Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Terry L. Clark 1955-2003
HOLYROOD - Terry L. Clark, 47, died March 10 at his home in Holyrood. He was born March 17, 1955, at Ellsworth, the son of Fount and Barbara Clark. He married
Coleen 'Coke' Suchy Feb. 10, 1979, at Great Bend. A lifetime resident of the Holyrood and Bushton area, he was an electrical and industrial technician for Oneok Bushton Plant. Clark was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon of Hays and kids wrestling coach. Survivors include his former wife of Bushton; one son, Justin Clark of Hays; three daughters, Amanda Stevenson and Amy Clark, both of Bushton, and Audra Clark of Holyrood; his mother, Barbara Clark Massey of Marshall, Ark.; one sister, Sherry Keller of Douglas; his grandfather, Clifford Massey of Marshall, Ark.; and two grandsons. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Paul's United Church of Christ of Holyrood with the Rev. Mary Lou Klein officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery in Holyrood. Friends may call from 1-8 today and from 8-10 a.m. Thursday at Parsons Funeral Home in Ellsworth, and from 1-2 p.m. Thursday at the church. Memorials are suggested to Terry L. Clark Memorial Fund, in care of Bank of Holyrood.
Zelma Pearl 'Mimi' Miles 1902-2003
ST. JOHN - Zelma Pearl 'Mimi' Miles, 100, died March 10 at Kansas Masonic Home in Wichita. She was born June 1, 1902, at Salem, Mo., the daughter of William and Rachel Wallace Floyd. She married
Orva 'Sprout' Miles Sept. 22, 1930, at Wellington. He died Oct. 10, 1992. She was a homemaker and Harvey Girl at the Harvey House in Dodge City and Denver, Colo. Mrs. Miles was a member of Church of Christ of St. John. Survivors include one daughter, Helen Lorraine Broadfoot of Wichita; two grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one grandson. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Minnis Chapel Inc. in St. John, with the Rev. Carl Feril officiating. Burial will be at Fairview Park cemetery in St. John. Friends may call from 2-8 tonight at the funeral chapel. Memorials are suggested to Kansas Masonic Home in Wichita, in care of the funeral chapel.
Emma A. Dirks 1907-2003
Emma A. Dirks, 95, of Great Bend, died March 9 at Cherry Village Nursing Home in Great Bend. She was born Sept. 7, 1907, at Garvin County, Okla., the daughter of Bill and Sarah Rose. She married
Chester Dirks in 1947 at Meade. He died March 23, 1997. A resident of Great Bend since 1998, coming from Dodge City, she was a retail sales clerk. Survivors include one daughter, Jocile Hansarik of Great Bend; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. There will be no visitation or funeral service. Inurnment will be at the Great Bend cemetery. No memorials are suggested. Bryant Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Lenora H. Smith 1917-2003
LARNED - Lenora H. Smith, 85, died March 9 at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital Long Term Care in Larned. She was born May 20, 1917, in Great Bend, the daughter of David T. and Agnes Smith. She married
Roy R. Smith at Pawnee Rock. A longtime Larned resident, she was a homemaker and housewife. Mrs. Smith was a member of Bergthal Mennonite Church and church mission workers, all at Pawnee Rock. She also did craftwork. Survivors include her husband of the home; one daughter, Betty Nicholson of Larned; two grandchildren, Tamara Beckwith of Jetmore and Kerry Nicholson of Larned; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Harry Smith, Frank Smith and Dan Smith; four sisters, Sophia Meinershagen, Davina Schmidt, Lena Shaw and Gertrude Schultz; and one granddaughter, Tanya Potter. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Bergthal Mennonite Church at Pawnee Rock with the Revs. Todd Schlosser and Lynn Schlosser officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery in Pawnee Rock. Friends may call until 8 tonight and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, all at Beckwith Mortuary in Larned. Memorials are suggested to the church, in care of the mortuary.
Ruth Stephens 1915-2003
ELLSWORTH - Ruth Stephens, 88, died March 8 at Center for Longterm Care in Salina. She was born Jan. 21, 1915, at Hominy, Okla., the daughter of Claude T. and Ruby Alice Williams Pore. She married
V.M. Stephens June 2, 1933, at Bristow, Okla. He died Sept. 20, 1991. A resident of Ellsworth since 1968, coming from Claflin, she was a homemaker and a telephone operator in Claflin. Survivors include two daughters, Yvonne Allen and Vicki Hopkins, both of Ellsworth; six grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Parsons Funeral Home in Ellsworth with the Rev. Jim Newkirk officiating. Burial will be at Chase Springdale cemetery in Chase. Memorials are suggested to United Methodist Church Television Ministry Fund in Ellsworth, in care of the funeral home.
Helen Jean 'Tullis' Quincy 1924-2003
WICHITA - Helen Jean 'Tullis' Quincy, 79, died March 7. Survivors include her husband, Billy Quincy; two sons, William C. Quincy and James A. Quincy, both of Wichita; one daughter, Shelley J. Quincy of Wichita; one sister, Ruth Leek of Roseberg, Ore.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Watson Funeral Home of Garden Chapel of Wichita is in charge of arrangements.
Leona Kathleen Murphy 1921-2003
LARNED - Leona Kathleen Murphy, 81, died March 6 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. She was born May 16, 1921, at Larned, the daughter of James R. and Clara A. Byrum. She married
Melvin M. Murphy Sr. March 15, 1941, at Wichita. A resident of Larned since 1945, coming from Wichita and Hodgeman County, she was a homemaker and farmer. Mrs. Murphy was a member of United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, a former Methodist Church Sunday School teacher, a member of Best in the West Club, Pawnee County Election Board and Ash Valley Granger, all of Larned. Survivors include her husband of the home; one son, Melvin Murphy Jr. of Larned; three daughters, Jacquelynn Schultz of Larned, Derinda L. Folkerts of Timken and Ruth A. Bruce of Leawood; one brother, William Byrum of Payson, Ariz.; eleven grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by three brothers, John Byrum, George Byrum and James Byrum; and two sisters, Lelia Mae Johnson and Ruth Darlene. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the church with the Rev. Charles Grant officiating. Burial will be at Larned cemetery. Friends may until 8 p.m. today at Beckwith Mortuary in Larned. Memorials are suggested to the church in care of the mortuary.
Gary Dean Gardiner 1960-2003
CULLISON - Gary Dean Gardiner, 42, died March 7 at Riverside Hospital in Wichita. He was born Sept. 9, 1960, at Valentine, Neb., the son of Judy A. Crawford. He graduated from Valentine High School in 1978. A resident of Cullison for four years, he was an elevator worker and a truck driver. Survivors include his mother of Pawnee Rock; one son, Kasey Gardiner of Pawnee Rock; one daughter, Jessie Lee Gardiner of Pawnee Rock; two brothers, Marty A. Gardiner and Jerry L. Gardiner, both of Stafford; and grandmother, Isabell Hamit of Stafford. Graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Fairview Park cemetery in St. John with the Rev. Harold Wilcox officiating. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. Monday at Minnis Chapel in St. John. Memorials are suggested to the family love gift in care of the funeral home.
Landon Fletcher Akings 1928-2003
OLATHE - Landon Fletcher Akings, 75, died March 3 at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe. He was born Feb. 29, 1928 at Bristol, Va. He married
Jane. A resident of Olathe for the past 30 years coming from the Galatia and Russell areas, he was owner/operator of Oxford Place Steak House in Olathe. Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, Dean Akings of Great Bend; three daughters, Shirley Foust of Hutchinson, Diana Aelmore of Olathe and Betty Quinn of Olathe; 11 grandchildren; and 5 great grandchildren. Memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Olathe, with the family receiving friends from 5-7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association in care of the funeral home.
Eva Mae Meredith 1912-2003
WICHITA - Eva Mae Meredith, 90, died March 5 at Park West Plaza in Wichita. She was born Sept. 19, 1912, at Bokoshe, Okla., the daughter of George and Elizabeth Lee Motue Williams. She married
Lawrence Kile Meredith Jan. 3, 1935, at Shawnee, Okla. He died Aug. 26, 1990. A resident of Wichita, coming from Russell, Bushton, Oklahoma City, Okla., Stillwater, Okla., Chandler, Okla., and Bristow, Okla., she was a drug store clerk and a homemaker. Mrs. Meredith was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Russell, United Methodist Women and a church circle. Survivors include one son, Larry Meredith of Gunnison, Colo.; one daughter, Linda L. Byers of Wichita; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by four brothers, H.G. Williams, Bert Williams, Tom Williams and Dane Williams; and four sisters, Ruth Stockton Blackstock, Ruby Pore, Stella Congo and Mabel Laymon. Funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the church with the Rev. Earl Haggard officiating. Burial will be at Russell City cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Pohlman's Mortuary in Russell and from 1 p.m. until service time Sunday at the church. Memorials are suggested to Hospice Care of Kansas or the church in Russell, in care of the funeral home.
Ruby M. Brickey 1922-2003
Ruby M. Brickey, 81, of Great Bend, died March 6 at Rossville Valley Manor. She was born Jan. 3, 1922, at Stafford County, the daughter of Clyde and Jennie DeGarmo Stimatze. She married
William 'Bill' Brickey Aug. 31, 1941, at Kinsley. He died Feb. 26, 1989. A resident of Topeka since 1994, coming from Great Bend and Zook, she was a salesclerk for Duckwalls, Self Service Drug and Family Pharmacy, all of Great Bend. Mrs. Brickey was a member of Zook HDU, Zook Methodist Women and Trinity United Methodist Church of Great Bend. Survivors include two sons, Doug Brickey of Arkansas City and Teddy Brickey of Grantville; one daughter, Linda Jo Pore of Topeka; two brothers, Leo Stimatze of Byers and Truman 'Fat' Stimatze of Ft. Dodge; two sisters, Lois Spencer and Opal Covey, both of Ulysses; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Orban Stimatze and Carrol 'Casey' Stimatze; and three grandchildren, Charla Ann Brickey, Benjamin Kyle Brickey and Andrew Jacob Brickey. Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend with the Rev. Mary Al Titus officiating. Burial will be at Pleasant Valley cemetery in Zook. Friends may call from 6 to 9 tonight, and 9 a.m. until service time Saturday, both at the funeral home. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Muscular Dystrophy Association, in care of the funeral home.
Dolan Schlup Ater 1916-2003
SHAFFER - Dolan Schlup Ater, 87, died March 5 at Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood. She was born Jan. 5, 1916, at Great Bend, the daughter of John Samuel and Rose Anna Wilson Schlup. She married
Charles Elmer Ater Dec. 19, 1934, at La Crosse. He died in September 1980. A lifetime area resident, she was a housewife, bookkeeper and involved in farming. Mrs. Ater was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include one son, Dale Ater and his wife, Barbara, both of Shaffer; three grandchildren, Allen Ater of Shaffer, Jeanette Whisnant of Ellinwood and Teresa LaChance of Great Bend; seven great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two sisters, May Jones and Fidelia Weesner. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend with the Rev. Dick Ogle officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend cemetery. Friends may call from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. until service time Monday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Otis Ambulance Service or Albert Fire Department, both in care of the funeral home.
Charles Robert Rumage 1937-2003
Charles Robert Rumage, 65, of Great Bend, died March 5 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He was born Dec. 22, 1937, at Emporia, the son of John Edward and Ruth Marie Simmons Rumage. He married
Barbara Mary Richard Aug. 19, 1958, at Miami, Okla. She died March 26, 1988. He married
Debra Oller Dec. 24, 1996, at Pratt. A resident of Great Bend since 1997, coming from Pratt, he was a railroad engineer for Southern Pacific and Cottonbelt. Rumage was a member of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Grace United Methodist Church, American Legion, BPOE, AARP and Barton County Farm Bureau. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the Korean War. Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, John Paul Rumage of Crowley, Texas; two daughters, Natalie Gay Wilner of Shawnee and Loretta Lynne Keith of Lincoln, Neb.; stepdaughter, Amy M. Pentecost of Springfield, Mo.; his mother, Ruth Marie Simmons of Gardner; two sisters, Carolyn Bonilla of Shawnee and Marietta Woodson of Omaha, Neb.; 13 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Memorial service and burial will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Lawn cemetery in Emporia with Lee Hoskins officiating. There is no visitation. Memorials are suggested to Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice or United Way of Barton County, both in care of Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend.
Ruth V. Bray 1914-2003
Ruth V. Bray, 89, of Great Bend, died March 4 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. She was born Feb. 26, 1914, at Lincoln County, the daughter of John C. and Marie Katt Schulz. She married
William James Bray Jan. 20, 1946, in Lincoln County. A resident of Great Bend since 1958, coming from La Crosse, she was a school teacher for many years in Rush County and Great Bend. Mrs. Bray was a member of First Christian Church,, Golden Belt Community Concert Association, Clara Barton Rebecca Lodge 58, Fort Zarah League 38, Northwest HDU, Delta Kappa Gamma, AAUW and AARP. Survivors include her husband of the home; two daughters, Joyce Marie Bray of Wichita and Vivian Jane Bray of Longmont, Colo.; and one sister, Florene Girton of Wichita. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Herbert Schulz, Norman Schulz and Dee Schulz; and one sister, Irene Schulz. Funeral will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the church with the Rev. William F. Johnson officiating. Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park north of Great Bend. Friends may call until 9 tonight and from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Friday, all at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend. Memorials are suggested to the church building fund, in care of the funeral home.
Rita C. Johns 1921-2003
TOPEKA - Rita C. Johns, 82, died March 4 at a health center in Topeka. She was born Feb. 26, 1921, at Topeka, the daughter of August and Mary V. Wilkinson Johns. She was employed at a bank in Emporia for many years. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Topeka and was active in the USO at Forbes Field in Topeka. Survivors include two brothers, Robert N. Johns of Topeka and Raymond F. Johns of Oskaloosa; and two sisters, Helen Johns of Topeka and Jeanne Guesnier of Great Bend. Parish rosary will be at 6:30 tonight at Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home in Topeka. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the church. Burial will be at Mount Calvary cemetery. Friends may call after 2 today at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Midland Hospice Care Inc. or the church, both in care of the funeral home.
