Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Marie D. Sellberg
McPHERSON - Marie D. Sellberg, 78, died Aug. 27, 2004, in an automobile accident near Wichita.
She was born April 26, 1926, at Melrose Park, Ill., the daughter of Peter and Rose Mannoia Scittine. A resident of McPherson since 1950, moving from Chicago, she retired as executive director of cooperative education at Wichita State University. She also worked part time in the registrars office.
She belonged to McPherson Free Methodist Church. She served 19 years on the Board of Directors of Kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
On Aug. 24, 1946, she married
Marvin E. Sellberg at Chicago. He survives, of the home.
Other survivors include: a son, Dr. Martin Sellberg, Wichita; two daughters, Marcia Meyer, Paradise Valley, Ariz., and Marlene Waltz, Kansas City, Mo.; her mother, Spring Arbor, Mich.; a brother, Andrew Scittine, Broadview, Ill.; three sisters, Rose Meads, Patricia Burbridge, both of Spring Arbor, Mich., and Dorothy Storey, Muskegon, Mich.; and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Vincent Scittine.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Free Methodist Church, McPherson, with the Revs. Tom Griffith and Kenneth Chapman presiding. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, with family present from 6 to 8 p.m., at Stockham Family Funeral Home, McPherson. Burial will be in McPherson Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Central Christian College of Kansas, in care of the funeral home.
Wilbur D. 'Bill' Brown
GARDEN CITY - Wilbur D. "Bill" Brown, 82, died Aug. 27, 2004, at High Plains Retirement Village, Lakin.
He was born Aug. 10, 1922, at Summerville, Mo., the son of Curles and Edna Tuttle Brown. He attended schools in Pratt. A resident of Garden City since 2002, moving from Stanton County and Pratt, he worked as a farmer and rancher. Later, he worked for Johnson School District in the maintenance department. He also worked most of his life for Stanton County Road Department, retiring in 1989.
He belonged to First United Methodist Church and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Johnson, and he was a former member of the Odd Fellows.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
On May 2, 1942, he married
Grace Friend at Tribune. She survives, of the home.
Other survivors include: a son, Wilbur Dwight "Bub" Jr., Porterville, Calif.; four daughters, Roberta Jean Ennis, Porterville, Calif., Rayna Jo Brown and Shelley Annette Stroup, both of Garden City, and Lori Ann Kochanowski, Salina; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by: five brothers; and three sisters.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church, Johnson, with the Rev. Glenn Fogo presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, at Garnand Funeral Home, Garden City. Burial will be in Stanton County Cemetery, with military graveside rites conducted by VFW of Stanton County.
Memorials may be sent to the Stanton County Veterans Memorial, in care of the funeral home.
Helen K. Mangels
ROLLA - Helen K. Mangels, 74, died Aug. 28, 2004, at Morton County Hospital, Elkhart.
She was born Aug. 22, 1930, in Morton County, the daughter of Eli Richard and Bertha Katherina Nusser Mangels. She graduated from Rolla High School. A resident of Rolla for more than seven years, moving from San Diego, she worked as a beautician at San Diego and she served meals at Rolla Senior Center, Rolla, for the last four years.
She belonged to Clairmont Lutheran Church, San Diego.
Survivors include: a brother, Robert Lee Mangels, Rolla; a sister, Loeta Ann Thomas, Dodge City; nephews and nieces; and a host of other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by: a brother, Keith; two sisters, Pauline Brown and Esther Harford; and a niece.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Rolla Cemetery, with the Rev. Gary Stafford presiding. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Paul's Funeral Home, Hugoton.
Memorials may be sent to Victory in the Valley, Wichita, in care of the funeral home.
Cpt. Byron E. Batthauer, USNR (Ret.)
OVERLAND PARK - Cpt. Byron E. Batthauer, USNR (Ret.), 74, died Aug. 23, 2004, at Garden Terrace, Overland Park.
He was born Oct. 18, 1929, at Marion, the son of Alex and Pauline Batthauer, of Hutchinson. He graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1947. He worked prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy as a Surveyor Third Class, Sea Bee Battalion, Hutchinson.
In 1954, he completed a civil engineering degree at Kansas State University. Later, having accepted an instructor's position in the departments of civil engineering and applied mathematics at KSU, he continued his education and completed his master's degree in engineering while fulfilling his teaching obligations. In 1954, Byron graduated as an ensign from the Naval Officer Candidate School, Newport, R.I. In 1956, as a lieutenant junior grade, he was awarded his naval aviator wings. The "Wings Pinning" ceremony was conducted at Hutchinson Naval Air Station, Hutchinson.
As his career developed, it evolved into a dual-career path. In the U.S. Navy, Byron had flying and command responsibilities. On the civilian side, he worked for McDonald Douglas Aircraft Company and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), encompassing aircraft testing and research activities. Both careers included flying assorted aircraft, management of personnel and responsibilities for airworthiness and missions throughout the world.
Byron rose to the rank of Captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He commanded three separate reserve squadrons. In 1977, he was appointed as commanding officer of Fleet Logistics Squadron 52 - the largest transport reserve squadron in the U.S. Navy. The squadron operated around-the-clock, seven days a week, and provided support to U.S. Naval forces throughout Europe, the Pacific and Far East.
In civilian life, he was a research and test pilot. He retired as Chief Pilot, Flight Operations, NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1994. During his career, flight checkouts were earned in more than 40 different aircraft, with over 20, 000 hours of logged flight time.
He was also the recipient of NASA's Exceptional Service Medal. The award was in recognition of improvements to research productivity and safe operation of Lewis Research Center Flight Operations through superior management.
In 1986, he was inducted into the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. The society is an organization of approximately 2, 000 members from 30 countries throughout the world.
In 1987, the Advanced Turboprop Project Team, of which he was the NASA Chief Research Test Pilot and Operational Manager, received the Collier Aviation Trophy. The Collier Trophy has been called the greatest and most prized of all aeronautical honors in America.
Survivors include: his wife of 54 years, Ramona; a son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Jennifer; a daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Chris Coates; and two grandsons, Chad and Ben.
Byron was preceded in death by his parents.
He was a gentleman, patriot, loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed.
Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park.
Memorials may be sent to Byron and Ramona Batthauer Hutchinson High School Scholarship Fund or to the Hutchinson Community Foundation, P.O. Box 298, Hutchinson, KS 67504.
Reba Faye Brison
GOESSEL - Reba Faye Brison, 69, died Aug. 28, 2004, at Bethesda Home, Goessel.
She was born June 1, 1935, at Henryetta, Okla., the daughter of Doyle and Ruby Tipton Pickel. An eight-year resident of Goessel, formerly of Henryetta, Okla., she worked as a secretary at OSU Technical College, Okmulgee, Okla., as a scheduler at Cessna, Wichita, and a nurse's aide at Bethesda Home, Goessel.
She belonged to Nazarene Church, Henryetta, Okla.
On Oct. 13, 1956, she married
George Brison. He died in October, 1990.
Survivors include: a daughter, Lori Jenkins, rural Goessel; two brothers, Doyle Gene and Ronald Pickel, both of Henryetta, Okla.; her mother, Ruby Tipton, Henryetta, Okla.; and a grandchild.
She was preceded in death by a son.
Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, rural Goessel, with the Rev. Mark Wiens presiding. Graveside service will be Tuesday in Westlawn Cemetery, Henryetta, Okla.
Memorials may be sent to Bethesda Home, Goessel, in care of Miller Funeral Home, Goessel.
Mary Orilla Coerber
ELKHART - Mary Orilla Coerber, 93, died Aug. 27, 2004, at Morton County Care Center, Elkhart.
She was born Sept. 7, 1910, at Fellsburg, the daughter of Thomas Perry and Mary L. Madden Sparke. A resident of Elkhart since 1991, formerly of Eugene, Ore., she was a homemaker.
She belonged to Christ Lutheran Church, Elkhart.
On Oct. 25, 1945, she married
Harold Arthur Coerber at Dodge City. He died May 11, 1991.
Survivors include: four nephews, Robert A. Tucker, Winfield, C. Leroy Tucker, Wichita, Harold E. Tucker, Elkhart, and J.R. Sparke, Council Grove; five nieces, Betty Mollahan, Houston, Debra Sparke, Randolph, Denise Unruh, Pratt, Marry J. Orrill, Colorado Springs, and Lola Noll, Broaddus, Texas.
She was preceded in death by: five brothers, Edward, Fred, Milton, Cecil and James Sparke; and three sisters, Viola Tucker, Ella Sparke and Dorothy Seller.
Cremation is planned and a family graveside service will be held at a later date in Fellsburg Cemetery, Fellsburg.
Memorials may be sent to a charitable organization of the donor's choice, in care of Garnand Funeral Home, Elkhart.
Thomas Arthur 'T.A.' Courtney
GARDEN CITY - Thomas Arthur "T.A." Courtney, 74, died Aug. 27, 2004, at Terrace Garden Care Center, Garden City.
He was born March 3, 1930, at Greenfield, Mo., the son of Willard and Mildred Davis Courtney.
He belonged to First United Methodist Church, Hugoton.
Survivors include: four cousins, Betty Jackson, Joplin, Mo., Peggy Lilienkamp, Maironville, Mo., Mary Lou Hall, Bernice, Okla., and Gean Marrow, Lebanon, Mo.; and a number of caregivers and friends.
Graveside service will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Hugoton Cemetery, Hugoton, followed by a memorial service at 1 p.m., at Terrace Garden Care Center, Garden City, with the Rev. Greg Lindenberger presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at Kitch-Brenneman Funeral Home, Liberal.
Memorials may be sent to Terrace Garden Care Center, in care of the funeral home.
