Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Kenneth Wayne Messer
ENID, Okla. - Kenneth Wayne Messer, 47, died Jan. 26, 2000, at Integris Bass Baptist Health Center, Enid.
He was born Nov. 11, 1952, at Dodge City, the son of George and Glenna Lee Messer. He graduated from Dodge City Senior High School in 1971. An Enid resident since 1997, formerly of Wichita and Dodge City, he worked for J.A. Benge Co., Enid, as a HVAC installer.
He belonged to First Assembly of God Church, Dodge City. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.
On March 23, 1981, he married
Kit Julane Workman at Wichita. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Brett, Enid; parents, Fort Dodge; a brother, Mark, Wichita; a sister, Donna Burkholder, Wichita; and several nephews and nieces.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Burkhart Funeral Chapel, Dodge City, with the Rev. Steve Burkholder presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to service time Sunday at the funeral chapel. Burial will be Tuesday in Kansas Soldiers Home Cemetery, Fort Dodge.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, in care of the funeral chapel.
Lester C. Bonham
ANTHONY - Lester C. Bonham, 84, died Jan. 28, 2000, at Anthony.
He was born Nov. 9, 1915, in Barber County, the son of Harry E. and Ida George Bonham. He was a farmer.
Survivors include: three sisters, Mary Martin, Attica, Imogene McDaniel, Eureka, and LaVina Gilman, Manhattan.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, Anthony, with the Rev. Jim Slaughter presiding. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hazelton.
Memorials may be sent to Friendship Manor Activity Fund, or a church of the donor's choice, in care of the mortuary.
Leora A. Cochran
PRATT - Leora A. Cochran, 92, died Jan. 26, 2000, at Pratt Regional Medical Center.
She was born April 24, 1907, near Oxford, the daughter of John E. and Lizzie Tate Hartsell. She graduated from Oxford High School and attended Emporia State. A Pratt resident, she was a homemaker and taught school for five years near Oxford.
She belonged to Pratt Presbyterian Church and the Order of Eastern Star.
On June 8, 1930, she married
Ernest Cochran. He died in 1960.
Survivors include: a son, John, Pratt; a daughter, Jane Utterback, The Villages, Fla.; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Vera Fouts.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Ayres-Calbeck Mortuary, Pratt. Friends may call from 1 to 6 p.m. today and Sunday at the mortuary. Graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Monday in Oxford Cemetery, with the Rev. Tom Sutter presiding.
Memorials may be sent to Hospice or the American Red Cross, both in care of the mortuary.
Larry D. Downing
DODGE CITY - Larry D. Downing, 60, died Jan. 27, 2000, at his home.
He was born Aug. 2, 1939, at Grant City, Mo., the son of William "Shock" and Eula Fern Downing. A Dodge City resident since 1958, he was a bartender.
On May 11, 1974, he married
Virginia Israel at Dodge City. She survives.
Other survivors include: five brothers, Veldon, St. Joseph, Mo., Harold, Grant City, Mo., Allen, Copeland, Gail, Maryville, Mo., and Norman L., Kansas City, Mo.; and two sisters, Donna Findley, Albany, Mo., and Rose Hubberd, Tulsa, Okla.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Paul and Robert.
Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Burkhart Funeral Chapel, Dodge City, with the Rev. Jo Clipson presiding. There will be no public visitation. Cremation has taken place.
Memorials may be sent to the Larry Downing Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral chapel.
Eva L. Hodges
ANTHONY - Eva L. Hodges, 79, died Jan. 27, 2000, at Buhler.
She was born July 7, 1920, at Hugoton, the daughter of C.C. and Florence Farrar Morris. An Anthony resident, she was a retired teacher.
She belonged to United Methodist Church, Anthony, the Harper County Retired Teachers Association and the Kansas Music Educators.
On Aug. 7, 1943, she married
Wendell L. Hodges at Enid, Okla. He died June 5, 1989.
Survivors include: three sons, David, Buhler, Jeff, DeSoto, and Tim, Portage, Ind.; two daughters, Wendy Estes, Winfield, and Cherlene Graves, Sterling; a brother, Harry Morris, Hugoton; and 14 grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at United Methodist Church, Anthony, with the Rev. Stan Hughes presiding. Burial will be in Forest Park Cemetery, Anthony.
Memorials may be sent to the church or the music or theater departments of Southwestern College, Winfield, both in care of Elliott Mortuary, Anthony.
Michael Joseph Vonfeldt
PARSONS - Michael Joseph Vonfeldt, 45, died Jan. 27, 2000, at Labette County Medical Center, Parsons.
He was born June 15, 1954, at Great Bend, the son of Robert and Mary Jean Lacy Vonfeldt. He had been a resident of Parsons since 1996, moving from Dodge City.
He belonged to St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great Bend.
Survivors include: a brother, Neil, Pawnee Rock; and five sisters, Nancy Zrubek, Hutchinson, Mary Weighous, Broken Arrow, Okla., Carolyn Devine, Great Bend, Gail and Brenda Vonfeldt, both of Emporia.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Bryant-Christians Funeral Home, Great Bend. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great Bend, with Father Charles Mazouch presiding. Friends may call from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to "The Storm" (Special Olympics), in care of the funeral home.
Doris M. Eshelman
NAMPA, Idaho - Doris M. Eshelman, 95, of Nampa, died Jan. 21, 2000, at a Nampa care center.
She was born Feb. 27, 1904, at Newton, the daughter of Clarence and Nellie Osgood Ring. She was raised in McPherson and graduated from McPherson College with a degree in chemistry. A Nampa resident since 1927, she was a homemaker.
She belonged to Church of the Brethren, Nampa.
In 1924, she married
Sumner B. Eshelman. He died in 1989.
Survivors include: a son; a daughter; two sisters, including Una Yoder, McPherson; five grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a sister.
Cremation is planned, with inurnment following in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Nampa. Memorial service will be held at a later time.
Alsip Funeral Chapel, Nampa, is in charge of arrangements.
