Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Christopher Julian (Chris) Bechard
1961 - 2007
LEAWOOD — Christopher Julian (Chris) Bechard, 46, of Leawood, died Dec. 26. Mr. Christopher Bechard was born Oct. 31, 1961, in Waterville, Maine, to Julian L. and Diane (Cyr) Bechard. He married Pennie Marie Steinert Feb. 8, 1986, in Larned. They are the parents of Luke David Bechard, who was born Sept. 1, 2002, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Chris was employed by Butler Manufacturing as a corporate sales manager. He was involved in many church and civic organizations. Chris was extremely devoted to his family.
Survivors include his wife, Pennie Marie (Steinert) Bechard and son Luke, both of Leawood; his parents, Julian and Diane Bechard of Waterville, Maine; three brothers, John and wife Dorcas of Mount Vernon, Maine, and John’s daughters Katy and Ellie of Albany, N.Y.; Mark, and Matthew and wife Karyn and son Noah, all of Augusta, Maine; a grandmother, Blanche Cyr of Waterville, Maine; his godparents, Uncle Ralph and Aunt Annette Cyr, Aunt Ferne Cyr, and Great-Aunt Viola Bouchard; as well as many cousins, Chris’s wife’s parents Roger and Kay Steinert of Bushton; her brother TSgt. Gary and wife Ann of Columbia, S.C.; sister Teresa Caster and husband Curtis and children John, Anthony, Amanda, and Reylynn, all of Wichita.
A Rosary will be prayed at 5:30 p.m. with a visitation following until 8 p.m. today at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Rd, Kansas City, MO 64145. A Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Nativity, 119th and Mission in Leawood. Friends and family are invited to attend a luncheon in the parish hall following the funeral service. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the cemetery in Galatia. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Luke D. Bechard c/o McGilley State Line Chapel. Arrangements provided by McGilley State Line Chapel, 816-942-6180.
Roberta Rose Leiker
1921 - 2007
Roberta Rose Leiker, 86, of Great Bend, died Dec. 29. She was born April 25, 1921, near Downs, to Robert William and Ada Rose Stuart Kiper. She married Ernest Leiker in Great Bend in 1943 and was blessed with 60 happy years of marriage before his death in 2003.
She was a member of Saint Rose Catholic Parish for many years, where she was active in the Altar Society. She was a leader for all of her daughters’ Girl Scout troops and worked as a clerk and bookkeeper at Gates Drug Store, which was managed by her husband, Ernie.
Survivors include three daughters, Janice Magana and husband Conce, of Dodge City, Judy Laux of Schaumburg, Ill., and Linda Hess and husband Hugh of Lansing, Mich.; her sister, Betty Sumpter and husband Rex; her sister-in-law, Bernice Leiker of Oklahoma City, Okla.; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom will miss having her in their lives.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Great Bend with Father Wesley Schawe officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association in care of Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend.
Funeral arrangements provided by Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Road, Great Bend, KS 67530
Willis W. “Pete” Harbaugh
1918 - 2007
RUSSELL — Willis W. “Pete” Harbaugh, 89, died Dec. 31 at Vintage Place in Russell. Born Sept. 3, 1918, in Russell
County, he was the son of James I. and Susan Ringheisen Harbaugh. He was raised and attended schools in Russell
County. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, he returned to the Russell area and lived in Luray
for several years before moving to Colorado in 1956. He was a bulldozer operator in the construction business for many
years in Colorado until he retired and moved back to Russell in the early 1980s.
Mr. Harbaugh was very active at the Russell Senior Citizen Center, where he had been a past president. He was also a
life member and past commander of the Russell American Legion Post and a member of the Russell Veterans of
Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans.
Survivors include two sons, Wayne Harbaugh and wife Sandy of Otis and Stanley Harbaugh and wife Bonnie of
Longmont, Colo.; a daughter, Judith Janssen and husband Wayne of Russell; three sisters, Phyllis Bodine of Russell,
Lillie Jean Livingston of Great Bend and Bonnie Schartz and husband Aubrey of Hutchinson; four grandsons and three
great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; six brothers, Ralph, Warren, Ernest, James, Lloyd and
Richard; and a sister, June Faulkner.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Russell with Pastor Roger Dennis
officiating. Interment will be at the Russell City Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the
funeral home with family receiving friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the DAV and Russell
Senior Citizen Center in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by Russell Funeral Home, 610 North Elm Street, Russell, KS 67665
Katherine L. Collins
1925 - 2007
HOISINGTON — Katherine L. Collins, 82, died Dec. 29 at Clara Barton Hospital. Born Dec. 7, 1925 in Codell, she was the daughter of Michael Loreg and Eva “Cline” Loreg. She married Albert Goans, Jr. on Nov. 5, 1945 at Phillipsburg. She later married Harold J. Collins on Feb. 13, 1962 at Miami, Okla. He died in 1980. A resident of Hoisington since 1978, moving from Pontiac, Mich., she retired from Essex International in 1989.
Mrs. Collins was a member of First United Methodist Church in Hoisington.
Survivors include two sons, Roy Goans of Hutchinson and Jimmie Allen Goans of Pontiac, Mich.; five daughters, Ada Jean Cox of Commerce, Mich., Alberta Kay Tederington, Flowerville, Mich., Marchia Ann Halloc and Peggy L. Collins, both of Wixom, Mich., Martha Lucille Goans, Pontiac, Mich.; four brothers, Melvin D. Loreg of Great Bend, Mike A. Loreg, Jr., of Hoisington, Alvin Dean Loreg of Topeka and Darrell L. Loreg of Hays; three sisters, Helen McKenney of Lyons, Marjorie Bockner of Hays and LaDonna Lytle of Great Bend; 31 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and one great great grandchild. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Keith and Joseph Loreg; three sisters, Loree Ann Blair, Dorothy Loreg and Della Mae Loreg.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington with Rev. Wayne Flanders officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Paradise Center Cemetery in Codell. Friends may visit from 1 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m. until service time Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, 415 North Main, P.O. Box 146, Hoisington, KS. 67544
Clarence Randall Ritchie
Clarence Randall Ritchie, 71, former Great Bend resident, died Dec. 30 at Bakersfield, Calif.
Survivors and arrangements will be announced by Kimple Funeral Home in Ellinwood.
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Jan. 1, 2008
Vela L. (Kinman) Etchen
1911 - 2007
Vela L. (Kinman) Etchen, 96, of Great Bend, died Dec. 31 at Country Living Place Plus, Hoisington. She was born July 15, 1911, at Valeda, the daughter of Daniel Shotwell Kinman and Pauline Faye Kinnamon. She married John Baker on Nov. 22, 1941, in Springfield, Mo. He preceded her in death June 17, 1951. She then married Al Etchen on Nov. 15, 1957, in Denver, Colo. He preceded her in death Feb. 18, 1982. She was employed for 17 years with Komarek’s Jewelers.
Mrs. Etchen was of the Christian faith.
Survivors include a daughter, Lynn Hannachi and her husband, Salah, of Tunisia; a granddaughter, Rym Hannachi, and a grandson, Skander Hannachi; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by four brothers, Fred, Ted, Don and Harry Kinman, and four sisters, infant Gertrude Kinman, Ida Thorton, Leona Haines and Katie Propes.
There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place. Memorial donations for Southwind Hospice of Pratt may be made in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington.
Funeral arrangements provided by: Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, 415 North Main/Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544
R.D. Standlee
1925 - 2007
ELLINWOOD — R.D. Standlee, 82, died Dec. 31 at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus in Wichita. He was born April 11, 1925, at Winfield, the son of David and Clara Briscoe Standlee. He married Betty Rose Kastrup on Nov. 28, 1942, in Russell. She survives. He worked in the oil field most of his life and was owner and operator of Energy III Inc. He was a loving and devoted husband and father.
Mr. Standlee was an Army veteran of World War II. He was of the Nazarene faith.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, R.D. Standlee Jr. and wife Terrie of Enid, Okla., and Bruce W. Standlee and wife Jo Ann of Hudson; one daughter, Rose L. Goldsberry of Medicine Lodge; one brother, Kenneth Standlee of Ellinwood; one sister, Darlene Honomichl of Ellinwood; six grandsons and 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend, with the Rev. John Grummon officiating. Burial will be in Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery in Ellinwood. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Salvation Army.
Funeral arrangements provided by: Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Road, Great Bend, KS 67530
