Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Arthur Mathis
Arthur Durward Mathis, 85, of Valley Center, owner of Mathis Radio & TV and Mathis Mobile Home Court, died May 8, 2002. Service was May 10 at Valley Center Christian Church. Burial was at White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Wichita.
He was born March 15, 1916, in Diamond, Mo., the son of Arthur Mathis and Beulah Keagy. They preceded him in death, as did a sister, Laura Gilmore. He married
Helen M. Swearingen on Aug. 12, 1948, at Bentonville, Ark. She survives of the home.
Other survivors include his daughters, Linda Delgado of Valley Center, Jody Abner of Elkins, Ark., Joyce Brake of Latham; six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Memorials have been established with the church and Trinity Hospice. Baker Funeral Home had charge.
Alta Southards
Alta M. Ellis Southards, 85, of Hutchinson, mother of Walter Southards Jr. of Valley Center, died April 2, 2002. She was a Broadacres Retirement Home nurse aide. Service was April 6 at Johnson and Sons Funeral Home.
Other survivors include her sons, Kenneth of Hutchinson, Ronald of South Hutchinson, Bruce of Partridge; daughters, Janet Bibbs, Sharon Yoder, both of Hutchinson; twin sister, Alcha Snook of Hutchinson; 20 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with the American Heart Association.
DeWitt McEntire
DeWitt “Mac” McEntire, 81, of Wichita, father and father-in-law of Kent and Kathleen McEntire of Valley Center, died April 11, 2002. He owned Jayhawk Optical until his retirement. Service was April 13 in St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Wichita, with Rev. Dr. Helen R. Betenbaugh of St. Alban’s and Rev. Albert Schuessler of Faith Bible Baptist Church, Valley Center, officiating. Honorary pallbearers were his grandchildren. Inurnment will be at Kechi cemetery, Kechi, at a later date.
Esther Edmond
Esther Roberta Edmond, 83, of Wichita, mother of Mary George of Valley Center, died April 12, 2002. She was a homemaker. Service was April 15 at Old Mission Mortuary.
Other survivors include her sons, Bob of Augusta, Bill of Wichita; daughter, Jerolene Cornell of Towanda; 10 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with Peabody Community Living Center, Peabody.
Gary Baxter
Gary Joe Baxter, 52, of Wichita, son of Doris Baxter and brother of Darrell Jarman, both of Valley Center, died April 14, 2002. He was an auto mechanic and tow truck driver. No service. The body was cremated.
He was born Aug. 21, 1949, in Wichita, the son of Floyd Martin Baxter and Doris Irene Faulkner. He married
Sharon Perkins. She survives. His father preceded him in death.
Other survivors include his sons, Gary Joe Baxter Jr. of Arkansas, Jamie Baxter of Missouri; stepsons, Coy Meikle, William Meikle, both of Wichita; daughter, Ruth Ann Baxter of Wichita; stepdaughter, Tosha Schofield of Wichita; sister, Letha Ritter of Wichita, and 15 grandchildren.
Baker Funeral Home had charge.
Marilyn Mackey
Marilyn Ruth Weseloh Mackey, 65, of Derby, mother and mother-in-law of Mary and Rodney Schumock of Park City, died April 15, 2002. Visitation is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today (Thursday) at Smith Mortuary, Derby. Service is at 2 p.m. Friday at Faith Lutheran Church, Derby. Burial will be in El Paso cemetery, Derby.
She was preceded in death by her father, Arnold Weseloh.
Other survivors include her husband, Robert W. Mackey of Derby; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Nicole Mackey of Hominy, Okla.; daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Jim Kiker of Haysville; brother, John Weseloh of Yates Center; sisters, Lois Burris of Iola, Pat Fronk of Sun City, Ariz., Janet Clarkson of Houston, Texas; mother, Clara Weseloh of Moran, and 10 grandchildren: Brad, Amy, Drew and Carrie Kiker, Quinton Pogue, Joey and Jeremy Schumock, and Frankie, Aaron and Luke Mackey.
A memorial has been established with Faith Lutheran Preschool, 214 S. Derby, Derby, Kan. 67037.
Morgan Rudell
Morgan Rudell, 77, of Edna, sister of Nancy Brim and Reda Luna of Valley Center, died April 12, 2002. She was a former waitress. Service was April 17 at North Edna cemetery.
Other survivors include her sons, Sid Pruett of Edna, Churchel Pruett of Wichita; sister, Ruby Slaughty of Wichita; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Service, Coffeyville.
Raymond Hutchens
Raymond Hutchens, 90, of Galesburg, brother of Juanita Purkey of Valley Center, died April 14, 2002. He was a retired U.S.D. 101 bus driver and custodian. Service is at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday) at Galesburg Christian Church.
Other survivors include his wife, Roberta; daughter, Cheryl Melton of Madison, Rebecca Newberry of Topeka; brother, George of Bella Vista, Ark.; sister, Nellie Fry of Wichita; two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with Hidden Haven Christian Camp. Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Parsons, has charge.
Newton man killed in 3-vehicle crash
Charles Hart
A collision involving three vehicles on the interstate resulted in the death of one driver Friday morning.
The crash occurred about 7:45 a.m. Friday on 135 near 61st Street North. Charles Hart, 69, of Newton, was killed.
Hart was driving south in a 1986 Ford van when he pulled onto the outside shoulder and stopped. He then drove across both southbound lanes to try to make a U-turn in the median, but a 1996 semi driven by David Carroll of Haysville collided with the Ford. Carroll, 42, was driving south.
Carroll swerved to avoid the Ford and entered the northbound lanes on 135. As a result, a northbound 2000 Peterbuilt with a trailer struck the semi, slid across the median and also hit the Ford.
Brian Andres, 34, of Newton, was driving the Peterbuilt. He was transported to Wesley Medical Center, but he and Carroll were not seriously injured.
Hart was transported to Via Christi-St. Francis, where he was pronounced dead. There were no passengers in any of the vehicles.
Alice Bowen
Alice Evelyn Rogers Bowen, 85, of Wichita, aunt of Jim Skidmore of Valley Center, died March 24, 2002. She was a retired hairdresser and salon (Shreveport, La.) owner and operator. Private family service.
Other survivors include her nephew, Mike Burns of Houston, and niece, Bertha Rush of Wichita.
Baker Funeral Home had charge.
Kathryn Dunlap
Kathryn Louise Dunlap, 87, of Wichita, mother of Morris Dunlap of Valley Center, died March 25, 2002. She was a homemaker and Ketteman’s Bakery clerk. Service is at 10 a.m. today (Thursday) at Cochran Mortuary, Wichita. Graveside service is at 11:30 a.m. today at Greenwood cemetery, Newton.
Other survivors include her husband, Merle; daughters, Rebecca Blasdel of Boise, Idaho, Kendra Moase of Oshawa, Ontario; brother, Charles Lewellen of Newton; stepsister, Beth Martin of Wichita; three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established with Mount Olive Christian Church, 3700 E. Pawnee, Wichita 67218, and Fellowship of John Kansas Christian Home, 1035 S.E. Third, Newton, Kan. 67114.
Laverne Strong
LaVerne W. “Verne” Strong, 85, of Wichita, father and father-in-law of Lynda and Ray Woods of Valley Center, died March 23, 2002. He was a retired Cessna Aircraft Co. tool and die maker, Century Plastics of El Dorado partner and local realtor. Service was Wednesday at Central Christian Church, Wichita.
He was an avid sports fan, particularly Wichita State baseball, Iowa Hawkeyes and the New York Yankees. Before leaving Sioux City, he managed a local adult baseball team and served as referee for high school basketball games. He was preceded in death by his wife, Pearl, in 1996, and brothers, Chester, Edwin and Paul Strong.
Other survivors include his stepgrandchildren and spouses, Mindy and Tony Treadwell of Lee’s Summit, Mo., Debbie and Gary Bushyhead of Arkansas City; six stepgreat-grandchildren; five step-great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial has been established with the church benevolence fund, 2900 N. Rock Road, Wichita 67226.
Maxine Riley
M. Maxine Riley, 76, of Wichita, sister of Don Goodrum of Valley Center, died March 25, 2002. She was a retired Vetrans Administration and Wesley Medical Center PBX operator. Service is at 10 a.m. Friday at Broadway Mortuary, Wichita. Graveside service is at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Byron-Amorita cemetery, Amorita, Okla.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Delbert W. Riley Sr., and a son, Delbert W. Riley Jr.
Other survivors include her sons, Richard Riley of Wichita, Michael Riley of Tucson, Ariz.; daughter, Barbara Midiros of Raytown, Mo.; sisters, Val Tucker, Alma Portra, both of Cobb, Calif.; 11 grandchildren, and 15 great-gandchildren.
Norma Thompson
Norma M. Thompson, 89, of rural Valley Center, died March 24, 2002. Service was March 27 at Furley United Methodist Church. Graveside service was Wednesday at Maple Wood cemetery, Barnes.
She was born March 12, 1913, at Barnes, the daughter of Matt Knedlik and Edith Darymple. She was a graduate of Barnes High School and taught in one-room grade schools near Barnes. She married
Rolland Beem in 1937. He preceded her in death in 1961. She married
Eugene Thompson in 1967. He survives. She was a member of Furley United Methodist Church.
Other survivors include her sons, Dallas Beem, Bruce Beem, both of Longton; daughters, Joyce McBeath of Washington, Sharon Ferguson of Longton, Mona Rippey of Kimberling City, Mo., Joyce McQuillan of Grandview, Mo.; brothers, Norton Knedlik of McCook, Neb., Virgil Knedlik of Mesa, Ariz.; sister, Wilma Smith of St. Mary’s; 10 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
Memorials have been established with the church and SCCS Hospice of Derby. Lamb-Nutter Mortuary had charge.
Vesta Wildman
Vesta A. Wildman, 88, of Haysville, mother of Jerry Decker of Park City, died March 25, 2002. She was a homemaker. Service is at 10 a.m. today (Thursday) at Smith Mortuary.
Other survivors include her daughters, Darline Smith of Thornton, Colo., Eralene Diedrich of Haysville, Arlene “Ann” Baker of Clearwater, Irene “Kay” Ensley of Wichita; 22 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
William Weir
William Thomas “Tom” Weir Jr., 82, of Wichita, father of Richard Weir of Valley Center, died March 26, 2002. She was a retired real estate broker. Service is at 2 p.m. Friday at Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church, Wichita.
He was born July 24, 1919, in Carthage, Miss., the son of William Thomas Weir Sr. and Dolly Ball. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois, in 1994.
Other survivors include his wife, Ouida; daughters, Linda Weir-Enegren, Dixie Lee Smith, both of Wichita; stepson, Johnny Grace of Meridian, Miss.; brother, Laurel G. Weir, sister, Alice Lovorn, both of Philadelphia, Miss.; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Memorials have been established with the church and Rainbows United. Resthaven Mortuary has charge.
