Obituaries
Gertrude M. (Crooks) Wilkinson
Gertrude M. (Crooks) Wilkinson, 87, of Parsons died at 10:55 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 2009, at Elmhaven East nursing home in Parsons. She had been in failing health the past four years. Born to Leonidas Morton and Deborah Mary (Fesmire) Crooks in rural Neosho County on the family farm Aug. 1, 1921, Gertrude was the last of nine brothers and sisters. As a young girl, she grew up in Neosho County, where she attended Union School not far from the f...
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Wanda Lou Wheeles Main
WEST TOLUCA LAKE, Calif. — Wanda Lou Wheeles Main, 81, of West Toluca Lake, Calif., died on Monday, May 4, 2009. She was born in Parsons on Aug. 24, 1927. Survivors include her daughter, Katie Main of West Toluca Lake. Her husband, Danny Main, preceded her in death. Visitation was on Monday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, Calif. The service is at 10 a.m. today at St. Charles Catholic Church, North Hollywood, Calif.
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Addison Lee Vanderpool
Addison Lee Vanderpool, was stillborn at 10:10 p.m. Thursday, May 7, 2009, at Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg. She was born the daughter of Kevin Vanderpool of Labette City and Nichole Gray of McCune. Additional survivors include maternal grandparents, Wally and Shelly Gray of Woodstock, Ill.; paternal grandparents, Robert Vanderpool and Barbara Dunn of Labette City; six aunts and uncles, Carmen Gray, Tony and Doni Gray, all ...
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Euelia Lee Weidert-Decow
GALESBURG — Euelia Lee Weidert-Decow, 82, of Galesburg died at 1:10 a.m. Monday, May 11, 2009, at Parsons Presbyterian Manor. She is survived by her husband, John Decow, of the home. The service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in Valley Cemetery, rural Parsons. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society ...
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Chad E. Phillips
Chad E. Phillips, 38, of Parsons died Saturday, May 9, 2009, at the home of his brother in Parsons. He had been in his usual health, and death was not expected. He was born Sept. 12, 1970, in Parsons to James and Sharyl (Swofford) Phillips. He grew up and attended schools in Parsons and later joined Job Corps, where he earned his GED. At the time of his death, he was working as a laborer for Randy Hinman Construction in Parsons. Survivors incl...
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Gertrude M. Wilkinson
Gertrude M. Wilkinson, 87, of Parsons died at 10:55 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 2009, at Elmhaven East nursing home in Parsons. She had been in failing health the past four years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Newton Wilkinson, on Sept. 20, 1976. The service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at First Christian Church in Parsons. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Forbes-Hoff...
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Maynard W. Cook
Maynard W. Cook, 91, of Parsons died at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, May 10, 2009, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Oct. 12, 1917, in Lanesville to Judd W. and Anna (Kramer) Cook. As a young boy, he grew up near Montana, Kan., and later attended Labette County High School in Altamont. Through the years, he farmed, raised cattle and worked as a truck driver for the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant and Neosho County. He was a member ...
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Vera Marie Groner
ST. PAUL -- Vera Marie Groner, 96, a lifelong resident of St. Paul, died at 9:50 p.m. Friday, May 8, 2009, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. She was born July 1, 1912, in St. Paul to Edward A. and Agnes E. (Long) George. She grew up and attended schools in St. Paul, where she graduated from St. Francis High School in 1929. Following high school graduation, she taught three years at Moriarity country school. On Feb. 12, 1934, ...
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Frances I. Bourbina
ST. JOHN -- Frances I. Bourbina, 88, of St. John died Monday, April 27, 2009, at Leisure Homestead in St. John. She was born Jan. 5, 1921, at Abilene to Charles J. and Nina M. (Meeker) Sexton. She was a food service employee with Abilene schools before retiring. She married Lawrence Franklin Bourbina on June 1, 1940, in Manhattan. He died in 1991. Survivors include two sons, Arthur Bourbina of Independence and Charles Bourbina of Willard,...
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Delbert Johnson
OSWEGO -- Delbert W. Johnson, 70, of Oswego died Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at St John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin. He was born Sept. 29, 1938, in Lead Hill, Ark., to Robert Wayne and Dora Delpha (Warren) Johnson. He graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1956. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1957 and was a hydraulic specialist. He was discharged in 1961. He worked for several years as an aerospace engineer on the ...
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Edna Mog
FRONTENAC -- Edna V. Mog, 90, of Frontenac died at 6:50 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at her home. She was born Aug. 23, 1918, in Fairgrove, Mo., to Roscoe and Ola (Blunt) Tracy. She was raised in Parsons, where she attended schools, graduating from high school in 1937. In 1937, she married Chester Maupin. He preceded her in death. On April 23, 1959, she married Sinnie Mog. He preceded her in death Oct. 5, 1992. She was a seamstress and work...
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Jack E. Jones
DALLAS — Jack E. Jones, 80, of Dallas died Saturday, May 2, 2009, at his home. He was born Oct. 3, 1928, in Oswego to Guy and Velma Jones, who operated Guy’s Food Store in Oswego for more than 30 years. His wife, Mae Jones, survives. Other survivors include two daughters, Debbie Warrick and Robin Kelly; four grandsons; and a brother, Jerry Jones. A memorial service was Tuesday at First United Methodist Church in Richardson, Texas. Burial...
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Laura Belle Hall 1932-2008
Laura Belle Hall, 76, a longtime resident of the Toronto area, died Friday, May 2, 2008, at the Life Care Center, Burlington. She was born Jan. 29, 1932, in Lincoln, Ark., to James and Goldie Mae Mercer Haile. She worked as a seamstress for Jostens for 25 years before retiring in 1998. Her greatest joys in life were her close friends in Toronto and watching her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and flowers grow from her love. Survi...
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Robert Dean "Bob" Brinkman 1928-2008
Robert Dean "Bob" Brinkman, 79, Chanute, passed away Thursday morning, May 1, 2008, at St. Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Okla., following a brief illness. Robert was born at home, east of Humboldt, on Dec. 27, 1928, to Frank William Brinkman and Ethel Baker Brinkman. He attended Humboldt High School and served in the United States Navy from 1946 until 1949. He met his bride-to-be, Letha N. Lassman, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church Sunday School and...
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Thelma L. Mason
Our precious mom, Thelma L. Mason, 88, of Colorado Springs, passed away at her home on Saturday, May 2, 2009. She was born on January 29, 1921, in Parsons, Kansas, to Albert F. and Addie Cook Hornback. Thelma attended Parsons schools graduating from Parsons High School. After graduation, she worked at Western Union, and during World War II, she worked at the Kansas Ordnance Plant. She married the love of her life, Tom Mason, on February 19...
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Paul E. Smith
ERIE — Paul Eugene “Corkey” Smith, 79, of Erie died Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He was born May 13, 1929, in Blue Mound to Roy John Sr. and Josie Alice (Brownback) Smith. Mr. Smith was diagnosed in 1954 with multiple sclerosis and then retired from Boeing. He enjoyed traveling, working around the house and in the yard. He married Lois Marie Carley on June 26, 1948, in Kincaid. She survives. Other...
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Walter C. Vitt
ST. PAUL — Walter C. Vitt, 79, a lifelong resident of St. Paul, died at 4:25 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2009, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He had been in failing health. He was born Aug. 16, 1929, in St. Paul to George H. and Helen C. “Nellie” (Judge) Vitt. He grew up and attended schools in St. Paul, where he graduated from St. Francis High School. He then attended Kansas State University for a short period before entering the ...
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Sharon L. Peterson
ALTAMONT — Sharon L. Peterson, 69, of Altamont, died at 4:10 a.m. Sunday, May 3, 2009, at Labette Health following a courageous 12-year battle with cancer. She was born March 13, 1940, at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott to Roy L. and Neva (Ramsey) Vanlandingham. As a child, she moved with her family to Parsons where she attended schools and was a 1958 graduate of Parsons High School. For a time, Sharon worked as a telephone operator before begin...
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Walter C. Vitt
ST. PAUL -- Walter C. Vitt, 79, of St. Paul died at 4:25 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2009, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He had been in failing health. He is survived by his wife, Pauline Vitt, of the home. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Francis Catholic Church, where the family will ...
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Margaret Peterson
Margaret Peterson, 88, of Thayer died at 3:36 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2009, at her home. She had been in failing health. She was born Dec. 23, 1920, near Castleton to Carey and Imogene (Lyle) Hanes. She grew up in the Hutchinson area and graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1938. Following high school, she attended a business college. She married Homer Pollock. He preceded her in death. On April 13, 1997, she married Orval E. Peterson at Cha...
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