Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Ruby E. Gray
1915-2004
Ruby E. Gray, 88, of Great Bend, died Sept. 4 at Manor Care of Wichita. She was born Oct. 24, 1915, in Alden, the daughter of Arthur Earl and Pearl Caroline Caldwell Estabrook. A resident of Great Bend since 1942, coming from Lyons, she was a department manager for Sears-Roebuck, retiring in 1985. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and Order of the Eastern Star. Survivors include two daughters, Bonnie D. Meyeres of Tonnopah, Ariz., and Betty C. Harris of Wichita; one sister, Betty Lewis of Great Bend; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one sister, Lula Herbert. Graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Great Bend cemetery, with the Rev. Gary Brooks officiating. Friends may call from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend. Memorials are suggested to Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice, in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Jerome P. Habiger
1914-2004
BUSHTON - Jerome P. Habiger, 90, died Sept. 5 at Ellinwood District Hospital. He was born Aug. 12, 1914, at Bushton, the son of Joseph and Katherine Doll Habiger. He was a graduate of Salt City Business College in Hutchinson. He married
Anna Lee Thill March 30, 1948, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Great Bend. A lifetime resident of Bushton, he was a farmer. Habiger was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church of Bushton, Knights of Columbus No. 1187 of Ellinwood and Veterans of Foreign Wars of Lyons. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II in the European Theater. Survivors include his wife of the home; sons and daughters-in-law, Norman J. and Myra Habiger, and Wayne M. and Karen Habiger, all of Bushton; daughters and son-in-law, Diane Ingels of Topeka, Jane Habiger of Bushton, and Mary Beth and Lee Bonnewell of Andover; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers, George Habiger and Victor Habiger; and three sisters, Viola Dohrman, Delores Miller and Lucille Miller. Rosary will be at 3 p.m. today at Kimple Funeral Chapel in Ellinwood. Parish rosary will be at 7 p.m. today followed by Knights of Columbus Rosary, both at Holy Name Church near Bushton. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Name Catholic Church at Bushton, with Fathers Steve Scheier and James J. Roth officiating. Burial will be at Holy Name cemetery at Bushton. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Bushton First Responders or Holy Name cemetery Fund, both in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Kimple Funeral Home 113 North Main Ellinwood, KS 67526
Georgette Louise Hagen
1942-2004
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Georgette Louise Hagen, 62, died Sept. 5 at Emmaus Home in St. Charles. She was born Jan. 29, 1942, at Great Bend, the daughter of George L. and Carrie Back Hagen. She was a resident of Emmaus Home at Luhr House of St. Charles for more than 30 years, coming from Ellinwood. She was a member of Immanuel United Church of Christ of Ellinwood. Survivors include cousins. Private service will be held at Lakin-Comanche District cemetery in Ellinwood, with the Rev. Larry Young officiating. There will be no visitation. Memorials are suggested to Emmaus Homes or Immanuel United Church of Christ, both in care of Kimple Funeral Home of Ellinwood. Funeral arrangements provided by Kimple Funeral Home 113 North Main Ellinwood, KS 67526
Ruth E. Riggs
1928-2004
Ruth E. Riggs, 76, of Great Bend, died Sept. 5 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. She was born Aug. 28, 1928, at Pratt County, the daughter of Earl and Martha Nossaman Barker. She married
Marvin Riggs June 1, 1947, in Great Bend. A lifetime area resident, she was a homemaker. She was a member of First Church of the Nazarene where she was a youth leader, Sunday School teacher, Caravan leader, Missionary leader and church organist. She was also a member and former state president of Women's Christian Temperance Union, a member of EAR volunteers and local ALS support group. Survivors include her husband of the home; three sons, Terrence Eugene Riggs of Oklahoma City, Okla., Dale Allen Riggs and Keith Ellis Riggs, both of Great Bend; one daughter, Marcia Gwen Burhenn of Great Bend; her mother, Martha Barker, of Great Bend; one brother, Earl Barker Jr. of Tuttle, Okla.; two sisters, Joyce Ewing of Great Bend and Faye Sheppard of Colorado Springs, Colo.; eight grandchildren, Brent Riggs, Brian Riggs, Breanne Riggs, Eric Riggs, Amber Riggs, Joshua Earp, Kyle Clift and Alisha Clift. She was preceded in death by one sister, Carole Biegler. Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at First Church of the Nazarene in Great Bend, with Pastor Robert Castille and Pastor Mark Pennington officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend cemetery. Friends may call from noon to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, all at Bryant Funeral Home of Great Bend. Memorials are suggested to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (Medical and Disaster Relief), in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Galen H. Ewing
1913-2004
Galen H. Ewing, 91, of Great Bend, died Sept. 6 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He was born July 1, 1913, in Great Bend, the son of Harve and Ida Mae Zimmer Ewing. He married
Ula A. Anderson April 16, 1938, at Lawrence. A lifetime resident of Great Bend, he was a farmer and was retired from city and county sanitation departments after 25 years of service. Ewing was a member of First United Methodist Church and a former member of Masonic Lodge and Elks Club. Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, Terry Ewing of Hutchinson; three grandchildren, Robbie Sloan and wife June of Great Bend, Darcee Ranker and husband Phil of Woodinville, Wash., and Jeff Folsom of Missouri; and three great-grandchildren, Bobby Sloan, Ashley Sloan and Lynsie Ranker. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Connie Folson and Donna Martin; and four sisters, Dorothy Beahm, Mabel Peugh, Opal Means and Loverna Olsen. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend, with the Rev. Bill Beahm officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend cemetery. Friends may call from noon to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to service time Wednesday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice or First United Methodist Church, both in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
Meda Waive Smith
1914 - 2004
STAFFORD - Meda Waive Smith, 89, passed away in Paola, Kan., on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004, after a brief illness. She was preceded in death by her husband Elburn Royce Smith on May 6, 1986, and four siblings: Don Anderson, Max Anderson, Shirley Anderson and Iris Hollingsworth. Waive is survived by her children: Verlyn Smith of Silver Spring, Md., Jan Hightower of Mesa, Ariz., Cary Smith of Venice, Fla., Betty Parker of Fayetteville, Ga., Darlene Samek of Bellaire, Texas, Kay Dipman of Olathe, Kan., Holly Renfro of Olathe, Clark Smith of Mulvane, Kan., Cindy Espinosa of Great Bend, Kan., and Tammy Woodward of Oxnard, Calif. Survivors also include sisters Barbara Canfield of Hutchinson, Kan., and Doris Hannan of San Dimas, Calif., 26 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Waive was born Nov. 18, 1914, at Castle, Okla., to Clifford and Amanda Carney Anderson, the third of seven children. As a young woman she lived in Castle, Preston and Hutchinson. She married
Elburn Royce Smith June 1, 1932, at Sylvia, Kan. He was the son of William Robert and Cora Mae Marcum Smith of rural Turon, Kan. Waive and Elburn made their home in Turon, Preston and Abbyville, Kan., before moving to Zenith in 1945. They resided there many years to farm and raised their children until 1959 when they moved to Stafford, Kan., where they resided until Waive's move to Gardner, Kan., in 2001 to be close to her daughters in Olathe. Waive was a dedicated wife and mother to her 10 children; she was always there to lend love and support to her many friends and to her family. She was a member of the Zenith Presbyterian Church in Zenith, Kan. In Stafford she was employed by the school district to work in the lunch program. She was a loving mother and grandmother and her life was centered on her family, her children and their families. Waive's family would like to thank all the friends and family who have kept in contact with her over the last three years while she was living in Gardner and then in Louisburg, Kan. Your calls, cards and letters have been greatly appreciated. She will be sadly missed by all of us who loved her so much. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, at Minnis Chapel in Stafford with the Rev. Leroy Griswold presiding. Interment will be at Neola cemetery. Minnis Chapel 125 N. Main Stafford, KS 67578
Delmar Gilbert Doyle
1930 - 2004
HOUSTON, Texas - Delmar Gilbert Doyle, 74, died Sept. 2 after a long illness. He was born Aug. 28, 1930, outside Cheyenne, N.D., the son of Sylvester and Gussie Pearl Doyle. He was a well-known square dance caller and member of the Houston Square and Round Dance Council. For 20 years he taught steps and directed dances for freshmen during Orientation Week at Texas A&M University and served his community in many capacities, from being president of a civic association, to serving in fraternal organizations. Survivors include his wife Donna, 10 children, and multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers and two children. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in the chapel of Waltrip Funeral Directors in Houston. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vitas Hospice. Funeral arrangements provided by Waltrip Funeral Directors 1415 Campbell Road Houston, Texas 77055
David R. Ewing
1918 - 2004
David R. Ewing, 85, died Sept. 1 at a Topeka hospital. He was born Nov. 5, 1918, in Nickerson, the son of Lloyd A. and Grace G. Long Ewing. He was a graduate of Great Bend High School and attended Chillicothe Business College, Syracuse University and Kansas State University. He retired Nov. 5, 1976, from National Archives and Records Service and was first employed in the War Department in Washington, D.C., in 1940. He was employed by the Great Bend Tribune prior to his government service. Ewing was a member of First Presbyterian Church, previously serving as an elder and deacon at First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis. He was a longtime Boy Scout, attending the first National Jamboree in Washington, D.C., in 1937, and was also a member of Thomas Jefferson Chapter Sons of the American Revolution and KSU President's Club. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in Europe and the Philippines during World War II. Survivors include one brother, Albert R. Ewing of San Diego, Calif.; and one sister, Marceline R. Ruediger of Topeka. He was preceded in death by one brother, John C. Ewing; and two sisters, Margery Ewing and Joan Reed. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Memorial Park cemetery in Hutchinson. Friends may call after 3 p.m. today at Penwell-Gable Midtown Chapel in Topeka, with family receiving friends from 4 to 5 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Jayhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 1020 SE Monroe, Topeka, KS 66612 or donor's choice, in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Penwell-Gabel Mid-Town Chapel 1321 S.W. 10th Ave. Topeka, KS 66604-1205
Mable Elizabeth Fee Romine
1903 - 2004
TOPEKA - Mable Elizabeth Fee Romine, 101, died Sept. 4 in Topeka. She was born Jan. 15, 1903, in Lyon County, the daughter of Joel and Gertrude De Shazer Fee. She was a 1922 graduate of Harveyville Rural High School and was a graduate of Emporia Teachers University. She married
Clair Romine in 1923. He died in January 1981. A resident of Topeka, coming from Harveyville, she was a retired teacher, having taught at Lyon, Osage and Wabaunsee counties and USD 501, and also worked in retail clothing stores for several years. Mrs. Romine was a member of Lowman Methodist Church, Kansas Retired Teachers Association, Tarta and Royal Neighbors of America. Survivors include three sons, Eugene Romine of Independence, Mo., Dale Romine of Topeka and James Romine of Great Bend; two daughters, Etta Mae Stratton of Green Valley, Ariz., and Wilma Rodda of Grand Junction, Colo.; 13 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two grandchildren. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home in Topeka. Burial will be at Mt. Hope cemetery in Topeka. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Lowman Methodist Church in Topeka or Harveyville Methodist Church, both in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home 2801 SW Urish Rd. Topeka, KS 66604
Rose Elizabeth Stearns
1937-2004
FREMONT, Neb. - Rose Elizabeth Stearns, 66, died Aug. 29 at Fremont Area Medical Center. Rose Gerritzen was born Nov. 7, 1937, at Great Bend, and raised in Odin. She then attended a two-year business college in Hutchinson. Rose then lived in Lincoln, Neb., Schuyler, Neb., and Columbus, Neb., before moving to Fremont in 2004. She married
Robert Stearns in December 1962 at Lincoln. Rose spent a great deal of time raising her family and working in her business field, working at D and L, now known as Camaco in Columbus for 28 years. Rose had been actively working at the Wal-Mart in Columbus in the fabric department until going on medical leave this June. She continued to stay active in her community. She especially enjoyed bowling with her friends and family. Survivors include daughter Carol Sauders and her husband John of Fremont; son Ron Stearns of Schuyler; brothers Herman Gerritzen and his wife Kathy of Ocala, Fla., and Eugene Gerritzen and his wife Kathie of Katy, Texas; sisters Barbara Gerritzen of Hays and Lillian Shaver of Sugar Land, Texas; grandchildren Steven Stearns, Christina Blahak, Samantha Blahak, Kimberly Blahak and Zachary Blahak; six nephews and four nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Caroline Gerritzen. Funeral service was Thursday at Fremont Berean Bible Church with Pastor Steve Watson officiating. Pall bearers were Tom Saunders, Lyle Saunders, Jeff Sawyer, Gary Sherman, Brad Christensen, and Zach Carlson. Honorary pallbearers were Zachary Blahak and Steven Stearns. Burial was at Memorial cemetery in Fremont. Memorials are suggested to the family, in care of Rozanek Funeral Services. Funeral arrangements provided by Rozanek Funeral Services 904 N. Bell Fremont, Neb. 68025
Betty Jane Fertig
1925-2004
Betty Jane Fertig, 79, of Great Bend, died Sept. 2 at Alterra Sterling House in Great Bend. She was born March 26, 1925, at Dodge City, the daughter of Robert Delano and Effa G. Thompson Brown. She married
Earl V. Fertig on Dec. 23, 1945, at Larned. He died Dec. 28, 1990. A resident of Great Bend since 1985, coming from rural Larned, she was a homemaker and an interior designer for Roy Peak. Mrs. Fertig was a member of First United Methodist Church, B-29 Memorial Committee, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and American Legion Auxiliary, all of Great Bend. Survivors include two sons, Jim Fertig of Seward, and Jeff Fertig of Garfield; one sister, Virginia Nero of Kittyhawk, N.C.; four grandchildren, Matthew DeBusk, Daniel Fertig, Amanda Fertig and Shawn Sanneman; and one great-grandchild, David Joseph DeBusk. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Sarah Jane Fertig, and one brother, Gilbert L. Brown. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the church in Great Bend with the Rev. Gary Brooks officiating. Burial will be at Larned cemetery in Larned. Friends may call from noon to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend, and from 11:30 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church. Memorials are suggested to First United Methodist Church or Golden Belt Home Health & Hospice, in care of the funeral home. Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, KS 67530
