Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
J.C. Waggoner
PARSONS, Kan. - J.C. Waggoner, 79, 22002 Douglas Road, rural Cherryvale, died at 10:43 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, 1997, at Labette County Medical Center, Parsons, after an illness.
He was the father of Chuck Waggoner, Parsons.
Mr. Waggoner was born June 7, 1917, at Waldron.
He grew up in Harper and Barber counties and graduated from Anthony (Kan.) High School.
He moved to rural Cherryvale in 1950.
He was a farmer in Hazelton and Cherryvale.
He was a bus driver for Hazelton and Cherryvale schools, working for the Cherryvale school district for 16 years.
He also worked in construction.
He served on the Dennis-Mound Valley Co-op board for many years.
He had also served on the Union School Board.
He married Agnes L. Miller on Aug. 14, 1937, at Anthony.
She survives.
Other survivors include two sons, Chuck Waggoner, Parsons, and Fred Waggoner, Kansas City, Kan.; two daughters, Carol Rohrbough, Altamont, and Alice Bradbury, Neosho, Mo.; two brothers, George Waggoner, Blackwell, Okla., and Jack Waggoner, Newton; eight sisters, Rita Carothers and Verla Armstrong, both of Anthony; Bernadine Smith and Joan Gulasha, both of Enid, Okla., Maxine Phye, Coats, Mary Ray, Argonia, Marie Wishering, Wichita, and Caroline Ferda, Bluff City; 15 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Parsons, with the Rev. Marty Warren officiating.
Burial will be in Harmony Grove Cemetery, rural Dennis.
The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Mount Zion Church, rural Cherryvale.
Perl Bass
PARSONS, Kan. - Perl M. Bass, 64, Parsons, died at 1:24 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, 1997, at his home after a three-month illness.
Mr. Bass was born Dec. 16, 1932, at Joplin, Mo.
He attended Joplin schools and was graduated from the former St. Peter's High School.
He lived in the state of California for 1“ years before he moved to Southeast Kansas, where he worked as a heavy-equipment operator from 1953 to 1959.
From 1960 to 1985, he was a partner in the Thomas & Bass Chrysler dealership, Parsons.
He was a member of the Kansas State Board of Tax Appeals from 1985 to 1993 and was appointed to an at-large position of the board in July 1993.
He was a member of First Christian Church, where he had served as a trustee and deacon.
He was active in the local, state and national Democratic Party.
He served on the Labette County Commission from 1965 to 1985.
He served on the Labette County Medical Center Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1993.
He was a founder of the Youth Crisis Shelter, Parsons.
He was appointed to the Kansas Auto Dealers Review Board in 1981 and to the Job Training Partnership Act's board in 1983.
He was a member of the Kansas Notary Commission from 1970 to 1984.
He was a member of the Operating Engineers Union Local No. 126, Parsons, and had served as the union's manager from 1968 to 1970.
He was a member of the Parsons Elks Club.
He married Darlene Holford on June 4, 1951, at Huntsville, Ark.
She survives.
Additional survivors include two daughters, Martha Cubbage, Nevada, Mo., and Diane Carpino, Arlington, Texas; his mother and stepfather, Helen and Delno Bass, Weir; two sisters, Patsy Neuenschwander, Fredonia, and Janet Wiglesworth, Shawnee Mission.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Christian Church.
The Rev. Gene Akeman will officiate.
The family will receive friends at the church after services.
The body has been donated to the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Arrangements are under the direction of Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
Contributions may be made to the St. John's Medical Center hospice.
Hester Weber
CHETOPA, Kan. - Hester Anne Weber, 86, died Wednesday, Jan. 22, 1997, in a Chetopa nursing home after a short illness.
Mrs. Weber was born Aug. 25, 1910, on her parent's farm in rural Oswego.
She was graduated from Chetopa High School.
She was a member of First Christian Church, Chetopa.
She married Benjamin Weber on Dec. 16, 1943, at Reno, Nevada.
He died May 5, 1985.
Surviving are three brothers, Norman Meriweather and Herb Meriweather, both of Miller, S.D., and J.A. "Jack" Meriweather, Chetopa; and a sister, Helen E. Page, Las Vegas, Nev.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Bath Funeral Home, Chetopa.
The Rev. Raymond Whetstone will officiate.
Burial will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, rural Oswego.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 1 p.m. Saturday.
Helen Carns
McCUNE, Kan. - Helen E. Carns, 94, McCune, died at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, after an illness.
Miss Carns was born June 1, 1902, at McCune.
She lived in the same house in which she was born in McCune until she moved to a nursing home in Columbus, Kan., on Dec. 12, 1996.
She attended school in McCune.
She was a member of United Methodist Church, McCune, and the United Methodist Womans Club, McCune.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at McCune Cemetery, with the Rev. Kelley Zellner officiating.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Murdock Funeral Home, McCune.
Contributions may be made to United Methodist Church, McCune, in care of the funeral home.
James Harmon
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - James E. Harmon, 67, Rogers, Ark., died Sunday, Jan. 19, 1997, at St. Mary's Hospital, Rogers, after a sudden illness.
He was the son of James O. Harmon, Baxter Springs.
Mr. Harmon was born July 12, 1929, at Girard.
He was involved in law enforcement most of his life.
He had been a dispatcher for the Pittsburg Police Department.
He worked for the FBI before he joined the Treasury Department in 1955.
He worked as a special agent in charge of several states and became a regional director in 1968.
He did two tours of duty at the Washington, D.C., Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
He retired in 1979.
He later started a Brangus breeding operation, followed by an Angus breeding program at Piney Creek Angus Ranch near Rogers.
He was a member of the International Brangus Breeders Association and the American Angus Association.
He was a member of the American Peace Officers Association.
He received service recognition from the Mexican commandant of the Federal Police for assistance in ATF law enforcement from 1976 to 1979.
He was a veteran of the Air Force and served in the Air Police and the Office of Special Investigations.
Additional survivors include his wife, Barbara Blanco Harmon; two sons, Dr. Steven K. Harmon, New Bern, N.C., and Michael J. Harmon, Rockwall, Texas; two daughters, Deborah L. Harmon, Rogers, and Cynthia A. Harmon, St. Petersburg, Fla.; a sister, Jane Millicent Price, Joplin, Mo.; a brother, Larry Harmon, The Colony, Texas; and two granddaughters.
The body will be cremated.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. today at First Christian Church, Baxter Springs.
Arrangements are under the direction of Burns Funeral Home, Rogers.
Robert Ryon
RIVERTON, Kan. - Robert Leon Ryon, 52, Riverton, died at 2:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo., after a long illness.
Mr. Ryon was born March 12, 1944, in Baxter Springs.
He was a lifetime Riverton area resident.
He retired on Dec. 19, 1994, as a maintenance worker for The Empire District Electric Co.
He was a Navy veteran.
He was a member of Iron Gates Christian Church, Joplin, and Galena Masonic Lodge.
He married Donna Hayward on April 8, 1966, in Joplin.
She survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Debbie Rawlins, Lowell; a brother, Richard Ryon, Lowell; two sisters, Florence Martin, Galena, and Betty Williams, Joplin; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Derfelt's Baxter Chapel, Baxter Springs.
The Rev. Hubert Hinton will officiate.
Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Galena.
Pallbearers will be John North, Wade Palone, Mike Myers, Tim Smith, Carl Morgan and Albert Melton.
The Northeast Oklahoma Veterans Funeral Detail will perform burial rites at graveside.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Raymond Elliott
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Raymond O. Elliott, 86, Columbus route 4, died at 2:05 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, 1997, at a Quapaw, Okla., nursing home, after a long illness.
Mr. Elliott was born July 31, 1910, at Central City, Mo.
He had lived in the Columbus area most of his life.
He was a retired dairyman.
He was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, rural Columbus.
His wife, Esther Marie Gilliland Elliott, died in 1962.
Survivors include a son, Thomas A. Elliott, Chetopa; two daughters, Nancy Murdock, Kansas City, Kan., and Sue Canady, rural Columbus; 12 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
The Rev. Larry Perry will officiate.
Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, rural Columbus.
Pallbearers will be Brett Canady, Chad Canady, Chuck Creger, Phillipp Elliott, John Murdock and Raymond Elliott.
The family will receive friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Derfelt's Baxter Chapel, Baxter Springs.
