his wife, Vera, of the home; four daughters, Connie Dumler and her husband Marty of Russell, Sheila Dreiling and her husband Jim of Pensacola, Fla., Judy Tilton and her husband Scott of Cleveland, Okla., and Stacy Brown of Hays; two sons, Dennis Brown and his wife Wanda and Todd Brown and his wife Stephanie, all of Russell; a brother, Chester Brown of Sherman, Texas; 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by eight brothers, including two infants, Harold, Carl, Lawrence, Calvin, Kenneth and Gene Brown; one sister, Mary Ellen Munsell; and one great-grandson, Joshua Bachar. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. John Lutheran Church, Russell, with the Rev. Henry J. Hartman officiating. Interment will follow in Russell City cemetery. Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. today at Pohlman-Heise Mortuary in Russell. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John Lutheran Church or to Main Street Manor in care of Pohlman-Heise Mortuary, 610 N. Maple St., Russell, KS 67665. Funeral arrangements provided by Pohlman-Heise Mortuary 610 N. Maple St. Russell, KS 67665
Joe Washington Jr.
1937 - 2005
RUSSELL - Joe Washington Jr., 68, died March 24, at his home in Russell. He was born March 6, 1937, at Mansfield, La., the son of Joe and Mattie Colbert Washington. He was a graduate of Desoto High School in Mansfield. He married
Della Jackson in Center, Texas. They are divorced. A resident of Russell for many years, he worked as a concrete finisher for most of his lifetime. Survivors include one son, Milton Earl Hill of California; one daughter, Gwendolyn Caro of Larned; and one brother, Randolph Kellum of Shreveport, La. He was preceded in death by one brother, Curtis Kellum. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at the Pohlman-Heise Memorial Chapel in Russell. Burial will be at the Russell City cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Russell Food Pantry or the Russell Ministerial Alliance, in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Pohlman-Heise Mortuary 610 N. Maple St. Russell, KS 67665
Edward J. 'Epp' Fiala
1921 - 2005
BISON - Edward J. 'Epp' Fiala, 83, died March 28 at his home in rural Bison. He was born July 26, 1921, at Timken, the son of Joseph and Mary Pozalek Fiala. He was a 1938 graduate of Bison Rural High School in Bison. He married
Thelma E. Shank on April 21, 1943, at Medford, Ore. He was a farmer and a lifetime Rush County resident. Fiala served with the U.S. Army for four years in the China/Indian/Burma Theatre in the 21st Field Hospital. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Bison; lifetime member of American Legion Post 353 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3147, both of La Crosse; Western Bohemian Fraternal Organization; and served on the Bison Co-op Board of Directors for eight years. Survivors include his wife of the home, and one daughter, Lorene M. Erb of Schoenchen. He was preceded in death by one bother, George Fiala. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Bison, with the Rev. Marilyn Christmore officiating. Burial will be at the La Crosse City cemetery in La Crosse. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. today at the Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse, with the family receiving friends from 7 to 8 p.m., and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. at the church. Memorials are suggested to the church or South Wind Hospice in Pratt. Funeral arrangements provided by Janousek Funeral Home 719 Pine La Crosse, KS 67548
Myron D. 'Doc' Pivonka
1929 - 2005
HOISINGTON - Myron D. 'Doc' Pivonka, 75, died March 28 at Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington. He was born June 22, 1929, at Hoisington, the son of Jack and Leona Godding Pivonka. He married
Elizabeth Stenzel on July 16, 1950, at Hoisington. She survives. A lifetime Hoisington resident, he was the retired owner of Pivonka Tank Service, which he owned for 38 years. Pivonka was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church, Masonic Lodge AF and AM 331, both of Hoisington, and Isis Shrine Temple of Salina. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth, of the home; one daughter, Myra Gasser and her husband Don of Fort Worth, Texas; and one grandson, Nathan Gasser. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hoisington, with the Rev. Don Swanson officiating. Burial will be at the Hoisington cemetery in Hoisington. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, with the family receiving friends from 7 to 8 p.m., all at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington, and from 11 a.m. until service time Thursday at the church. Memorials are suggested to Isis Shrine Travel Fund or the church in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home 415 N. Main / P.O. 146 Hoisington, KS 67544
