Obituaries
Debra Lee Bishop
Debra Lee Bishop HUMBOLDT -- Debra Lee Bishop, 56, of Humboldt, died Saturday, March 21, 2009, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. She was born in Parsons on Nov. 9, 1952, to R.A. and Gloria (Kober) Pefley. She graduated from Chanute High School in 1970. She married Steve Bishop on June 8, 1973, in Earlton. He survives of the home. She was employed with SEK Educational Service Center and worked for several different sch...
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Porter Harris
OSWEGO -- Porter Harris, 89, of Oswego died Saturday, March 21, 2009, in Oswego. He was born on May 9, 1919, to Orin Lee and Mary (Houts) Harris in Oswego. He attended school in Oswego. He served in the U.S. military. Survivors include his wife, Betty, of the home; two daughters, Portia Wahl of Furgus Falls, Minn., and Donna McQueen of Cullman, Ala.; a stepdaughter, Delores Sharp of Pomona; 16 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and numerou...
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Anna L. Passwater
INDEPENDENCE -- Anna L. Passwater, 79, of Independence died Monday, March 16, 2009, at her home. She was born Oct. 3, 1929, at Dennis to John Ora and Ima Virginia (Pritchett) Blackburn. She attended Katy School north of Parsons. Mrs. Passwater worked for several years for Parsons USD 503. She married Jack Edward Passwater on June 28, 1947, at Parsons. Mr. Passwater preceded her in death in 1967. Survivors include a daughter, Patricia Barker of...
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Bonnie Belle Pierce
RAYMORE, Mo. — Bonnie Belle Pierce, 83, of Raymore, Mo., died Thursday, March 19, 2009. Mrs. Pierce lived in the Parsons area during her married life. Her husband, who preceded her in death, was an engineer for the railroad. A private family graveside service will take place at Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo. Arrangements are under the direction of Kansas City Funeral Directors of Kansas City, Kan.
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Pat R. Fulkerson
CHERRYVALE -- Pat R. Fulkerson, 67, of rural Cherryvale, a former Erie resident, died at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2009, at the University of Kansas Medical Center at Kansas City, Kan., as a result of injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident in Independence on March 4. Further obituary information will be announced by Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home of Erie.
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Agnes A. Hurley
Agnes A. Hurley, 75, of Parsons died at 11:25 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2009. Her husband, Leo Hurley, died on March 15, 2009, and was buried Thursday morning on the day of her death. She was born Feb. 8, 1934, at St.Paul to Edward G. and Jessie (Bond) Holding. She grew up in St. Paul and attended school there. On Sept. 29, 1951, she married Leo Hurley in Huntsville, Ark. They would have celebrated their 58th anniversary this year. Agnes wa...
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Dallas D. Banzet
SHREVEPORT, La. — Dallas D. Banzet, 86, formerly of Galesburg, died Friday, March 13, 2009, in Shreveport after a lengthy illness. He was born Nov. 15, 1922, in Craig County, Okla., to Ernest E. and Pearl (Dewey) Banzet. He was a World War II veteran. Survivors include his son, Bruce; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister. There was a graveside service Wednesday at Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in...
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Herman Joe Turner Sr.
Herman Joe Turner Sr., 82, of Parsons died at 2:34 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2009, in Freeman Hospital, Joplin. He had been in failing health for the past several years. He was born Sept. 17, 1926, in Crowberg to Hiram Turner and Lillian (Moore) Turner. As a young man, he grew up and attended school in Crowberg. He married Eletha Markham, and they lived in Parsons, where they raised seven children. Herman was known as Joe Turner to his man...
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William Hall
CHETOPA -- William Hall, 85, of Chetopa, died at 4:23 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Labette Health in Parsons. He was born Dec. 20, 1923, in Durant, Okla., to William and Ollie Mae (Whitting) Hall. He attended Clearfield School in Oklahoma and later served 12 years in the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II and the Korean Conflict. From 1953-1973, he worked as a mechanic at the former Parsons Ford Motor Co. He then worked as a millwri...
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Mary D. Ashcraft
Mary D. Ashcraft, 79, of Parsons died at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at Labette Health. She was born Sept. 29, 1929, in Florida to Guy Buford and Pearl Marian Snyder. She attended school in Kansas City. She married Kenneth E. Ashcraft on Oct. 21, 1949, in Miami, Okla. He preceded her in death April 20, 1998. Survivors include a son, Doug Snyder of Blackfoot, Idaho; a daughter, Sherri Ashcraft of Aurora, Colo.; six grandchildren; two ...
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Kerwin J. Brown
Kerwin J. Brown, 58, a longtime Parsons resident, died at 7:55 p.m. Monday, March 16, 2009, at the Oswego Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He had been in failing health. He was born Jan. 3, 1951, at Springfield, Mo., to Jesse and Louise (Vanlaningham) Brown and was raised in Parsons in the home of his aunt and uncle, Charlie and Viola Ramsey. Through his earlier years he had worked as a laborer in construction. He attended First Baptist Ch...
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William Hall
CHETOPA -- William Hall, 85, of Chetopa died at 4:23 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Labette Health in Parsons. He is survived by his wife, Thelma Hall, of the home. His service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2009, at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Burial will be in Lake Creek Cemetery, rural Bartlett. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to First Christian Churc...
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Herman Joe Turner
Herman Joe Turner Sr., 82, of Parsons died at 2:34 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Freeman Health Center in Joplin. Further obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced later by Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
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Judith Ann Oler
Judith Ann "Judy" Oler, 65, a lifelong Parsons resident, died at 6:12 p.m. Monday, March 16, 2009, at Elmhaven West nursing home in Parsons. She had been in failing health. She was born Sept. 26, 1943, in Parsons to Loren M. and Bertha E. (Wolfe) Oler. She grew up on the family farm northwest of Parsons and graduated from Galesburg High School. She had been employed at Broderick Manufacturing Co., the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center...
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Mary Alice Shears
Mary Alice Shears Mary Alice Shears, 79, of Parsons died at 4:13 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2009, at her home. She had been in failing health. She was born April 18, 1929, in St. Paul to Harry and Katy (Wilson) Moses. As a young girl, she grew up and attended school in St. Paul. She married Lester L. Shears on July 31, 1948, in Siloam Springs, Ark. Following marriage, they lived in Parsons, where she worked at ParKan Manufacturing Co. She enjoyed...
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Michael Daniel Solon
Michael Daniel Solon, was stillborn at 5:05 p.m. Friday, March 13, 2009, at Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg. He was the son of John and Alice (Nichols) Solon of Scammon. Additional survivors include two sisters, Rachel Krall and Channing Solon, of the home; two brothers, David Krall of the home and Brett Solon of Wichita; and maternal grandparents, Weeden and Rosalie Nichols of Hays. The family will have a private service at...
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Lillian V. Korinek
OSWEGO -- Lillian V. Korinek, 91, of Oswego died Saturday, March 14, 2009, at Parsons Presbyterian Manor. She was born July 2, 1917, in Black Wolf to Charles and Anna (Homolka) Kroboth. She married Charles Korinek on July 26, 1939. The couple lived in Ellsworth, Abilene and Fort Scott before moving to Oswego. She was a member of Willowdale Methodist Church in Talmage. She enjoyed sewing and being involved with her grandchildren and family...
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Frances 'Willie' Sheffer
LONGMONT, Colo. -- Frances "Willie" Sheffer, 87, of Longmont died at her home Friday, March 13, 2009. She was born March 15, 1921, along with her twin brother, Frank, in May, Okla., to Fred and Nora (Bunch) Noteware. Frances was raised on a farm near Garber, Okla., and graduated from Garber High School in 1938. She married Alvin Lee Sheffer on May 24, 1939, in Enid, Okla. They farmed in Oklahoma for eight years, then near Parsons for 17 yea...
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Dean Olinger
Dean Olinger, 70, of Parsons died at noon Saturday, March 14, 2009, at Freeman Heart Institute in Joplin. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Harrison Cemetery in rural Thayer. Complete obituary details will be announced by Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons.
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Jack E. Mosler
Jack E. Mosler GROVE, Okla. -- Jack E. Mosler, 82, of Grove, Okla., died Saturday, March 14, 2009, at St John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin. He was born Sept. 29, 1926, in Chetopa to Vernie and Francis Isabel (Silkey) Mosler. He farmed in Cherokee County and worked at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant before retiring in 1993. He married Wilma "Billie" Raetz on June 5, 1949, in the Labette Methodist Church in Labette. His wife survives ...
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