Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
William Lehr
SCAMMON, Kan. - William G. Lehr, 63, 202 N. Wall St., died at 9:35 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24, 1996, at Maude Norton Memorial Hospital, Columbus, after a sudden illness.
Mr. Lehr was born Jan. 1, 1933, at Pittsburg.
He spent most of his life in Scammon.
He was graduated from what now is Pittsburg State University.
He was a Navy veteran of the Korean War.
He was an 18-year electrical engineer in Bellingham, Wash., before he retired and returned to Kansas.
He was a member of St. Bridget's Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Post 3316, both of Scammon.
He married Daine Davis on Oct. 8, 1955, at Bellingham.
She survives.
Additional survivors include four sons, Brian Lehr, Mount Vernon, Wash., Matthew Lehr, Phoenix, Ariz., and Christopher Lehr and Jonathan Lehr, both of Bellingham, Wash.; a daughter, Andrea Sorensen, Phoenix, Ariz.; and four grandchildren.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon.
Father Chrysostom Al Maung will officiate.
Burial will be in St. Bridget's Cemetery, Scammon.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
Charles Marshall
ROSELAND, Kan. - Charles O. Marshall, 92, Roseland, died at 6:55 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24, 1996, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo., after an illness.
Mr. Marshall was born April 23, 1904, near Rogersville, Mo.
He was reared in Labette and Cherokee counties and moved to Roseland in 1937.
He worked in area coal mines and in oil fields near Burnett, Texas.
He was a farrier and horse trainer for several years.
He married Opal Spriggs on Feb. 11, 1923, near West Mineral.
She survives.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Charlotte Collins, Pittsburg; a brother, Everett Marshall, Rogersville; two sisters, Goldie Snyder, Joplin, and Maxine Spivy, Rogersville; and three grandsons.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus.
The Rev. Garland Bohn will officiate.
Burial will be in Edgmand Cemetery, northwest of Columbus.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Eva Phillips
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. - Evangeline A. "Eva" Lathrop Phillips, 102, Lawrence, a former Baxter Springs resident, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 1996, at a nursing home in Lawrence after an illness.
Phillips was born Oct. 1, 1894, at Irving and grew up in Blue Rapids.
She was graduated from high school in 1912 and taught school for several years.
She moved to Kansas City in 1918 to attend business college and later worked as assistant cashier at South Side Bank.
She lived in Merriam and Ellsworth before she moved to Baxter Springs in 1942.
She moved from Baxter Springs to Lawrence in 1995.
She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Baxter Springs, where she served as secretary of the Sunday school for more than 30 years.
She was a charter member of ALM Federated Club and was a member of the Just-a-Mere Club, American Legion Auxiliary and the Eastern Star.
She married Alfred G. Phillips in 1924.
He preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Miller, Lawrence; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
The body has been cremated.
Graveside services will be held at a later date at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo.
Arrangements are under the direction of Davidson Funeral Home, Topeka.
Contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Baxter Springs.
Betty Roach
GALENA, Kan. - Betty Pauline Phillips Roach, 64, White Wright, Texas, a former Galena resident, died at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, 1996, at Medical City Hospital, Dallas, Texas, after an illness.
Mrs. Roach was born July 14, 1932, at Galena route 2.
She grew up on a farm south of Galena.
She retired in 1992 after working at Texas Instruments at McKinney, Texas.
She married John Roach on Dec. 17, 1954.
He survives.
Also surviving are a son, John Roach Jr., Reno, Nev.; a daughter, Gay Heubner, Irving, Texas; a brother, Martin L. Phillips, Irving; seven sisters, Doris Kelly, Topeka, Kan., Lena Sparks, Greers Ferry, Ark., Minnie Woods and Millie McKinley, both of Galena, Amanda Johnson, Baxter Springs, Kan., Lottie Ludlum, Peoria, Okla., and Katty Martin, Anderson, Mo.; and four grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lowell (Kan.) Cemetery.
The Rev. Gary Rhodes will officiate.
Arrangements are under the direction of Derfelt Funeral Home, Galena.
A. Clayton Watkins
PITTSBURG, Kan. - A. Clayton Watkins, 81, 2301 S. Stillwell St., Pittsburg, died at 2:57 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at Mount Carmel Medical Center, Pittsburg, after a long illness.
Mr. Watkins was born Nov. 11, 1915, at Pittsburg.
He attended Pittsburg schools and was graduated in 1934 from Pittsburg High School.
He attended Kansas State Teachers College, now Pittsburg State University, for two years.
He was a senior design technician for Gulf Chemical and Oil Co. for 34 years.
He worked for the company in Kansas City, Mo., from 1955 to 1967 and in Houston, Texas, from 1967 to 1980.
He returned to Pittsburg in 1981.
He was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II and served in Europe.
He was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Pittsburg.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge, Knights of Columbus and Crestwood Country Club, all of Pittsburg. He was a member of National Rifle Association, National Senior Sports Association, American Association of Retired Persons and the U.S. Golf Association.
He married Joan F. Ovadon on Dec. 27, 1937, at Frontenac.
She survives.
Mass will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, with the Rev. Sam Pinkerton officiating.
Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery, Pittsburg.
Flag-folding services will be conducted by Benjamin A. Fuller American Legion Post, Pittsburg.
Friends may call at Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg, after 11 a.m. Thursday, or at the family home, 2301 S. Stillwell St., at their convenience.
Contributions may be made to the Our Lady or Lourdes Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home.
Gerald Anderson
GALENA, Kan. - Gerald L. Anderson, 80, 1000 Dewey St., died at 7:05 a.m. Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at his home after a long illness.
Mr. Anderson was born Dec. 20, 1916, at Galena and was a lifetime resident.
He worked at Sperry-Vickers in Joplin, Mo., for 27 years.
He retired in December 1979.
He served as a Galena city councilman for eight years.
He was a member of Galena United Methodist Church.
He was a 50-year member of Masonic Lodge No. 194, Galena, and had served as lodge secretary for 33 years.
He was awarded the Kansas Grand Master's Outstanding Mason Award and the Grand Master's Outstanding Secretary Award, the sixth one ever issued in the State of Kansas.
He also was a member of Amy Chapter No. 165, Order of the Eastern Star in Galena; Scottish Rite Consistory, Fort Scott; Mirza Shrine, Pittsburg; the Galena Volunteer Fire Department from 1950 to 1982; and the Kansas Peace Officer's Association.
He married Bernice Jones on April 26, 1937, at Joplin, Mo.
She survives.
Additional survivors include a brother, the Rev. Donald Anderson, Galena; two sisters, Marjorie Starchman, Seneca, Mo., and Twyla Simmons, Galena; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-step-grandchild.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Derfelt Funeral Home, Galena.
The Rev. Don Anderson and the Rev. Jeff Martin will officiate.
Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Galena.
Pallbearers will be Ray McBride, Gary Hall, Bill Applemen, Leon Gowens, Mick McKinley and Jack Murray.
Masonic rites will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
The family will receive friends after the Masonic rites until 8 p.m. Thursday.
Contributions may be made to the Masonic Foundation for Cancer Research or Galena United Methodist Church.
William Burke Sr.
PITTSBURG, Kan. - William A. Burke Sr., 74, 1902 N. Main, died at 12:28 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, 1996, at Mount Carmel Medical Center, Pittsburg, after a sudden illness.
Mr. Burke was born Aug. 6, 1922, in Mulberry.
He moved to Pittsburg in 1967 from Mulberry.
He opened Burke Oil Co., Pittsburg, in 1969, which he owned and operated.
He was an Air Force veteran of World War II and had served with the 93rd Station Complement Squadron Reinforcement Depot, Army Air Forces Station, No. 594.
He was a member of Pittsburg Masonic Lodge, No. 187.
Survivors include two sons, William A. Burke Jr., Frontenac, and David Ray Case, Arma; a daughter, Patricia Werner, St. Charles, Mo.; two sisters, Lavena Fast and Lorena Palmer, both of Lamar, Mo.; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, Pittsburg.
The Rev. John Dilley will officiate.
Burial will be in Rosebank Cemetery, Mulberry, with flag-folding ceremonies by Benjamin Fuller American Legion Post No. 534.
Masonic rites will be conducted by Pittsburg Masonic Lodge No. 187 at 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Masonic Lodge, next to the funeral home.
Contributions may be made to the Shrine Crippled Children's Transportation Fund, in care of the funeral home.
