U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Obituary Published November 18, 2006
Frances Fenner
Frances Fenner, 76, Conway, Ark., formerly a Jewell resident, died Oct. 9.
She was born June 24, 1930, in Guy, Ark., to the late Elmer and Verna Glover Joyner.
Fances helped her family farm and cooked at the Jewell Grade School.
Her hobbies included gardening, treasure hunting at yard sales, supporting the Razorback Hogs, hunting, fishing, playing ball with her kids and grandchildren and playing card games with friends and family.
She was a long time member of the New Hope Baptist Church, Conway, and had belonged to the Christian Church in Jewell.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Glover Joyner, and her sisters, JoAnn Hess and Barbara Watkins.
Survivors include 13 grandchildren and their spouses: Jennifer Fenner; Brandy Mayo and husband, Robert; Jeff Crumrine and wife, Jaci; Jami Williams, Christina McDaniel and husband, Chris; Nick Gates and wife, Danyel; Daniel Fenner; Katie Stehle and husband, Michael; Carin Byleveld and husband, Bertus; Cathy Simms and husband, Paul; Bryan Crumrin and wife, Courtney; Sarah Fenner and fiance, Justin Kimbrow; and Tanner Boling; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were her nephews Bruce, Bart, Britt and Buck Joyner; David Hess; Steve, Joe, Todd and Mitchell Watkins.
Obituaries Published February 16, 2007
Matthew Smith
Matthew "Matt" Smith, 21, Concordia, died Jan. 19 at Salina Regional Health Center. He was born June 3, 1985, at LaCrosse, the son of Dorance "Dean" Smith and Peggy Rixon.
His funeral was held at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Chapel, Concordia, Tuesday. Scott Longfellow and Jim Bond officiated. Cremation took place after the services with burial of the cremations planned for a later date.
George Greenberg
George Nelson Greenberg, 100, was the fourth of six children born to Carl (Charles) John and Ida Mae (Scouten) Greenberg. He was born April 6, 1906, on a Jewell County farm. He died at Jewell County Hospital Long Term Care.
He attended Custer Grade School and Kackley High School. He attended Vicksburg Baptist Church. After graduation, he taught school in Jewell County for 10 years.
Dec. 21, 1929, he married Grayce Haskins at Concordia. To this union three children were born.
In June, 1934, he went to work full time for Hart Grain Company in Randall. In the fall of 1934 the company sent him to Selden to manage their grain elevator. He managed it until August,1974. In the fall of 1980, the family moved to Mankato, where they bought a home and united with the Baptist Church. He worked as custodian for Jewell-Mitchell Rural Electric Association until January, 1997.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Grayce, in 2001; parents; stepmother; three brothers, Clarence, Marvin and Chester; two sisters, Mable Haskins and Maude Abram; half brother, Carl; half sister Mary Gray; stepbrother, Charles Tipton; stepsister, Mable McCoy; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Survivors are: daughters, Phyllis Layher, Worthing, S.D., Sharon Pope, Mankato; a son, Marvin, Smith Center; six grandchildren, Robert Layher, St. Charles, Mo., Barbara Henriksen, Savage, Minn., Edward Layher, Brandon, S.D., Russell Pope, Hoxie, Kari Murray, Mankato, Lisa Winter, Lawrence; 14 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great grandchildren.
Services were held Monday from the First Baptist Church, Mankato, with Pastor Neolin Taylor officiating. Pallbearers were Steve Robbins, Alec Robbins, Scott Neilson, Chester Greenberg, Bill Rudolph, and Mike Liggett. Interment was in Randall Cemetery, Randall. Melby Mortuary, Mankato, was in charge of arrangements.
Nadine Balch
Nadine Balch, 81, was born Oct. 17, 1925, at Longton, Kan., to Alva and Hazel (Bacus) Stangle. She died Jan. 17 at Jewell County Hospital.
She graduated from Moline High School and attended Wichita Business College. She worked for Federal Housing in Wichita during World War II.
She married George Balch on July 11, 1943, in Concordia. Nadine was a homemaker until the children were in school then returned to school and acquired her LPN degree. She enjoyed working as a nurse.
Nadine was active in the Mankato Senior Center and Formoso Senior Citizens. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, Montrose United Methodist Church and was a 50 year member of Order of the Eastern Star.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Larry Dean and George Jr.; her parents; two brothers, and a sister.
Survivors are her husband, George of the home; two sons, Robert and Gregory Balch, both of Woodward, Okla.; three daughters, Mrs. Luke San (Barbara), Farmville, Va., Mrs. Larry Pope (Janet), Coalgate, Okla., Mrs. William Raphael (Sheryl), Mustang, Okla.; six grandsons, Wesley San, Justin Pope, Brian Pope, Garrett Balch, Ryan Balch, and Hunter Raphael; one granddaughter, Amy San.
Services were held Saturday at the Montrose United Methodist Church, with Pastor Jim Rice officiating. Casket bearers were Justin Pope, Brian Pope, Garrett Balch, Ryan Balch, Steven Dunstan, and Jeff Keeler. Interment was in Balch Cemetery, Formoso. Melby Mortuary, Mankato, was in charge of arrangements.
Esther Yung
Esther M. Yung, 74, of Red Cloud, died Friday, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital.
Services will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Red Cloud Assembly of God Church.
Mrs. Yung was born Oct. 25, 1932, in Ruskin, to John C. and Viola (Spohnheimer) Wulf. She married Wendell Yung on Dec. 1, 1951. He preceded her in death on March 26, 1996. She was a homemaker and former operator of Yung's Donut Nook in downtown Superior.
Mrs. Yung was preceded in death by her parents, husband and a brother, Lawrence Wulf.
Survivors include a son, Marshal Yung, Hastings; daughters, Christal Clark, Grand Island, and Michella Reed, Red Cloud; sisters, Dorothy Schmidt, McCool Junction, Ruby Temple, Apache Junction, Ariz.; a brother, Kenneth Wulf, Guide Rock; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Flora Arnold
Flora S. Arnold, 96, daughter of Theodore and Annie (Crowder) Adams was born Sept. 27, 1910, at Edgar. She died Monday at Rose Brook Care Center, Edgar.
She attended Edgar schools and on Jan. 20, 1943, married Roy Arnold. She had been a member of the Edgar Christian Church. Fora left Edgar to live in Hastings from 1985 to 2000. When she returned to Edgar she became a resident of Rose Brook Care Center.
Flora and Roy did not have children of their own but they raised two boys, Ron Alsman and Ron Michel. Flora also adopted Laurie Hayes.
She was proceeded in death by her husband, Roy; parents; sisters, Agnes, Francis, Nellie, Fearn, Stella, Lonna and an infant; brothers, Floyd, Rowe, Clyde and an infant.
Survivors include her daughter, Laurie Hayes, Muscatine, Iowa; Ron Michel, Lincoln, Neb., and Ron Alsman.
Services will be 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at the Edgar Cemetery. Pastor David King will officiate. Williams Funeral Home, Edgar, is in charge of arrangements.
Obituaries Published July 4, 2007
Elda Evarts
Elda V. Evarts, 74, died May 11 at her residence in rural Harvey County. She was born July 11, 1932, to Earl and Effie May (Osborne) Imler in Republic. In May 1956 she married Volney D. Evarts in Nebraska. He preceded her in death.
She was a homemaker and a member of Meridian Baptist Church, Newton.
She is survived by a son, Neil, Lansing, two daughters, Sonja Pendergraft, Newton, Nola Durham, Tryon, N.C., a sister, Nita Janssen, Juniata, Neb., two sisters-in-law, Norma Imler, Juniata, Neb., and Marcile Imler, Hardy, Neb., and four grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were an infant daughter Nila Evarts; five brothers, Galen, Boyd, Elden, Cecil and Duane Imler; three sisters, Irla Imler, Marie Persinger and infant, Fern Imler.
Funeral services were held May 15 at Meridian Baptist Church with Pastors Jarroll Martens and Scott Kliewer officiating. Burial was in White Rock Cemetery north of Courtland. Miller Funeral Home, Hesston, was in charge of arrangements.
Aurie Field
Aurie W. Field, 82, Junction City, died June 25 at her home.
She was born June 14, 1945, in Meridian, Miss., the daughter of John D. and Karen E. (Haag) Edwards. She has lived in Junction City for nearly 40 years and worked for the First National Bank in Junction City for many years, retiring in March 2007 for health reasons. She married Stephen B. Field April 12, 1986 in Junction City. He survives.
Other survivors are three sons, Carl McNamara, Parker, Colo., Patrick McNamara, Pampano Beach, Fla., Dana Field, Silver Lake, two brothers, John Edwards, Statesville, N.C., and James Edwards, Virginia Beach, Va., two sisters, Mamye Hacker, Amarillo, Texas, and Mary Jerue, Citrus Heights, Calif., and three grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Services were held at Tuesday at the Junction City Church of the Nazarene with Rev. Jim Bond officiating. A graveside service was held Wednesday at the Balch Cemetery near Formoso, with Rev. Gene Little officiating.
Obituaries Published July 22, 2007
John Topliff
John "Elwyn" Topliff, 91, formerly of Jewell, Kansas, died Saturday, July 14, 2007, at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit. He was born July 17, 1915, to Ezra and Armida (Loucks) Topliff.
After graduating from Jewell High School and Kansas State University, he started farming. He married Ruby Haggart on Dec. 30, 1941. In October 1942 he joined the Navy and served until November 1945, attaining the rank of Aviation Machinist Mate 1st Class. A son, Harold, was born in 1946. Elwyn enjoyed farming and raising livestock for many years.
After the death of his first wife, Ruby, on Aug. 3, 1984, he married Gerry Henninger on April 29, 1989, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. After retiring from farming they moved to Beloit.
Preceding him in death were his parents, wife and daughter-in-law Marilyn (Ross) Topliff.
Surviving are his wife Gerry, Beloit; son, Harold and wife, Susan, Jewell; granddaughters, Angela Panek and Amy Topliff, Jewell; grandsons, Aaron Topliff, Randall, and Adam Topliff and wife, Jennifer, Wamego; three great-grandsons and two great granddaughters; a step-son, Don Henninger and wife, Diane, Omaha; step-grandson, Mark Henninger and wife and step-granddaughter, Shelli Sittler and husband; and one step-great grandson.
He served various church, county and cemetery board positions. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda and Gideons International and a lifetime member of KSU Alumni.
Pall bearers were Adam Topliff, Aaron Topliff, Mark Bean, Max Bean, Don Boyle and Dwight Daniels. Honorary bearers were Mike Bolte, Lannis Bolte, Ernest Endsley, Jim Kelly, Gene Butts, Tom Maxwell and Bill Thompson.
Services were held Tuesday, July 17, 2007, at 2 p.m. at Beloit First Christian Church. Burial was in Jewell Cemetery, Jewell.
Memorials may be given to Beloit First Christian Church or Gideons International. Visitation was Monday, July 15 from 2 to 8 p.m. at Kleppinger Funeral Home, 409 Broadway, Jewell, which is handling arrangements.
Leonard Countryman
Leonard Angelo Countryman was the fifth child born to John Elmer and Gertrude (Kin-cheloe) Countryman on Aug. 27, 1915. He grew up on the family farm five miles south, one mile east, and 12 mile south of Esbon, Kan. He attended West-branch School. Leonard was born in the midst of World War I and avoided the Spanish influenza epidemic when he was 3 years old. Leonard's teen years were during the "Great Depression and Dirty Thirties Drought Years." As few jobs were available, he shucked corn as far away as Iowa.
Leonard married Pearl Loomis on Aug. 3, 1936. They traveled to Tracey, Calif., looking for work. Leonard worked on several farms harvesting vegetables and fruits. After three months, Pearl was homesick and they returned to Kansas to take up farming with his father. Leonard and Pearl had four children, Dale Gene, Stephen Jack, Judy Coleen and Rita June. Pearl died Nov. 1, 1962. Leonard married Maxine Fall on Feb. 15, 1971. Maxine died Sept. 27, 1998.
Leonard was a lifelong farmer and rancher, selling his cattle when he was 85 years of age. He served as a school board member of the Westbranch and Esbon High School. The Esbon High School was built during his tenure. Music was an important part of Leonard's life. He taught himself to play the guitar, mandolin, harmonica, and violin. He accompanied his children singing for many PTA programs. Leonard was a good dancer and called square dances. He enjoyed recalling memories of his early years. One story was how he would get to dances. First of all, it required draining gasoline from the tractor to put in his Model T Coupe . He drove to Esbon and loaded up the Model T with friends. The car was stuffed full with the overflow hanging on the outside riding on the running boards. However, once at the Bohemian dance hall, he didn't have the 25 cents to get onto the dancing floor. So, he had to wait all evening until the last dance; it would be free. He would have his girl picked out to dance with and then ask to take her home.
Leonard moved to Beloit in May 2006, to be near his daughter, Rita and family. He was a resident of the Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems Long Term Care Facility. His physical health failed during this final year. He had a good mind until the end. His body was just worn out and Leonard was ready to pass to the next life. He asked Judith on Thursday, "Have you called the undertaker yet?" Leonard died July 13, 2007, at the Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems, Long Term Care Facility, Beloit, Kan., at the age of 91 years, 10 months, and 16 days.
We will greatly miss our father. His love of God was expressed by his compassion and dedication for his family and friends, caring for his farm animals and tending the soil of the earth. He never met a thistle that he didn't enjoy chopping down.
Survivors include two sons, Dale and wife, Becky Countryman, Salina; Steve and wife, Jayne Countryman, Bentley, Kan.; two daughters, Judy and husband, Blaine Wells, Cedaredge, Colo.; and Rita and husband, Dennis Thompson, Beloit; Maxine's son, A.C. Fall and wife, Kathy, Jasper, Mo.; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life was at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 17, 2007, at Melby Mortuary Chapel, Mankato, with Pastor Thaddeus Hinkle officiating. Music was performed by Ken Benedick and the hymns were "How Great Thou Art" and "Old Rugged Cross."
Casket bearers were Richard "Dick" Burns, Everett Benoit, Gail Burgess, Carl Figgins, Jerod Kinsey and George Burgess. Interment was in the Ionia Cemetery, Ionia. Memorials may be made to the Solomon Valley Hospice or Mitchell County Hospital Health System Long term Care Memorial Garden.
Arrangements were handled by Melby Mortuary, Mankato.
James Houdek
James William Houdek, 90, died July 13 at Mitchell County Health Systems, Beloit.
He was the son of Charles and Flossie (Dorman) Houdek, born July 20, 1916, on the farm near Cuba.
Jim attended Eureka Country School and graduated from Belleville High School in 1934. He attended one year of college. He married Delephene (Del) Lahodny on July 30, 1938, south of Munden at the residence of Amos Rundus.
His mother died when he was very young he and his dad went to live with his Grandmother Houdek who helped raise him.
Jim's hobbies included riding and raising horses. He and his horses participated in parades and trail rides.
After Jim and Del married, they lived on a farm north of Cuba for 47 years. In 1985 they moved to Jewell. Jim worked for the City of Jewell for a number of years and maintained his hobby of working with horses, cattle and his tractor.
Jim was a member of the Cuba Masonic Lodge for 65 years and was a charter member of the Cuba Lions Club serving for 52 years.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his wife in 1996.
Survivors include his daughter Wyona O'Connell, Jewell; grandchildren Buck and Kim Beam, Narka; John and Jan Kemmerer, Jewell; John and Deb Beam, Beloit; Jay and Lynette Beam, Cuba; Tim Davis, Gulf Port, Miss.; 10 great grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren.
Services were July 16 at the Christian Church, Jewell, with Pastor Dan Daniels and Henry Strnad officiating. Masonic rites were conducted by Cuba Lodge No. 362 A.F.&A.M. Burial was in the Jewell City Cemetery.
Tibbetts Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, was in charge of arrangements.
