Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
VERNA A. AUSTIN
Verna A. Austin was born July 2, 1909 on a farm in Saline County northwest of Brookville, the daughter of James and Carrie Miller Keller. She passed away October 8, 2001 at the Ottawa County Health Center in Minneapolis, having reached the age of 92 years, three months and six days.
On May 6, 1931 she was united in marriage to Elmer Guy Austin at the home of her parents at Brookville. They lived in rural Saline County until moving to Culver in 1968. Her husband preceded her in death July 19, 1977.
Affectionately known as "Grandma Austin" to the younger people of the area, she was a homemaker and babysitter for many years. She was a member of the Church of the Cross in Salina and a charter member of the Senior Citizens and its first president, an office she held for 10 years.
Survivors include two sons, Ralph Austin of Mauston, Wisconsin and Darrell Austin of Partridge; three daughters, Loretta Griffith of Culver, Wanetta Williams of Sulphur, Louisiana and Ila Kay Webster of Ham Lake, Minnesota, 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
The funeral was October 12 at Shields Funeral Home in Minneapolis. Rev. Roy Brotton officiated. Musicians were Keith Bacon and Edna McCall. Casket bearers were David Austin, Gordon Austin, Jim Austin, Rick Griffith, James Griffith, George Griffith, Dan Webster and John Webster. Interment was in Culver Union Cemetery, Culver.
The family suggests memorials to the Church of the Cross or the Culver Senior Citizens.
HELEN L. MEARS
Helen Louise Mears, the daughter of Dean and Elsie Treaster Van Pelt, was born April 9, 1908 in Beloit. She died at her home near Beloit on October 8, 2001, at the age of 93 years, five months and 29 days.
She grew up and attended school near Beloit, graduating from Beloit High School in 1926. She graduated from Kansas State University with a physical education degree and later was honored by the university with a Master Farmers Homemaker Award. She taught in an all-girls school in Florida. On June 10, 1932, Helen was united in marriage with Paul Mears at her parents' home.
Helen was a member of the Beloit United Methodist Church, where she played the piano and organ and was in the United Methodist Women. She was a Paul Harris Fellow in the Beloit Rotary Club, a 4-H club leader, a member of Beloit Music Club, West Beloit EHU, Chapter "K" PEO, Rural Anns and the Alpha Club. She and her husband were benefactors of the North Central Kansas Technical College and the administration building there is named in their honor.
Survivors include a son, Charles and his wife Vickie of Beloit; three daughters and their husbands, Carleen and Emery Berry of Minneapolis, and Dorinda and Keith Shamburg and Betty and Dr. Doug Drake, all of Beloit; 13 grandchildren, Diana Klein, Debra Miller, Ken Berry, Greg Shamburg, Stacy Tyson, Mike Shamburg, Alex Mears, Ian, Bob and Damaris Drake, Kathy Burch, Jennifer Standley and Beth Drake and 22 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1998, by two brothers, Gerald and infant Carol, and a sister, Olive Fulhage.
The funeral was October 12 at the First United Methodist Church in Beloit. Pastor Ken Parker officiated. Readers were Diana Klein and Emery Berry. Musicians were Marilyn Greif, Marie Roberts, Juliane Pruitt and Arlene Zachary. Casket bearers were her 13 grandchildren. Interment was in Elmwood Cemetery.
ORRILL O. BREER
Orrill O. Breer, 88, of Glendale died October 14, 2001. She was born Orrill O. Schneeman on January 15, 1913 at Tescott.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband Carl of the home; a son, Marlin of Wichita; a daughter, Beverly Seuser of Salina; two sisters, Lola Niemann and Meryl Stirn, both of Salina; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The funeral was October 17 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Tescott. Burial was in Franklin Cemetery, Tescott. Rev. Colin Ward officiated. Sonja Kobbeman was the organist. Casket bearers were Kenneth Schoshke, Gary Schoshke, Earl Wohler, Kenneth Bremerman, Ralph Meyer and Robert Minneman.
Memorials may be made to the church.
LINDA D. JOHNSON
Linda Darlene Johnson, 54, died December 5, 2001 at the Minneapolis Good Samaritan Center. She was 54 years and 24 days of age. The daughter of Ray Charles and Stella W. House Nunemaker, she was born November 11, 1947 at Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.
She lived in Minneapolis before moving to Oklahoma, where she and her husband Winford Walter Johnson lived in several locations. He preceded her in death in 1997 and she returned to Minneapolis that same year. She was a homemaker. She attended the Nazarene Church, Minneapolis, and the Antioch Baptist Church, Ada
Survivors include a son, Walter Jason Johnson and a daughter, Leaha Johnson and grandson Dillion, all of Cincinnati, Arkansas; a daughter, Rochelle and Allen Smith and grandchildren, Christopher and Stephanie of Minneapolis; four brothers, Clarence Nunemaker of Minneapolis, Lee and Virgil Nunemaker, both of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and Kenneth Nunemaker of Quincy, Pennsylvania; three sisters, Catherine King of Tescott, Nancy Vaughn of Enterprise and Donna Davis of Arkansas. She was preceded in death by a brother Ray Junior Nunemaker in 1991.
A memorial service was held at the Good Samaritan Center Chapel, Minneapolis, December 7. Rev. Ron Walker officiated. Carolyn Kay provided the music. Inurnment and a graveside service were held December 8 at Johnson Cemetery near West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma. Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis, handled arrangements.
JANICE E. BROWN
Janice E. Brown, 60, of Salina died at her home on December 3, 2001. She was born Janice Hemmy on January 29, 1941 at Salina.
She worked in manufacturing at Tony's Pizza.
Survivors include her husband Ronald Brown; three sons, Jack Trostle of Fairport, New York, Yancy Trostle of Minneapolis and Mark Trostle of Salina; a stepson Brad Brown of Wichita; two step-daughters Monica Evan of Germany and Angie Enlow of Lyons; seven brothers, Dick, Paul, Larry, Jim and Jerry Hemmy, all of Salina, John Hemmy, Minneapolis, and Bill Hemmy, New Cambria; five sisters, Carolyn Grout, Shaw-nee Mission, Joyce Hemmy, Kansas City, Missouri, Barbara Marsh and Marilyn Edward, both of Martinez, Georgia, and Rosemary Divilbiss, Salina; her father, Richard Hemmy, Salina; 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The funeral was December 6 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Salina. Burial was in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials are to Hospice of Salina or the American Cancer Society.
RAYMOND CROWNINSHIELD
Raymond Henry Crowninshield II, infant son of Raymond H. and Alisa R. Kelsey Crowninshield was born October 14, 2001 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. He passed away December 6, 2001 at Wesley Medical Center. He was one month and 23 days old.
He is survived by his parents and a sister Kelsey Ann Crowninshield, all of Delphos; grandparents, Henry Crowninshield, Altamont Springs, Florida; Marita Crowninshield, Brandon, Florida and Elsie Kelsey, Holton.
The funeral was December 11 at Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis. Rev. Dana Wood officiated. Interment was in Marion Cemetery at Marion.
The family suggests memorials to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita.
ARTHUR STANLEY REES
Arthur Stanley Rees, 67, passed away November 21, 2001 at his home in Huntington Beach, California. He was born in Lincoln County.
He went to college and was an electrical engineer. He worked for years at McDonlad Douglas Aircraft in California.
Survivors include his wife Carol; two daughters, Marci and Torri and her husband Joel and two granddaughters; a brother, Harvey Everett Rees; two sisters, Yolonda Arreola of Oklahoma and Cloris Adams of Tescott.
There was no service.
VERNON SEYMOUR
Vernon Seymour, the son of Jobe and Martha Jane Allison Seymour was born December 28, 1908 on a farm near Glasco. He died March 26, 2002 at the Minneapolis Good Samaritan Center, having reached the age of 93 years, two months and 28 days.
He grew up on a farm east of Bennington. On September 14, 1930 he was united in marriage to Wilma Belle Hare at Minneapolis. He was a mechanic in a shop in Glasco and farmed in Cloud County before moving to a farm north of Bennington. His wife preceded him in death November 21, 1995.
He is survived by nieces and nephews. He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Beatrice Faye Seymour in 1932, three brothers, Leo, Lester and Oliver Seymour and a sister, Neva Murphy.
A graveside service was held March 29 at the Bennington Cemetery. Rev. David Heikes officiated. Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis, handled the arrangements.
Memorials are to Bennington Ambulance Fund or Bennington Senior Citizens Center.
BARTHOLOMEW SCHMIDT
Bartholomew "Bart" Schmidt, 80, of Delphos died March 29, 2002. He was born September 8, 1921 at Hays.
He retired from Grainbelt Supply Company in Salina.
Survivors include his wife Viola of the home; six sons, Jerry of Delphos, Don of Brookville, Paul of Minneapolis, and Francis, Steve and George, all of Salina; a daughter, Diana Schmidt of Salina; two sisters, Melvina Gack and Sylvia Waldschmidt, both of Salina; one grandchildren and four step-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son John in 1959.
The funeral was April 2 at Ryan Mortuary in Salina. Burial was in Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina, with military rites by VFW Post 1432.
Memorials are to Ottawa County Hospice or American Diabetes Association.
EUGENE GODSEY
Eugene Godsey, the son of Everett F. and Matilda Sherman Godsey was born October 15, 1925 at Lafontaine. He passed away March 31, 2002 at the Salina Regional Health Center. He was 76 years, five months and 16 days of age.
Most of his life was spent in Saline and Ottawa counties. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. On May 16, 1948 he was united in marriage to Joan Lott at Bennington. They moved to a farm northwest of Bennington in 1969 from Glendale, Kansas. He was a member of the United Church of Bennington and had served on church, township and school boards for many years.
Survivors include his wife Joan of the home; a son, Steven Godsey of rural Bennington; a daughter, Sharon Nitsch of rural Minneapolis; and a brother, Harold Godsey, Salina. A brother Earl Godsey preceded him in death.
The funeral is today, April 4 at 2:30 p.m. at Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis. Rev. Dennis Engle will officiate. Musicians are Kimberly Corman and Melba Bruce. Casket bearers are Jerry Godsey, Dan Godsey, Jim Godsey, Mike Goetz, Tom Wright and Ron Bremerman. Interment is in Bennington Cemetery.
Memorials are to the Bennington Ambulance Fund or a charity of the donor's choice.
IRENE BACCUS
Irene Baccus, 55, passed away July 28, 2002 at Cripple Creek, Colorado. The service is today, Aug. 1, at the Rocky Mountain Chapel in Cripple Creek.
ISABELLE HENDERSON
Isabelle J. Sheely was born August 23, 1923 near Lamar to Simon and Loe Sherbondy Sheely. She went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, October 3, 2002, at the Ottawa County Health Center, Minneapolis, at the age of 79 years.
In the early years, Isabelle moved to Minneapolis where she remained for the rest of her life. On March 16, 1940, she was united in marriage to Robert L. Henderson in Minneapolis. He preceded her in death March 1, 1992. She was a homemaker and mother, but also worked in the kitchen at the Good Samaritan Center for a few years.
She was a member of the Community Bible Church, American Association of Retired People and the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW Post #3201, all of Minneapolis.
Survivors include a son Harvey Henderson and wife Carolyn of Minneapolis; a daughter Roberta Postleth-waite and husband Robert of Portland, Oregon; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grand-children; one great great-grandchild; and two step-great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by one sister, two brothers, and an infant grandson.
The funeral was October 8 at Community Bible Church with Rev. Rob Matlack officiating. Organist was Jeane Platt. Chelle Fleming was the soloist. Casket bearers were Lynn Farrington, Paul Blochlinger, Kenneth Yager, Lowell Parrish, Emery Berry and Bob Johnson. Interment was in Highland Cemetery, Minnea-polis. Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis, handled the arrangements.
The family suggests memorials to the Community Bible Church, Ottawa County Health Center, or Hospice of Ottawa County.
