Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Hewitt I. Butler Jr.
JUNCTION CITY - Hewitt Irl Butler Jr., 84, died Dec. 25, 2004, at his home, Junction City.
He was the father of Gerald "Jerry" Butler, Hutchinson
Vigil service will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Penwell-Gabel Mass-Hinitt Chapel, Junction City. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Xavier Catholic Church with Father Al Brungardt presiding.
Geneva O. Redfern
ANTHONY - Geneva O. Redfern, 88, died Dec. 28, 2004, at Anthony.
She was born Oct. 29, 1916, at Waldron, the daughter of Lewis N. and Grace Wilson Hughes. She was a homemaker.
She belonged to Anthony Christian Church, PEO and Socias Club all at Anthony.
On Aug. 4, 1935, she married
Morris E. Redfern, at Anthony. He died May 8, 1980.
Survivors include: a son, Charles, Anthony, two daughters, Carolyn Langenwalter, Winfield, and Sharyl Davis, New York, N.Y.; two sisters, Gladys Hobbs, Irrigon, Ore., and Lula Hunt, Attica; a sister-in-law, Vivian Hughes, Anthony; three granddaughters; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, Anthony, with the Rev. John Schnelle presiding. Burial will be in Forest Park Cemetery, Anthony.
Memorials may be sent to Anthony Christian Church, in care of the mortuary.
John P. Tritsch
PRATT - John Phillip Tritsch, 94, died Dec. 27, 2004, at Hilltop Manor, Cunningham.
He was born Feb. 10, 1910, in Pratt County, the son of Phillip and Katie Beck Tritsch. A lifetime Pratt area resident, he was retired from the postal service.
He belonged to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Natrona, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion of Pratt. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, receiving the Purple Heart in combat.
Survivors include: a brother, Larry, Wichita; four nephews, Tyler D. Woodrow, Wichita, John P. Woodrow, Liberal, Bob Tritsch, Pratt, and Robert Holdsworth, Colorado Springs, Colo; and two nieces, Nancy K. Wray, Valley Center, and Terri Scripsick, Cunningham.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Elmer; and two sisters, Margaret Holdsworth and Lillian Woodrow.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev. Michael Schotte presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ayres - Calbeck Mortuary, Pratt. Burial will in St. Paul Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to the American Diabetes Association or to the Pratt Senior Citizen Center, both in care of the mortuary.
Nathan B. Hayse
MULLINVILLE - Nathan Berkley Hayse Jr., 86, died Dec. 27, 2004, at Hilltop House, Bucklin.
He was born May 18, 1918, southeast of Greensburg, to Nathan B. and Alma Ruby Blackstone Hayse. A lifetime resident of Kiowa County, he attended Southwestern College and Fort Hays State College. He was the first Silver Haired Legislator from Kiowa County.
He belonged to Mullinville Methodist Church, Kansas Council of Boy Scouts of America, served as president of the Soil Conservation Board for 25 years, served as chaplin and president of Master Farmer, and was on the organizing committee of Big Bend Groundwater Management District.
On Dec. 19, 1940, he married
Helen Lucille Alford south of Mullinville. She survives.
Other survivors include: a son, Paul W., Mullinville; three daughters, Melva Bernard, Mullinville, Georgiana Bradshaw, Dodge City, and Fran Zerby, Manhattan; two brothers, Carl, Greensburg, and Paul F., Pratt; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Louie; three sisters, Ella, Myra and Mary Jo; and a grandson, William Nathan Hayse.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Mullinville United Methodist Church with Pastors Tim McCrary presiding. Burial will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery, Mullinville. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Fleener Funeral Home, Greensburg.
Memorials may be sent to Hospice of the Plains, Mullinville United Methodist Church, or to Hilltop House, all in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 763, Greensburg, KS 67054.
Marcella Wasinger
FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Sister Marcella Wasinger CSA, 90, died Dec. 27, 2004, at her home at Nazareth Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wis.
Sister was born July 29, 1914, in Ellis County, Kan., a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Miller Wasinger. Sister professed her vows in the Congregation of Saint Agnes on August 15, 1934.
In the first 15 years of ministry Sister Marcella served as a homemaker in Wis., Mich. and N.Y. For the next 25 years Sister was a missionary in Nicaragua and in Quito, Ecuador. Returning to the Unitd States in 1975, Sister Marcella served in parish ministry and ministry to the sick and dying in Arizona and Kansas. For seven summers Sister was a member of a team leading a House of Prayer in Burlington, Wis.
Survivors include: two brothers, Edwin (Neolah) Wasinger, Hays, and Felix (Esther) Wasinger, Hutchinson; three sisters, Lidwina Meyer, Wichita, Lucile Werth, Victoria, and Fidelia Milham, Salina; a sister-in-law, Rose Wasinger, Hays; many nieces and nephews and by the members of the Congregation of Saint Agnes with whom she lived and ministered.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph Wasinger; and a sister, Pia Brull.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004, at the St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac. Burial will be at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday in St. Joseph's Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac. Visitation will be from 12:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Nazareth Court, 365 Gillett Street, where a prayer service will be held at 4 p.m.
Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Saint Agnes.
Donald L. Wedel
LAVACA, Ark. - Donald Leroy Wedel, 66, died Dec. 26, 2004, at Lavaca, Ark.
He was born March 15, 1938, at Pretty Prairie, the son of Walter C. and Esther Marie Adams Wedel. He graduated from Pretty Prairie in 1957 and attended Hutchinson Junior College. He was a retired truck driver for Branson Truck Line, Lyons, and a maintenance worker for Woodland Farms, Bagwell, Texas.
On Aug. 23, 1958, he married
Ella Mae Thiel at Hutchinson. She survives.
Other survivors include: four daughters, Debra Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo., Donna Holland, Lavaca, Ark., Denise Klima, Claflin, and Dian Long, Ellinwood; a brother, Allen, Ellsworth; a sister, Marie Stephen, Indianapolis, Ind.; 15 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Clara Dee Ziegler.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Elliott Chapel, Hutchinson, with Pastor Keith Schrum presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Elliott Funeral Home. Burial will be in Penwell-Gabel's Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to Rheumatoid Arthritis Association, in care of the funeral home.
Mary C. Adams
MCPHERSON - Mary Christine Adams, 87, died Dec. 27, 2004, at Salina Regional Medical Center, Salina.
She was born Nov. 6, 1917, at Butler, Mo., the daughter of John W. and Minnie Turpin Thomas. She attended Butler Public Schools, Butler, Mo. A resident of McPherson since 1958, moving from Newton, she was a homemaker and farmer. She also worked for O'Dells Laundry, McPherson, for many years.
She belonged to Monitor Community Church of the Brethren, rural McPherson, Trash to Treasures, McPherson, and Golden Circle Campers.
On June 2, 1933, she married
Ernest Adams at Butler, Mo. He died July 9, 1992.
Survivors include: three daughters, Louetta C. Enns, Hillsboro, Lorine Gates, Catoosa, Okla., and Karen J. Adams, Maple Grove, Minn.; a brother, William Thomas, Butler, Mo.; two sisters, Louise Pratchard, Muskogee, Okla., and Pauline Craft, Butler, Mo.; eight grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Elvin Thomas; and a grandson.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Monitor Community Church of the Brethren, rural McPherson, with Pastor Leslie Frye presiding. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Glidden-Ediger Funeral Home, McPherson. Interment will be in Johannestal Cemetery, Hillsboro.
Memorials may be sent to the church or to Trash to Treasure, both in care of the funeral home, 222 West Euclid Street, McPherson, KS 67460.
Mildred L. Tockey
Mildred L. Tockey, 93, died Dec. 25, 2004, at Applingwood Health Care Center, Cordova, Tenn.
She was born Aug. 20, 1911, at Belgrade, Neb., the daughter of Charles Calvin and Emma Larson Slater. A Hutchinson resident, recently moving to Cordova, Tenn., she was a homemaker.
She belonged to Eastwood Church of Christ, Hutchinson.
On Dec. 25, 1931, she married
Earle Joseph Tockey at North Platte, Neb. He died April 1, 1971.
Survivors include: a son, Richard E. "Dick", Cordova, Tenn.; a daughter, Georgeane Rae Clark, Melbourne, Fla.; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by brother, Russel Slater; and a sister, Birdie Mae Slater.
Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Fairlawn Burial Park, Hutchinson, with Ernie Bishop presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, both at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, in care of the mortuary, 1219 North Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.
Helen M. Horton
LEOTI - Helen Margaret Horton, 89, died Dec. 28, 2004, at Wichita County Long Term Care Unit, Leoti.
She was born Jan. 27, 1915, at Kansas City. A resident of Leoti since 1997, moving from Sparks, Nev., she was a homemaker and an insurance underwriter for Firemans Fund Insurance Co.
Survivors include: a son, Dick, Deerfield; two daughters, Mary Lee Derking, Yreka, Calif., and Eleanor Gleason, Blackwell, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Andy; and six brothers.
A private family graveside service will be in Deerfield Cemetery, Deerfield, at a later date. The Rev. Warren Hett will preside. There will be no calling times.
Memorials may be sent to Wichita County Long Term Care Unit, in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, 620 North Main, Garden City, KS 67846.
Deborah Gum
LUBBOCK, Texas - Deborah Burkhard Gum, 51, of Lubbock, Texas, died Dec. 18, 2004, at Covenant Medical Center.
She was born Dec. 20, 1952, at Manhattan. A graduate of Manhattan High School, she earned degrees in cello performance from Kansas State University and the University of Arizona. She performed as a cellist in various musical organizations, including the Lubbock Symphony, Meridian Symphony Trio and Trillium Trio. Her extensive teaching career included positions at Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony and most recently the Meridian Public Schools and the Lubbock ISD.
She was president of the Orchestra Division of Mississippi Music Educators Association and of Mississippi Unit of American String Teachers Association. She was also an accomplished organist and pianist, having served as organist and choirmaster at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Meridian, Miss. She was a member of the Diocesan Commission on Music and Liturgy, Diocese of Mississippi and participated in Cursillo.
On Sept. 3, 1977, she married
Brian Gum at Wheeling, W.V. He survives.
Other survivors include: her parents, Kenneth and Maxine Burkhard, Manhattan; three sisters, Lynda Kraus, Lubbock, Texas, Vicki Nurre and husband Patrick, Seattle, Wash., and Kathy Lansdowne and husband David, Hutchinson; and nine nephews and nieces.
Memorial service was held Dec. 21, 2004, at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Lubbock, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Deborah Gum Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Office of Institution Advancement, P.O. Box 41081, Lubbock, TX 79409.
