Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
James Biggs
TREECE, Kan. - James Franklin Biggs, 77, 237 Lucky Street, Treece, died at 5:45 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at Baptist Regional Health Center, Miami, after a sudden illness.
Mr. Biggs was born Sept. 12, 1919, at Russellville, Ark. He moved to Treece from Tahlequah, Okla., in 1994. He was a retired independent truck driver and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of Jesus Name Pentecostal Church in Treece.
He married Evelyn Pauline Spoon on Feb. 21, 1991, at Tahlequah. She survives.
Additional survivors include three sons, James Biggs, Denver, Colo., Allen Biggs, Treece, and Thomas Biggs, Sacramento, Calif.; a brother, Stanley D. Biggs, Reno, Nev.; two sisters, Frances Thomas, Desert Hot Springs, Calif., and Nettie Slayton, Calimesa, Calif.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Jesus Name Pentecostal Church, Treece. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, northwest of Treece.
Arrangements are under the direction of Paul Thomas Funeral Home, Picher.
Arthur Maffei
McCUNE, Kan. - Arthur E. "Bud" Maffei, 81, McCune route 1, died at 10:50 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at Mount Carmel Medical Center, Pittsburg, after an illness.
Mr. Maffei was born Feb. 11, 1915, in the Breezy Hill community, near Mulberry. He had lived in the Hepler and Mulberry area and was a graduate of Hepler High School. He was a farmer.
He married Bertha G. Bergmann on June 14, 1937, at Kimball. She died Aug. 15, 1992.
Survivors include three sons, Arthur W. Maffei, Colorado Springs, Colo., and Johnnie Maffei and Kennie Maffei, both of McCune; two daughters, Coleen Defreese, Lamar, Mo., and Betty "Jeannie" Vanleeuwen, St. Paul, Kan.; two sisters, Julia Attkisson, Girard, and Adeline Elegante, Helper, Utah; 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Murdock Funeral Home, McCune. The Rev. Donald Thiessen will officiate. Burial will be in the McCune Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, in care of the funeral home.
Mildred Mapes
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - Mildred E. Mapes, 86, formerly of 1043 Park Ave., died at 4:04 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, 1997, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo., after a short illness. She had been living in a Galena nursing home.
Mrs. Mapes was born Sept. 5, 1910, at Sanger, Texas. She moved to Baxter Springs in 1953 from Mena, Ark. She was an office manager for Western Union from 1937 until retiring in 1972.
She was a member of the First Christian Church, Baxter Springs.
She married Ellsworth Eugene Mapes on Oct. 25, 1944, at Shreveport, La. He died in 1963.
Survivors include two sons, Dr. Michael Mapes, Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Richard Ray Quarles, Choudrant, La.; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Abbott Funeral Home, Baxter Springs. The Rev. Ed Snider will officiate. Burial will be in the Baxter Springs Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
James Biggs
TREECE, Kan. - James Franklin Biggs, 77, 237 Lucky St., died at 5:45 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at Baptist Regional Health Center, Miami, Okla., after an illness.
Mr. Biggs was born Sept. 12, 1919, in Russellville, Ark. He moved to Treece from Tahlequah. He was an Army veteran of World War II and served in the Normandy Invasion. He received five bronze stars. He was a retired independent truck driver and a member of Jesus Name Pentecostal Church in Treece.
He married Evelyn Pauline Spoon on Feb. 21, 1991, in Tahlequah, Okla. She survives.
Additional survivors include three sons, James Biggs, Denver, Colo., Allen Biggs, Treece, and Thomas Biggs, Sacramento, Calif.; a brother, Stanley Biggs, Reno, Nev.; two sisters, Frances Thomas, Desert Hot Springs, Calif., and Nettie Slayton, Carlimesa, Calif.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services are pending with Paul Thomas Funeral Home in Picher, Okla.
Rossie Ball
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - Rossie A. Ball, 96, 217 E. 14th St., died at 7:25 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997, in a local nursing home after an illness.
Mrs. Ball was born Nov. 10, 1900, at Webb City, Mo. She moved from Cardin, Okla., to Baxter Springs in 1945. She was a teacher at Cardin and Picher, Okla., and Baxter Springs. She retired in 1959.
She was a member of United Presbyterian Church, Baxter Springs.
She was a lifetime member of the Kansas State Association of Teachers. She was an honorary lifetime member of the Parent-Teacher Association.
She married Harold A. Ball on June 9, 1927. He died April 2, 1982.
There are no immediate survivors.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Abbott Funeral Home, Baxter Springs. Burial will be in Baxter Springs Cemetery.
Family visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
George Irwin
OSWEGO, Kan. - George W. Irwin, 75, Osawatomie, a former Oswego resident, died at 11:37 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997, at a nursing home in Osawatomie after an illness.
Mr. Irwin was born March 11, 1921, in Oswego. He grew up and attended Oak Grove School, near Oswego.
Survivors include a brother, Paul Irwin, Waterville; and a sister, Lillie Dalrymple, Bakersfield, Calif.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at City Cemetery, Columbus. The Rev. Keith Jacobson will officiate.
Arrangements are under the direction of Murdock Funeral Home, Oswego.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association of Labette County, in care of the funeral home.
Earl Garrett
CHETOPA, Kan. - Earl Chauncy Garrett, 86, Chetopa, died Tuesday night, Jan. 14, 1997, at a Chetopa nursing home after a short illness.
Mr. Garrett was born July 8, 1910, at Coalvale. He attended high school in Arcadia. He was owner and operator of Garrett Coal Co. at Vinita, Okla., for five years and was a Standard Oil dealer for 31 years. He retired in 1971. He was recognized as the top oil salesman for Kansas and Missouri in 1947. He was the first municipal judge of Chetopa and served for 11 years. He was treasurer of Oakhill Cemetery for 12 years and served on the Chetopa School Board from 1948 to 1952.
He was a 50-year member of Chetopa United Methodist Church, where he had served on the board of trustees, as superintendent of the Sunday school and on the pastor/parish relations committee.
He was a 50-year member and past master of the Masonic Lodge; a 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star, who served numerous times as worthy patron; a First Chapter Dad DeMolay; a founder of the Order of DeMolay at Chetopa, and had served on the board of Chetopa Rainbow Girls.
He married Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Emert on Aug. 31, 1933, at Oswego. She survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Earl C. Garrett II, Clinton, Mo.; two daughters, Georgia Earlene Stokesberry, rural Coffeyville, and Audrey Ann Tatum, Palestine, Texas; two brothers, Leo Garrett, Pampa, Texas, and Wayne Garrett, Pittsburg; a sister, Reba Jewsbury, Albuquerque, N.M.; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Chetopa United Methodist Church. The Rev. J. Ray Swearingen will officiate. Burial will be in Oakhill Cemetery, rural Chetopa.
Masonic rites will be conducted at the church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bath Funeral Home, Chetopa.
The family will be at the home, 524 N. Fifth St., Chetopa.
Contributions may be made to St. John's Hospice or Chetopa United Methodist Church.
