Obituaries
Kenneth D. Clasen
WICHITA — Kenneth D. Clasen, 79, a retired farmer and cattleman, beloved husband, father, brother and "Pop," passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, after an extended illness. Mr. Clasen served in the U.S. Army and spent 29 years fulfilling his passion for farming near St. Paul until retiring in 1992 to Wichita. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Patricia; two sons, Kenny Clasen of Garland, Texas, and Mark (Chris) Clasen of Seward; two da...
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Loma Lorene Hayden
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Loma Lorene Hayden, 88, formerly of Cherryvale, died on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in Roseville, Calif. She grew up in rural Southeast Kansas and taught school briefly during World War II. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merle Hayden; parents Clarence and Frieda Fateley; and her brother, Clarence “Bud” Fateley Jr. She is survived by her daughter Delight Nelms of Rocklin, Calif.; a son, Stan Hayden of Cherryvale; thr...
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Ann F. Pontious
Ann F. Pontious, 99, of Parsons died at 1:55 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, at Elmhaven East. She was born Dec. 14, 1913, in Parsons to John F. and Annie M. (Quirin) Journot. As a young girl, she grew up on a farm southwest of Parsons and was a graduate of Dennis High School. She received nursing training at the Fort Scott Hospital and Mercy Hospital in Parsons. Through the years, she worked as a licensed practical nurse at Mercy Hospital, Labet...
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Charles Read Oakleaf Sr.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Charles Read Oakleaf, Sr., 99, of Hot Springs, Ark., formerly of Mound Valley, died at 12:05 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, at his home.              He was born Nov. 8, 1913, at Mound Valley to Orton and Helena (Read) Oakleaf.              During World War II, Charles served in the United States Army. Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to Mound Valley, where he farmed and retired as a postmaster with the U.S. Postal S...
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Emma Jean Hoffman
SAN MARCOS, Texas — Emma Jean Hoffman of San Marcos, Texas, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at age 87. She was born Oct. 1, 1925, in Fort Scott to Orville W. and Kate Arnold. She moved with her parents and older brother to Parsons, when she was in the sixth grade. She enjoyed her time in school and remembered all her teachers. She shared many fond childhood memories with her family...
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Hurschel Buscher
ERIE — Hurschel Buscher, 71, of rural Erie died at 9:04 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born on July 2, 1941, at Chanute to Henry and Wilma (Erbe) Buscher. He grew up near Stark where he attended country schools and graduated from Grant Rural Township High School in 1959. He served in the United States Army for three years in Army security and served in Vietnam for 11 months. He was also station...
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Ann F. Pontious
Ann F. Pontious, 99, of Parsons died at 1:55 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, at Elmhaven East. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, where the family will receive friends immediately following the rosary. Memorials are suggested to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. These may be left at ...
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Charles Read Oakleaf Sr.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Charles Read Oakleaf Sr., 99, of Hot Springs, Ark., formerly of Mound Valley, died at 12:05 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, at his home. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Jean (Hite) Oakleaf, on Oct. 14, 1998. The service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Mound Valley United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Mound Valley Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman...
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Betty L. McWilliams
Betty L. McWilliams, 89, of Parsons died at 5:20 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at Oswego Community Hospital. She was born Sept. 14, 1923, in Fort Scott to William S. and Blanche Emma (Williams) Batley.  She grew up in Fort Scott where she attended schools and was a graduate of Fort Scott High School and later Fort Scott Junior College, where she earned a teaching certificate. She taught one year prior to marriage. On April 17, 1946, she marri...
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Irene Smith
Irene Smith, 88, a former Parsons and Erie resident, died at 3:14 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. She had been in failing health. She was born on Oct. 31, 1924, at Banzet, Okla., to Ira L. and Edna Gladys (Davis) Williamson. She grew up near Banzet and at South Mound and attended schools there. She worked at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant and later at J.C. Penney, retiring in 1990. She wa...
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Robert Lee Baird
ATASCADERO, Calif. — Robert Lee Baird, 90, of Atascadero, Calif., died at 7:40 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013, at Country Care Convalescent Hospital, in Atascadero. Mr. Baird was born June 4, 1922, in Tulsa to Harry and Bertha (Fillman) Baird. He had lived in California the past four years moving from Mound Valley. He retired from the Sante Fe Railroad after working 40 years as a train engineer. He served during World War II as a merchant marine...
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Lee Carnahan Jr.
ALTAMONT — Lee Carnahan Jr., 89, of Altamont died at his home Thursday evening, Feb. 14, 2013. Death was unexpected. He was born Jan. 5, 1924, in rural Parsons to William Lee Sr. and Olive (Houghton) Carnahan. He grew up in the rural Parsons area and moved with his family as a young adult to the family farm west of Altamont. He graduated from Parsons High School in 1942, where he excelled in FFA activities. He also attended Parsons Junior Co...
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Donald Thomas Ginn
Donald Thomas Ginn, 95, a longtime local contractor of Parsons, died at 2:20 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at Woodridge Estates in Parsons, where he had resided since December 2009.  He was born June 18, 1917, in Blue Earth, Minn., to Thomas Elton and Hazel (Hainsworth) Ginn. At age 12, he moved to Kansas where he lived in the Dennis and Stark areas before moving to Parsons.  He married Maxine A. Olson in May 1936.  She preceded him in death ...
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Virginia Dennis
FORSYTH, Mo. — Virginia Dennis, 93, former Parsons resident, died at 12:17 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at the Cox Medical Center in Branson, Mo. She moved from Parsons to Forsyth, Mo., in 2003. She was born Aug. 27, 1919, in Parsons to Earl Thomas and Ruth B. (Green) Holmes. She grew up in Parsons and attended Parsons High School. On July 6, 1937, she married E. Eugene “Gene” Dennis, also of Parsons, in Hollywood, Calif. Several months late...
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Virginia Dennis
FORSYTH, Mo. — Virginia Dennis, 93, of Forsyth, Mo., formerly of Parsons, died at 12:17 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at the Cox Hospital at Branson, Mo. Further obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by the Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
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Norma L. Gragg
BEDFORD, Texas — Norma L. Gragg, 87, of Bedford, Texas, formerly of Cherryvale, died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, at Kindred Transitional Care and Rehabilitation in Grapevine, Texas. She was born Jan. 1, 1926, in Pershing, Okla., the daughter of Cecil Page and Edna Emma Wilhelmina (Nickoley) Fish. She was a native of Mound Valley and graduated from Mound Valley High School. On Aug. 14, 1944, in Mound Valley she married Henry Gragg Jr. He preceded ...
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Irene Smith
ST. PAUL — Irene Smith, 88, a former Parsons and Erie resident, died at 3:14 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. She was preceded in death by her husband, William H. "Bill" Smith, on Jan. 2, 2003. The service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Memorial Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. M...
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Donald T. Ginn
Donald T. Ginn, 95, of Parsons died at 2:20 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at Woodridge Estates in Parsons.  Complete obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Richard W. Hoffman
Richard W. Hoffman, 86, of Wichita died at 2:35 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, at the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center at Via Christi St. Francis Campus in Wichita. He was born Oct. 9, 1926, in the Coy community of rural Woods County, Okla., to Benjamin Franklin and Cinderella (Sellers) Hoffman. During World War II, he served as a mechanic in the United States Army Air Corps. He married Opel Keesee on April 24, 1948, in Vinita, Okla. They ...
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Richard Hoffman
WICHITA — Richard Hoffman, 86, of Wichita died at 2:35 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, at the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center at Via Christi St. Francis Campus in Wichita. Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons will announce complete obituary details and funeral arrangements later. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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