Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
William Felix Belanger
GREAT BEND - William Felix Belanger, 74, died March 27, 2000, at Great Bend.
He was born Feb. 24, 1926, the son of Felix and Florence Alfoncine Baker Belanger. He was a high school graduate and longtime Great Bend resident. He was a blackjack dealer and chef at restaurants in Las Vegas.
He was of the Catholic faith and served with the U.S. Army.
Survivors include: two sisters, Marie Ruiter, Barstow, Calif., and Connie Creel, Sun City, Calif.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Leonard, Louis and Joseph; and two sisters, Katherine Osbourn and Lea Temple.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in Golden Belt Cemetery, Great Bend, with Father Charles Mazouch presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Fryberger Mortuary, Great Bend.
Memorials may be sent to the William Belanger Memorial Fund, in care of the mortuary.
Georgiann Martinez
DODGE CITY - Georgiann Martinez, 49, died March 26, 2000, at Western Plains Regional Hospital, Dodge City.
She was born May 15, 1950, at Dodge City, the daughter of Joseph D. and Sophia "Rosie" Espinoza Blea. She attended Dodge City schools and graduated from Dodge City High School in 1968. She worked as a maid for the Golden Bell Motel in Dodge City.
She belonged to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Dodge City.
She married
Vincent Q. Martinez at Dodge City. He survives.
Other survivors include: her parents, of Dodge City; two sons, Lance Guillen, Dodge City, and Richard Guillen, Misawa, Japan; three daughters, Preci Amara, Gaylia Guillen and Petra Guillen, all of Dodge City; five brothers, David A. Blea, Elkhart, Ind., Donald E. Blea, Oceanside, Calif., Ronald R. Blea, Dallas, William L. Blea, El Paso, and Theodore J. Blea, Dodge City; a sister, Christine Conley, Dodge City; and 10 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Emidio in 1985, and a brother, Mark A. Blea, in 1999.
Vigil service will be at 8 p.m. today at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church, with the Rev. Ted Skalsky presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Swaim Funeral Home, Dodge City. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City.
Wilbur Dwight Goodman
JOHNSON - Wilbur Dwight Goodman, 74, died March 27, 2000, at Stanton County Long Term Care Unit, Johnson.
He was born May 18, 1925, at Beeler, the son of Elbert and Olive Hills Goodman. A resident of Johnson since 1963, he was owner and operator of Goodman Garage until his retirement in 1989.
He was a member of the Lucky 4 Square Dance Club, the Happy Campers Motor Club, and Masonic Lodge A.F. & A.M., Johnson.
On Nov. 18, 1950, he married
Della Lea Goodman at Wellington. She died May 19, 1999.
Survivors include: four sons, Eric Dwight, Gaston, S.C., Alan T., Pratt, Barry D., Johnson, and Colin S., Sterling; two brothers, Dean, Benton, and Elgin, Nardin, Okla.; a sister, Neva Dodson, Arkansas City; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel, Johnson, with the Rev. Dave Kaufmann presiding. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to noon Thursday at the funeral home. Cremation will follow services.
Memorials may be sent to Stanton County Long Term Care Unit, in care of the funeral home.
Virginia Cain
STERLING - Virginia Cain, 79, died March 27, 2000, at Lyons District Hospital, Lyons.
She was born Sept. 17, 1920, at Pratt, the daughter of Frank and Ethel Kilgore Detwiler. A resident of Sterling since 1941, she was a homemaker and retired waitress at the Sterling Cafe, Sterling.
She was a member of the American Legion Women's Auxiliary, Sterling.
On Feb. 24, 1938, she married
Marvin Elliott Cain at Kingman. He died March 30, 1994.
Survivors include: four sons, Marvin Eugene, Boone, Colo., Frank, Sterling, Dan, Lyons, and Dennis, Fayetteville, N.C.; six daughters, Gwen Walker, Judy Rose and Deena Groth, all of Sterling, and Dinah Fulton, Betty Boltz and Candy Woodard, all of Hutchinson; two brothers, Robert Detwiler, Pratt, and Wendell Detwiler, Enid, Okla.; a sister, Nadine Malan, Ventura, Calif.; 30 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at United Methodist Church, Sterling, with the Revs. James Graves and Glen Holman presiding. Burial will be in Lerado Cemetery, rural Pretty Prairie.
Memorials may be sent to the Sterling Public Library or the Maude Carpenter Children's Center, both in care of Sillin Funeral Home, Sterling.
Byron 'Butch' Basye
STAFFORD - Byron "Butch" Basye, 39, died March 27, 2000, at Stafford.
He was born Oct. 13, 1960, the son of Marvin and Eunice Brack Basye. He was a 1979 graduate of Stafford High School. A lifetime Stafford resident, he was owner of Basye Well Servicing.
He attended the Methodist Church, Stafford, and was a member of the A.E.S.C. He played football and wrestled in high school.
On Aug. 10, 1984, he married
Janeen Lohrenz at Sylvia. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Calvin, of the home; two daughters, Jennifer Basye, Stafford, and Stephanie Basye, of the home; his father and stepmother, Marvin and Pam Basye, Brownsville, Texas; his mother and stepfather, Eunice and Melvin Dreher, Great Bend; his grandmother, Velma Basye, Sylvia; a brother, Aaron King, Nickerson; and four sisters, Kim Hessman, Newton, Gina Gould, Cheney, Amy Harris, Stafford, and April Green, Nickerson.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, Stafford, with the Rev. Kasey Crosby presiding. Friends may sign the family book from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Minnis Chapel, Stafford. Burial will be in Stafford Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the church, in care of the chapel.
Loyola Zimmerman Stecklein
HAYS - Loyola Zimmerman Stecklein, 76, of St. John's of Hays, died March 27, 2000, at Hays Medical Center, St. Anthony Campus.
She was born Dec. 31, 1923, at Hays, the daughter of Anthony "Tony" and Catherine Kisner Zimmerman. She was a homemaker.
She belonged to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays.
On Sept. 9, 1946, she married
Alfred "Fritz" Stecklein at Antonino. He died May 28, 1994.
Survivors include: two daughters, Sharon Owens, Memphis, Tenn., and Linda Stecklein, Hays; a brother, Victor Zimmerman, Denver; two sisters, Leona Follis, Hays, and Rosie Hopkins, Orange County, Calif.; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Parish vigil service will be at 7 p.m. today at Brock's North Hill Chapel, Hays. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays, with Father Bill Surmeier presiding. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today and from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Thursday at the funeral chapel. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Hays.
Memorials may be sent to the donor's choice, in care of the funeral chapel.
Florence Penner
EDNA - Florence Penner, 80, died March 25, 2000, at St. John's Medical Center, Tulsa, Okla., after a brief illness.
She was born Nov. 9, 1919, at Inman, the daughter of Jacob P. and Marie F. Neufeld Balzer. She graduated from Inman High School and Midwest Bible College, Salina, and attended the Moody Bible Institute. In 1982, she moved to Edna, formerly of Sequoia National Forest, Salina, and Inman. She worked at Christian Camp in the National Forest for more than two years.
She attended First Church of the Nazarene in Parsons and was active in Salina Bible Church.
On Nov. 22, 1950, she married
Jake Penner at Inman. He survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Jay D., Cook Station, Mo., and Al R., Edna; a daughter, Flora J. McKee, Edna; a brother, David R. Balzer, Inman; a sister, Rosella Kejr, Brookville; and nine grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at First Church of the Nazarene, Parsons, with the Rev. Jim Dillow presiding. Family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Parsons. Burial will follow the funeral service in Elm Grove Cemetery, Edna.
Memorials may be sent to the church or to Bible Impact Ministries, both in care of the funeral home.
Melvin C. 'Mel' Brewer
CONCORDIA - Melvin C. "Mel" Brewer, 75, Concordia, died March 10, 2000, at Cloud County Health Center.
Mr. Brewer was born Nov. 3, 1924, at rural Norway and was a resident of the Concordia area since 1984, moving from Manhattan. He owned and operated Mel's Tavern in Manhattan. He was an Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna, in 1983.
Survivors include: five stepdaughters; and five brothers, John A. of Dickinson, Texas, Joseph W. of Hutchinson, Owen E. of Concordia, Archie N. of Carthage, Mo., and Dean D. of rural Norway.
The memorial service was held at 2 p.m. March 27 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Norway, with the Revs. Ethan Feistner and Carol Willadsen officiating. The body was donated to medical research.
Memorials may be sent to Dillon Nature Center.
Della M. Snyder
DODGE CITY - Della M. Snyder, 78, died March 27, 2000, at Trinity Manor, Dodge City.
She was born Dec. 13, 1921, at Camp Funston, Okla., the daughter of Joseph W. and Ella May Smith Blackburn. A longtime Dodge City resident, she was a motel housekeeper.
She belonged to First Church of the Nazarene and Moose Lodge, both at Dodge City.
On July 29, 1941, she married
Oliver Ben Snyder at Dodge City. He died June 21, 1973.
Survivors include: a brother, Melvin Blackburn, Dodge City; a sister, Margie Jella, Rolla, Mo.; and many nephews and nieces.
Graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City, with the Rev. Amer Khokhar presiding. Friends may call from noon to 8 p.m. today at Swaim Funeral Home, Dodge City.
Memorials may be sent to Trinity Manor, in care of the funeral home.
