Obituaries in Kansas Newspapers (arranged by city)
Michael R. Axman
OLMITZ - Michael R. Axman, 48, died Oct. 31, 2004, at his home.
He was born Feb. 10, 1956, at Great Bend, the son of Jerome T. and Betty Mae Smolik Axman. A lifetime Olmitz resident, he was a mechanic for Jomax Construction.
He belonged to St. Ann Catholic Church, Olmitz, and was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.
On Aug. 27, 1977, he married
Peggy Tomanek at WaKeeney. She survives.
Other survivors include: his mother, Olmitz; two sons, Chad, Hutchinson, and Greg Axman, Olmitz; a daughter, Lisa Axman, Olmitz; two brothers, Joe F., Olmitz, and Paul Axman, Hoisington; three sisters, Lillian Palsmeier, Conway Springs, Barb Boldt, Oakley, and Rita Hickel, Hoisington; and two grandchildren.
Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with a Knights of Columbus Rosary following, both at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Olmitz. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with Father Ultan Murphy presiding. Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, and from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Interment will be in St. Ann Cemetery, Olmitz.
Memorials may be sent to Knights of Columbus Council No. 2100, in care of the funeral home.
Paula A. King
COLDWATER - Paula Arnette King, 69, died Oct. 31, 2004, at Comanche County Hospital, Coldwater.
She was born Nov. 22, 1934, at Ashland, the daughter of Oliver P. and Edra P. Shields McCay. She graduated from Coldwater High School in 1952. A lifetime Comanche County resident, she was a bookkeeper at the Western Star Newspaper, a dispatcher for the Comanche County Sheriff's Office and a homemaker.
She belonged to many local bridge clubs.
On Jan. 1, 1953, she married
Richard K. King at Buttermilk. He survives.
Other survivors include: two sons, Robert, Laverne, Okla., and Nathan King, Emporia; three daughters, Richelle Wolgram, Pueblo, Colo., Shannon Thompson, Alva, Okla., and Jennifer King, Coldwater; a sister, Michelyn Williams, Yelm, Wash.; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, Karen McCay.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, Coldwater, with the Revs. Kent Little and Deanna Fluck presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, Coldwater. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery, Coldwater.
Memorials may be sent to the church, South Wind Hospice or the American Cancer Society, all in care of the funeral home.
Richard Lovell
DODGE CITY - Richard Dale Lovell, 65, died Oct. 26, 2004, at Dodge City.
He was born Sept. 6, 1939, at Bentonville, Ark., the son of Warnie "Butch" and Ona Oxford Lovell. A longtime area resident, moving from Bentonville in 1941, he was a truck driver for Graves Truck Line, as well as a handyman.
Survivors include: four daughters, Dalene Craig, Bucklin, Janell Tennet, Boise, Idaho, Tonya Lovell, Orangevale, Calif., and Shawna Thibado, Fair Oaks, Calif.; two sisters, Eula Kreger, Rock Island, Wash., and Ruby Redding, Duncan, Okla.; and 11 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sheril Jayne Lucas; his parents; a brother, Jack Lovell; and a sister, Geneva Pritchett.
Memorial graveside services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday in Greencrest Memorial Gardens, Dodge City. There will be no public visitation.
Memorials may be sent to the Richard Dale Lovell Memorial Fund, in care of Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City.
Atha L. Kershner
LA CROSSE - Atha L. Kershner, 73, died Oct. 31, 2004, at St. Joseph Health Center, Kansas City, Mo.
She was born Dec. 1, 1930, at Nekoma, the daughter of Anthony C. and Fanny Moore Hall. A lifetime Rush County resident, she was a teacher for more than 30 years in Rush and Ness county school systems.
She belonged to United Methodist Church, Alexander.
On May 17, 1948, she married
Dwight R. Kershner at La Crosse. He died July 6, 2002.
Survivors include: a son, Scott K., Rush Center; a daughter, Michele L. Tyler, La Crosse; two sisters, Margie Scheuerman, La Crosse, and Marilea Wendler, Nekoma; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by infant twin brothers, a brother, Wayne Hall, and a granddaughter, Ashley Dawn Whittom.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, Alexander, with the Rev. Herman Lambrecht presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, with the family receiving friends from 7 to 9 p.m., at Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, and 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Thursday, at the church. Interment will be in Alexander Cemetery, Alexander.
Memorials may be sent to Atha L. Kershner Memorial, in care of the funeral home.
Juanita Nichols
LIBERAL - Juanita Nichols, 91, died Oct. 30, 2004, at Southwest Medical Center, Liberal.
She was born July 5, 1913, at Domby, Okla., the daughter of B.F. and Laura E. Kinyon Houseman. She attended school at Domby and moved to Liberal in 1948.
On April 6, 1935, she married
Charles Buxton. He died in 1939. On Aug. 22, 1943, she married
George Nichols at Liberal. He died Aug. 3, 1996.
Survivors include: two sons, Leroy Buxton and Terry Nichols, both of Liberal; two daughters, Trish Ingland, Liberal, and Phyllis Silcott, Fairview, Okla.; two sisters, Estie Siebert, Ulysses, and Thelma Bowers, Hooker, Okla.; eight grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by four brothers; a sister; and three grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Miller Mortuary Chapel, Liberal, with the Rev. Rex Petty presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to service time Wednesday at the mortuary. Interment will be in Restlawn Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be sent to Liberal Home Health and Hospice, in care of the mortuary.
Claudia Almaraz
HOLCOMB - Claudia Almaraz, 17, died Oct. 30, 2004, at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus, Wichita.
She was born Aug. 7, 1987, at Garden City, the daughter of Javier and Susana Camarillo Almaraz. She was a junior at Holcomb High School.
She belonged to St. Mary Catholic Church and The Upward Bound at Garden City Community College.
Survivors include: her parents, of the home; a brother, Javier Almaraz Jr., of the home; two sisters, Johanna and Stephanie Almaraz, both of the home; grandparents, Jesus Camarillo and Melecia Labra Sanchez, both of Mexico; and several uncles, aunts and cousins.
Memorial Mass will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Garden City, with Father James E. Baker presiding. There will be no visitation. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery, Garden City.
Memorials may be sent to Claudia Almaraz Memorial Fund, in care of Garnand Funeral Home, Garden City.
Melba Ruth Bigham
ST. JOHN - Melba Ruth Bigham, 88, died Oct. 30, 2004, at Hynes Hospice Center, Wichita.
She was born Dec. 7, 1915, at Saint John, the daughter of Marvin D. and Fannie M. Dowdy Broadfoot. A 1933 graduate of Saint John High School, Saint John, she was a homemaker and worked in a department store. She lived in Saint John for 84 years, moving to Derby four years ago.
She belonged to Church of Christ, Saint John.
In 1937, she married
Fred Benford. In 1943, she married
William H. Bigham. He preceded her in death.
Survivors include: a son; three daughters; a brother; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Fairview Park Cemetery, Saint John, with George Shelton presiding.
Memorials may be sent to Maude Carpenter's Children's Home, in care of Minnis Chapel, Saint John, which is in charge of arrangements.
Thomas E. Myers
OLMITZ - Thomas Eugene Myers, 46, died Nov. 19, 2004, in an automobile accident.
He was born Nov. 16, 1958, at Great Bend, the son of Thomas Richard and Carolyn McMullen Myers. A 10-year Olmitz resident, formerly of Ellinwood, he was a furniture maker for La Crosse Furniture. He also worked in retail sales for West Ltd., Great Bend, and Anthony's, Hutchinson.
He belonged to Golden Belt Pool League 8-Ball Bulldogs.
Survivors include: a longtime companion, Sue Lebbin, of the home; two daughters, Nique Brown, Liberal, and Whitney Myers, Garden City; his mother, Carolyn McMullen Crouse, Radium; three brothers, Gene Pickinpaugh, Toby, Ill., Dick Myers, Ellinwood, and Doug Myers, Dodge City; a half brother, John Bolander, Osage, Okla.; two sisters, Carolyn Clark, Ellinwood, and Debbie Borger, Jetmore; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father and a half brother.
Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Calvary Baptist Church, Ellinwood, with the Rev. Roy Savage presiding. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at Kimple Funeral Home, Ellinwood. Burial will be in Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery, Ellinwood.
Memorials may be sent to Beckwith-Wediman Research, in care of the funeral home.
Margaret H. Harter
McPHERSON - Margaret H. Harter, 92, died Nov. 20, 2004, at Infinia Health Center, McPherson.
She was born May 20, 1912, at Bay City, Mich., the daughter of Robert and Ethel Swayze Thomas. A McPherson resident since 1953, formerly of Howell, Mich., she was a retired restaurant cook, working at White Swan Restaurant, Kemp's Restaurant and Elks Lodge.
She belonged to Seventh Day Adventist Church, McPherson.
Survivors include: four sons, Lee Danyluk, Lyons, Charles A. Harter, Windom, Brian W. Harter, McPherson, and Jeffrey Harter, Marquette; a daughter, Scherryl A. Harter, McPherson; 13 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in McPherson Cemetery, with the Rev. John Rosengren presiding. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Stockham Family Funeral Home, McPherson.
Memorials may be sent to Alzheimer's Disease and Disorders Association or Seventh Day Adventist Church, McPherson, both in care of the funeral home.
