Obituaries
Ernest Q. "Ernie" Smith
WALNUT -- Ernest Q. "Ernie" Smith, 80, of Walnut died Tuesday morning, June 2, 2009, at his home. His wife, Eva, survives of the home. The service will at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Christian Church in Erie with the Rev. Paul Elliott officiating. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery with military honors given by the George L. Hendricks Post 102, American Legion. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Pierce-Carson-Wal...
full story
Ronald 'R.J./Bubba' Wilson
Ronald James "R.J./Bubba" Wilson, 2, died Friday evening, May 29, 2009, as a result of smoke inhalation from a fire at his family home in Parsons. He was born Feb. 12, 2007, in Parsons to Ronald and Amanda (Whitson) Wilson. He loved to play ball and watch his favorite movie, "Barney." He especially enjoyed spending time with his two sisters, Breana and Franchesca, and his aunt Kelly. Survivors include his parents, Ronald and Amanda Wilso...
full story
Ronald J. "R.J." Wilson
Ronald J. "R.J." Wilson, the 2-year-old son of Amanda J. and Ronald M. Wilson, died Friday evening, May 29, 2009, from smoke inhalation in a fire at his family home in Parsons. His service will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home. Burial will be in Springhill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Complete obituary details will be announced by the funeral home.
full story
William G. 'Bill' Hines
William G. 'Bill' Hines HUTCHINSON -- William G. "Bill" Hines, 85, of Hutchinson died at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, May 31, 2009, at the Ralph Thorne Care Center in Hutchinson. He had lived in Hutchinson since December 2006. He was born May 8, 1924, in Neosho County to George Ola and Vietta Victoria (Seibert) Hines. He graduated from Erie High School in 1943. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army. He received seven battle stars while servin...
full story
Frank Ryan
Frank Ryan, 58, of Parsons died at 5:55 a.m. Saturday, May 30, 2009, at the family home of Debbie Ryan in Parsons following a brief illness. He was born April 14, 1951, at Mercy Hospital in Parsons to Jim and Peggy Titus. He grew up and attended schools in Parsons, where he graduated from St. Patrick's High School in 1969. While attending St. Pat's, he played basketball, football and baseball and held records in shot put, javelin and discu...
full story
Robert L. Black
MOUND VALLEY -- Robert L. Black, 81, of rural Mound Valley died at 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 1, 2009, at his home. His wife, Ruby, survives of the home. The service will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Pleasant Hill Church and burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
full story
Brendan Rollins Harris
OVERLAND PARK -- Brendan Rollins Harris, 42, of Overland Park died Thursday, May 28, 2009, at his home. He was born Aug. 19, 1966, in Olathe to John Rollins and Phyllis Kay (Smith) Harris. He graduated from Cawker City Waconda East High School and Kansas Wesleyan College with a bachelor of science degree. He was an accountant for Cohen-Esrey Real Estate for two years. Survivors include his mother; a sister, Julie Regan Harris of Edgerton; ...
full story
George W. Pluto Jr.
DALLAS -- George W. Pluto Jr., 84, of Dallas, died Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, in Dallas. He was born July 7, 1924, in Parsons. He served in the military in World War II. He attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned degrees in math and physics. Mr. Pluto was president and owner of the Dallas-based Texas Testing Laboratories. Survivors include his wife, Sara Lynn; two daughters, Susan Howden and Debbie Herring; two sons, Mitchell Plu...
full story
Lois Ann Kirk
WEBB CITY, Mo. -- Lois Ann Kirk, 69, of Webb City, Mo., died at 12:33 p.m. Sunday, May 31, 2009, at her home following a lengthy illness. She was born May 1, 1940, in Hallowell. She had lived in the Webb City area since 1969. She was employed with the former Jasper County Title Co. and Abbey Title Co. prior to her retirement in 2006. She was an active member of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Webb City. She married Dewey D. Kirk on July 11, 195...
full story
E. Lucille Tolle
ERIE -- E. Lucille Tolle, 96, of Erie died at 6:50 a.m. Thursday, May 28, 2009, at Guest Home Estates in Erie. The graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Clintonville Cemetery at El Dorado Springs, Mo. Burial will follow. The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Erie. Memorials are suggested to Guest Home Estates in Erie and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, 303 N. Gra...
full story
Lawrence M. Riggs
WYANDOTTE, Okla. -- Lawrence Melvin Riggs, 84, of Wyandotte, Okla., formerly of Chetopa, died at 6:51 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at his home. He was born Dec. 24, 1924, in Webb City, Okla., to Charles G. and Grace (McKnight) Riggs. He served in the U.S. Navy. He worked as a first-class welder at Owens Corning Fiberglass Co., retiring from there in 1987. He married Eva Mae Dewey in December 1945. She preceded him in death in 1953. He marr...
full story
Margaret I. Peterson
A memorial service for Margaret I. Peterson will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Thayer with Pastor Brian Baierl officiating. Burial will be in the Thayer Cemetery.
full story
Lawrence Riggs
WYANDOTTE, Okla. — Lawrence Melvin Riggs, 84, of Wyandotte, Oklahoma, formerly of Chetopa, died at 6:51 a.m., Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at his home. He was preceded in death by his wife, Genevieve (Rexwinkle) Wilson Riggs, on Feb. 19, 2005. Complete obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa.
full story
Gertrude Peterson
Gertrude Peterson, 99, of San Juan, Texas, formerly of Rosemead, Calif., died at 5:05 a.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at the San Juan Nursing Home. She had lived in Rosemead most of her life before moving to San Juan in May 2007 to be near her niece, Joyce Patrick, and her husband, John, of Alamo, Texas. The graveside memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Oswego Cemetery under the direction of Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Cheto...
full story
Billy R. Cole
INGALLS, Okla. -- Billy R. Cole, 81, of Ingalls, Okla., formerly of Dennis, died Saturday, May 23, 2009, in Stillwater, Okla. He was born Nov. 19, 1927, in El Dorado, Okla., to Lester and Lilly Cole. He served in World War II in the Navy. He worked as maintenance superintendent for Dow Chemical Co. before retiring. He married Bonnie Lofton in 1953. She survives. Other survivors include a daughter, Belita Dawes of Ingalls; two sons, Bill Co...
full story
Betty R. Gifford
OSWEGO -- Betty R. Gifford, 85, of Oswego died at 7 p.m. Monday, May 25, 2009, at her home following a short illness. She was born Feb. 2, 1924, in Wichita to Kirwin Lucius and Lois (Reasor) Bowman. She graduated from Oswego High School in 1942. In 1959, she moved to Kansas City and resided there from 1959 to 1987. From 1987-1990, she lived in Burlington, Vt. She then later moved to Oswego to retire in 1990. On June 30, 1951, she married Raym...
full story
Geneva Grimmett
Geneva J. Grimmett, 66, of Parsons died at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21, 2009, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Tonya and Darrin Hamilton, in Parsons. She had been in failing health. She was born Dec. 14, 1942, in Parsons to John Richard and Dorothy Ellen (Green) Ball. As a young girl, she grew up and attended schools in Parsons and was a graduate of Parsons High School. On Aug. 11, 1962, she married Leo Grimmett in Miami, Okla. He prec...
full story
Marian Hazel Adamson
Marian Hazel Adamson Marian Hazel (Sadler) (Lawrence) Adamson, 91, a resident of Parsons Presbyterian Manor, died at 4:12 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at Landmark Hospital in Joplin. Marian Hazel Sadler was born Dec. 21, 1917, in Parsons to Carl B. and Bertha Marian (Sparks) Sadler. She attended the McCune grade school. She moved with her family to Parsons in 1931 and graduated from West Junior High School. She attended high school until the ...
full story
Ruth Maurine Caldwell
CHANUTE -- Ruth Maurine Caldwell, 88, of Chanute, Kansas, loving wife, Mother, Mimi, Mimi-Great, and friend to many, went to the Palace of the Lord on May 20, 2009. She was the 1st born of 4 children to Fred and Myrtle Elizabeth (Simms) Manley on December 8, 1920. Her siblings were Robert (Bob), Charles Eugene (Gene), and Lawrence D. (Larry). She graduated from Chanute High School and attended Neosho County Community College. She worked as th...
full story
Robert 'Bob' L. Debald
Robert "Bob" L. Debald, 88, of Parsons died at 12:05 a.m. Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at Elmhaven East nursing home. He was born Dec. 14, 1920, at Michigan City, Ind., to Henry J. and Catherine (Reicher) Debald. He was raised in Michigan City and attended school there. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in England, France, Belgium and Germany with HQ Company, 1149th, Engineer Construction Group. After his discharge, ...
full story