Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Mary Diane Petrik
1956 – 2008
STAFFORD — Mary Diane Petrik, 51, died Jan. 10 at the Hutchinson Hospital, Hutchinson. Born Feb. 16, 1956, at
Great Bend, she was the daughter of Marvin Alvin and Virginia Eileen Wellman Dixon. She was a longtime Stafford
resident, and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Petrik was a member of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary of Stafford.
Survivors include her soulmate of 18 years, Roland Brau, of the home; four sons, Johnny Lynn Adams, Jr., of Arizona,
Waldo Eugene Adams of Susank, James Lowell Petrik of Osceola, Iowa, and Ian Albert Brau of Stafford; three
daughters, Misty Dawn Harter of Stafford, Wendy Marie Carter of Osceola, Iowa, and Aimee Kahler of Midlothian,
Texas; three stepsons, Bruce Petrik of Hutchinson, Terry Petrik of Great Bend, and Shane Petrik of Palm Springs,
Calif.; five sisters, Judith Mayhugh of Guthrie, Okla., Minnie Brennan of Tracy, Calif., Sheryl Thomas of Louisiana,
Nancy Tidwell of Tulsa, Okla., and Paula Miller of Afghanistan; one brother, Donald Smith of Salina; and nine
grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, DeeAnna Adams, and a brother, Bobby Carlson.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Minnis Chapel, Stafford. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the
chapel. Burial will be at the Stafford Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the American Legion in care of the chapel.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Minnis Chapel
125 N. Main
Stafford, KS 67578
Helen Mary Brack
1926 – 2008
Helen Mary Brack, 81, of Great Bend, died Jan. 12 at Great Bend Health & Rehabilitation Center. She was born May
13, 1926, at Great Bend, the daughter of John and Frances Marek Serpan. She married Kenneth F. Brack in 1947 at
Great Bend. He died Jan. 7, 1980. She was a Southwestern Bell Telephone operator for 35 years, and later worked for
the Fuller Brush Company. She was a lifetime Great Bend resident.
Mrs. Brack was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Southwestern Bell Telephone Pioneers, American Legion
Auxiliary and VFW Auxiliary, all of Great Bend.
Survivors include a sister, Mildred Sayler of Great Bend, and two grandchildren, Kenneth Titus and Amanda Titus,
both of Great Bend. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Anita Titus.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Great Bend, with the Rev. James A.
Strasen officiating. Interment will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at
Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Donations to a memorial fund for the church may be made in care of the funeral
home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
J. Lloyd Magers Jr.
1940 – 2008
LARNED — J. Lloyd Magers, 67, died Jan. 11 at his home in rural Pawnee County. He was born Aug. 11, 1940, at
Pratt, the son of Jesse Lloyd Magers Sr. and Dorothy Ann Stegman Magers. On Aug. 24, 1962, he married Karen Diane
Amos at Hays. She survives. He was a resident of Larned since 1992, moving from Great Bend. He was owner/operator
of Magers Associates, practicing as a clinical audiologist for more than 30 years.
Survivors, besides his wife, include a son, Scott, of Houston, Texas; a daughter, Stacey Magers Foshee, of Oklahoma
City, Okla.; and nine grandchildren.
No service is planned, and cremation has taken place.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Nature Conservancy or the Quivira Wildlife Refuge, in care of Beckwith
Mortuary, Inc., Larned.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Beckwith Mortuary, Inc.
P.O. Box 477
Larned, KS 67550
Vela L. (Kinman) Etchen
1911 – 2007
Vela L. (Kinman) Etchen, 96, of Great Bend, died Dec. 31 at Country Living Place Plus in Hoisington. Born July 15,
1911, in Valeda, she was 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 on June 17, 1951. She then married Al Etchen on
Nov. 15, 1957, in Denver, Colo. He preceded her in death on Feb. 18, 1982. She was employed for 17 years with
Komarek Jewelers.
Mrs. Etchen was of the Christian faith.
Survivors include a daughter, Lynn Hannachi and husband Salah of Tunisia; a grandson, Skander Hannachi; two
granddaughters, Rym Hannachi and Imen Hannachi; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by
a son, Larry Etchen; four brothers, Fred, Ted, Don and Harry Kinman; and four sisters, infant sister Gertrude Kinman,
Ida Thorton, Leona Haines and Katie Propes.
Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend. Memorials are suggested to
Southwind Hospice of Pratt in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home
415 N. Main
P.O. Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
Charlene Jo Alsup
1954 – 2008
Charlene Jo Alsup, 53, of Great Bend, died Jan. 12 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. She was born Jan. 28, 1954.
Arrangements are pending with Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, and will be announced.
Charlene Jo Alsup
1954 - 2008
Charlene Jo Alsup, 53, of Great Bend, died Jan. 12 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Born Jan. 28, 1954, at
Holyrood, she was the daughter of Dale J. and Emma Sulc Klima. She married Jeff Alsup on Oct. 4, 1975, at Great
Bend. He survives. A lifetime resident of Barton County, she owned and operated Charlene’s Day Care and formerly
worked at TG&Y, the Fuller Brush Company and Wal-Mart.
Mrs. Alsup was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church in Great Bend.
Survivors include her husband, Jeff, of the home; a daughter, Stacy Sanders and husband Matthew of Great Bend;
mother, Emma Klima of Great Bend; a brother, Dale C. Klima and wife Chris of Great Bend; two sisters, Judy Triplett
and husband Ron and Marilyn Dunham and husband Steve, all of Great Bend; and two grandchildren, Cole and Paige
Sanders.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at First Southern Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Doyle Smith
officiating. Burial will be at the Great Bend Cemetery North. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Bryant
Funeral Home with the family receiving friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes
Association or First Southern Baptist Church.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Leona M. Burnett
1918 - 2008
Leona M. Burnett, 89, of Great Bend, died Jan. 14 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. She was born July 4,
1918. Service arrangements are pending with Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, and will be announced.
William Henry (Bill) Ahlgrim
1927 - 2008
ELLINWOOD — William Henry (Bill) Ahlgrim, 80, died Jan. 14 at his home in Ellinwood. Born April 7, 1927 at rural
Ellinwood, he was the son of Henry William and Lettie Donnely Ahlgrim. He graduated from Ellinwood High School.
A lifetime resident of Ellinwood, he was a farmer and stockman. He married Phyllis Spring on Oct. 10, 1948, in
Ellinwood. She died Jan. 18, 1994.
Mr. Ahlgrim was a member of the Farm Bureau.
Survivors include three sons, William D. Ahlgrim of Sylvia, Robert A. Ahlgrim of Hutchinson and Rodney W.
Ahlgrim of Kansas City, Mo.; two daughters, Trudy Shank of Greensburg and Nancy Straub of Wichita; a sister, Nellie
Steadman of Emporia; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth, a
daughter, Rebecca, a brother, Robert Ahlgrim, and a sister, Betty Kater.
Funeral service will be at 3 p.m. on Friday at Kimple Funeral Chapel in Ellinwood with the Rev. John Grumond
officiating. Burial will be at the Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery in Ellinwood. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. on
Thursday and 9 a.m. to service time on Friday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Kansas Cancer
Institute, University of Kansas.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Kimple, Inc. Funeral Home
113 N. Main
P.O. Box 246
Ellinwood, KS 67526
Tonnie “Diane” Reser
1947 - 2008
ELLINWOOD — Tonnie “Diane” Reser, 60, died Jan. 15 at her residence in Ellinwood after fighting a long battle with
cancer. Born Oct. 31, 1947, at Sterling, she was the daughter of Walter W. “Walt” Coldwater. A lifetime resident of
Barton County, she married Doug Hilton and to this union two children were born, Dale Rex Hilton and Donna Hilton
Blazek. They were divorced. She married Charlie Hoffsmith and to this union two children were born, Charleen
Hoffsmith Hekele and Cindy Hoffsmith Sandy. They were divorced. She married Tommy Reser on Feb. 14, 2000, in
Great Bend. He survives. She was the manager of Sambo’s Restaurant, eventually owning and operating her own
restaurant in Hoisington. She was later a dietary manager for Cherry Village. She was also a certified nurse’s aide
during various stages of her life.
Mrs. Reser was a member of Victory Church in Chase.
Survivors include her husband, of the home; a son, Dale Rex Hilton of Hutchinson; three daughters, Donna Hilton
Blazek and husband Joe of Claflin, Charleen Hoffsmith Hekele and husband Beau of Odin, and Cindy Hoffsmith Sandy
and husband Billy of Great Bend; a brother, Danny Coldwater of Hutchinson; two sisters, Connie Sue Rohrig of Salina
and Cathy Ruppe of Ellinwood; and eight grandchildren, Danton, Daymon, Brooklyn, Mackenzie, Kylee, Bayle,
Kennedy and Aiden.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with Pastor Darlene Weatherman
officiating. Friends may visit from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., and from 9
a.m. to service time on Thursday, all at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the Barton County Relay for
Life in care of the funeral home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
