Obituaries
Billy J. Caswell
ST. PAUL — Billy J. Caswell, 60, of St. Paul died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, at his home in St. Paul. The service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Hope Cemetery at St. Paul. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Church. Memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church and may be left with the funeral home. More obituary details will be announced by Penwell-G...
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Nancy M. Taynor
Nancy Margaret Taynor, 61, Parsons, died on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital. She was born Dec. 18, 1949, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Peter and Sophie (Kostes) Rice. She was a homemaker. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Frances Copeland. Survivors include her husband, Michael Taynor of Parsons; a brother, Joseph Rice of Albuquerque, N.M.; and a sister, Katherine Rice, also of Albuquerque. Cremation...
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Joshua W. ‘Josh’ Traxson
ALTAMONT — Joshua W. “Josh” Traxson, 29, of Altamont died early Sunday morning, Aug. 14, 2011. He is survived by his mother, Cindy Traxson; and father, Scott Traxson, both of Altamont. A memorial graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Altamont. The Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont is in charge of arrangements. Complete obituary details will be announced. Online condolences may be left at www.f...
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Alice A. ‘Ally Ann’ Markiewicz
ALTAMONT — Alice A. Markiewicz, 74, of Altamont died at 3:38 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at her home. She had been in failing health. She was born Aug. 12, 1937, in Liberty to George Franklin and Gladys Irene (Dickerson) Lee. She grew up and attended schools in rural Labette County and was a 1956 graduate of Labette County Community High School. She then earned a bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C. For several year...
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Dorothy Anna Lacy
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Dorothy Anna Lacy, 92, of Webb City, Mo., formerly of Girard, died at 3:39 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, in Joplin. She was born Feb. 16, 1919, in Texas to Chauncey Hughes and Gladyne Rebecca (Williams) Hill. She attended schools in Parsons and graduated from Parsons High School in 1939. She married Carl E. “Pete” Lacy in 1952. He preceded her in death on Nov. 27, 1985.

She worked at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant in Pars...
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Marilyn Claire Walton
EDWARDSVILLE — Marilyn Claire (Canfield) Walton, 86, died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, at Golden Living Center in Edwardsville. She was born Sept. 18, 1924, in Columbus to Marvin and Frances (Jones) Canfield. She grew up in Pittsburg, where she graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1941 and continued her education at Coffeyville Community College. Survivors include her brother, Frank J. Canfield of Corsicana, Texas; her children, Mary Rose of For...
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Pamela L. ‘Pam’ Colbert
Pamela L. “Pam” Colbert, 53, of Parsons died at 9:42 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011. Further obituary information and service arrangements will be announced by Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
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Donna Lou O’Hanlon Yoh
HUTCHINSON — Donna Lou “Dee” Yoh, 52, died Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011, at Hospice House in Hutchinson. She was born June 22, 1959, in Kansas City, Kan., the daughter of Norman Dale and Ruth Jana Outler Rogers. She was a 1977 graduate of Parsons High School and attended Pittsburg State University before earning her doctorate at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. She served in the U.S. Army as a military police. She spent time traveling ...
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Nancy Jean Patton
SPERRY, Okla. — Nancy Jean Patton, 59, Sperry, Okla., died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at St. John Medical Center, Tulsa. She was born Jan. 1, 1959, in Oswego the daughter of Joseph A. and Ellen (Elsworth) Rhodes. She grew up in Edna and graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1969. On Oct. 1, 1971, she married Joseph E. Wilson in Coffeyville. They later divorced. On March 12, 2005, she married Gary Patton in Eureka Springs, Ark. H...
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Lavonne Thompson
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Mary Lavonne Thompson, 79, Carl Junction, Mo., died on Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin after a long illness. She was born Feb. 16, 1932, in Lamine, Mo., daughter of Joe and Mary Ellis (Stephens) Cramer. She was a homemaker and was vice president of ETCO Specialty Products of Girard for many years. She attended Girard United Methodist Church. She moved to the Joplin area six years ago from Prescott...
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James E. Thomas Jr.
WELLINGTON — James E. Thomas Jr., 55, of Wellington died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011, at his home. A graveside service will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in East Bethany Cemetery in rural Parsons. Arrangements are through Day Funeral Home and Crematory, Wellington. Online condolences may be left at www.dayfuneralhome.info.
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Hiawatha M. Hollins
Hiawatha M. Hollins, 67, of Parsons died at 2:40 a.m. Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, at Labette Health in Parsons. She was born Aug. 30, 1943, at Paris, Texas, to Henry and Dorothy May (Cooper-Bills) Hollins. She was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Junnie Bills, and stepfather ,Earnest Council. She grew up and attended school there. She worked for a time at the St. Joseph Hospital in Paris, Texas. Survivors include a son, Bobby Don Hollins of Paris,...
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Hiawatha M. Hollins
Hiawatha M. Hollins, 67, of Parsons died at 2:40 a.m. Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, at Labette Health. Her death was unexpected. The service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Friends may call after noon Thursday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions are suggested to the National Kidney Foundation.
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Joseph R. ‘Joe’ Travis
Joseph R. “Joe” Travis, 63, of Parsons died at 10:28 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Jan. 24, 1948, in Liberty, N.Y., to Raymond Ross and Phyllis (Kissock) Travis. He lived in several cities while growing up. In 1968, he joined the Navy and served as a medic for the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He suffered injuries in the war and was discharged in 1972. Following the war, he lived ...
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Anthony ‘Pete’ ‘Peaches’ Williams
THE COLONY, Texas — Anthony Ray Williams, 68, of The Colony, Texas, died at 4:36 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2011. He was born on Nov. 29, 1942, in Coffeyville to Raymond Williams and Erma (Monroe) Williams. Anthony was a musician and performed in Kansas. Survivors include his wife, Kim Williams of The Colony, Texas; four daughters, Donna Durrant and her husband, Jon, of Douglasville, Ga., Renee Morgan and her husband, Tony, of Villa Rica, Ga., Lak...
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Brenda Elaine McKinney
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Brenda Elaine McKinney, 67, a resident of Anaheim, Calif., for 47 years, died on Saturday, July 30, 2011, at Anaheim Regional Medical Center from complications caused by leukemia. Brenda was born on Jan. 14, 1944, in Mound Valley to Gerald and Lola Mae (Hope) Fouts. She attended Mound Valley Grade School and Labette County High School, where she met John McKinney. They were married on June 24, 1961, at St. Mary’s Catholic Chu...
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Kenneth R. Walters
CLARKSVILLE, Ark. — Kenneth R. Walters, 85, of Clarksville, Ark., died Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, at St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Russellville, Ark. He was born on March 9, 1926, in Parsons to Elmer Thomas and Emma Susan (Essig) Walters. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a retired superintendent of Hanford Produce Co. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. He was a past president of the Johnson County Twirlers Squ...
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Dale L. Lavender
ALTAMONT — Dale L. Lavender, 73, of rural Altamont died at 11:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, at his home following a courageous battle with cancer. Dale was born August 13, 1937, in Parsons, Kansas, to Cecil Elisha and Tressie Sophona (Shira) Lavender. He grew up in the Altamont area, where he attended school and was a 1955 graduate of Labette County Community High School. He then attended Kansas State University and earned a bachelor’s degree ...
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Kenneth R. Walters
CLARKSVILLE, Ark. — Kenneth R. Walters, 85, of Clarksville, Ark., died Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, at St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Russellville, Ark. He was born on March 9, 1926, in Parsons to William Henry and Daisy Mae (Blackburn) Walters. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a retired superintendent of Hanford Produce Co. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. He was a past president of the Johnson County Twirlers...
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Dale L. Lavender
ALTAMONT — Dale L. Lavender, 73, of rural Altamont died at 11:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, at his home following a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Lavender, of the home. The service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Altamont. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Altamont. Friends may call at their convenience after 1 p.m. Wednesday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont. Memorials a...
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