Obituaries
Billie L. Meier
CHEROKEE — Billie L. Meier, 72, of Cherokee died at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, at her home. She was born Feb. 21, 1939, in rural Galesburg a daughter of Burl F. and Ethel (Wilson) Peterson. She grew up and attended school in Galesburg and graduated from Galesburg High School. She married William J. “Jack” Meier Jr. on June 1, 1958, in Erie. He survives of the home. She was a mother and homemaker; she enjoyed crocheting, crossword puzzl...
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Steven Rowland
Steven Judson Rowland, 52, of Parsons died at 12:55 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, at his home. His wife, Tracy, survives. The service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Complete obituary details will be announced.
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Frances Maphies
Frances Maphies, 92, a resident of Elmhaven East, died there at 8:10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011. She had resided there 14 years. She was born May 16, 1919, at Jerico Springs, Mo., to Asa and Edna Bell (Lester) Lewallen. She grew up there and graduated from the Jerico Springs High School. On May 12, 1943, she married Sam E. Maphies in Nevada, Mo. In 1954 they moved to Erie and lived on a farm east of town. Later they moved into Erie and even...
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Jerry W. Essig
Jerry W. Essig, 73, of Parsons died at 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin. He was born Jan. 10, 1938, in Parsons to John and Anna Lee (Rook) Essig. He grew up and attended schools in Parsons and was a graduate of Parsons High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force eight years before being honorably discharged in June 1964. Following his discharge, he returned to Parsons where he worked with his father in ...
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Charles T. ‘Ted’ George
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Charles T. “Ted” George, 74, of Columbia, Mo., formerly of Parsons, died at his home Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. He was born July 15, 1937, in Greenbush to Edward C. and Eileen (Marnell) George. As a young boy, he grew up in St. Paul and moved with his family in 1953 to Parsons. He was a 1957 graduate of St. Patrick’s High School in Parsons. Upon his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, he returned to Parsons, where he worked ...
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Barbara Joan Fish
CHETOPA — Barbara Joan Fish, 79, of Chetopa died at 7:05 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, at Chetopa Manor. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward H. Fish, on June 17, 2002. Following cremation, a memorial service will be at a future date. Memorials are suggested to help defray funeral expenses. These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, 67336. Complete obituary details will be announced.
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Raymond ‘Gene’ Auvigne
DENISON, Texas — Raymond Eugene “Gene” Auvigne, 85, of Denison, Texas, went home to be with our Lord and Savior Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at Homestead of Denison. Mr. Auvigne was born Oct. 14, 1926, in Parsons the son of August Raymond and Delta Inez (Piper) Auvigne. He graduated from St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Parsons and Parsons Junior College. He then served our country proudly in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army. Gene enlisted at age...
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Betty Jean Treadway
NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Betty Jean Treadway, 89, of North Kansas City, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 5, 2011, at North Kansas City Hospital. She was born Oct. 9, 1922, in Parsons to M.B. and Lura Hill. She graduated in 1940 from Parsons High School. She worked at AT&T, from which she retired in 1984. She married Marvin Treadway on June 7, 1942. He survives. Other survivors include a daughter, Margo Derry of Overland Park; a son, Mark of Kansas City...
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Charles T. ‘Ted’ George
Charles T. “Ted” George, 74, of Columbia, Mo., formerly of Parsons, died at his home Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo George, of the home. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Sunday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Memorials are suggested to St. Patrick’s School Endowment Fund or...
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Jerry W. Essig
Jerry W. Essig, 73, of Parsons died at 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin. He is survived by his wife, Rena Essig, of the home. Complete obituary details be announced by Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Paul B. Williams
Paul B. Williams, 86, a longtime Parsons resident, teacher and coach, died at 5:20 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at Elmhaven East. He had been in failing health. He was born on Nov. 3, 1925, at Commerce, Okla., to Carl and Naomi (Mace) Williams. He grew up at Commerce and attended Commerce schools, graduating from Commerce High School in 1943. While in high school he was a standout football and basketball player. He was selected to play in th...
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Herbert P. LeVan
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Herbert P. LeVan, 89, a retired major who lived in Fort Washington, Md., died on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. He was born in Parsons and served in World War II with the 75th Infanty Division Cavalry Recon Squadron. He graduated from Kansas State University with a master’s degree in chemistry. He later worked for the U.S. Bureau of Mines on the campus of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, as a research chemist. Survivors...
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Ronald D. ‘Hoss’ Martin
Ronald D. “Hoss” Martin, 49, of Parsons died at 2:54 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, in the Emergency Room at Labette Health. He was born April 5, 1962, in Wichita to Ralph Jr. and Eva Janice (McElhinny) Martin. He grew up in Leon, Beaumont and Howard and was a 1980 graduate of Leon High School. He attended Independence Community College and later Labette Community College, from which he earned an associate’s degree. He married Sandra McElroy on ...
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Paul B. Williams
Paul B. Williams, 86, a longtime Parsons resident, died at 5:20 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at Elmhaven East. He had been in failing health. The service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Wesley United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in the Memorial Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the Wesley United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund and these may be...
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Ruby Belle McCaslin
COFFEYVILLE — Ruby Belle McCaslin, 86, of Coffeyville, formerly of Chanute, died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, at the Windsor Place Nursing Home in Coffeyville. She was born in Oklahoma on Jan. 25, 1925, the daughter of Oliver Ross and Bessie (Winston) Dawson. She attended schools in Oklahoma. She married Max L. McCaslin on Jan. 16, 1944, at McCune. He preceded her in death in February 1999. She was a homemaker. Survivors include a daughter, Jewel...
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Charles E. Littrell
WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Charles E. Littrell, 74, of Warrensburg, Mo., formerly of Parsons, died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. He was born Dec. 20, 1936, in Lawton, Okla., to James W. and Dorothy O. (Gilpin) Littrell. He graduated from high school in Blue Mound in 1955. He married Florence M. Stainbrook in July 1955 in Miami, Okla. She preceded him in death. He married Carolyn S. (Allen) Bertling on Aug. 12, 198...
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David L. Robinson
ODUM, Ga. — David L. Robinson, 56, of Odum, Ga., formerly of Parsons, died Friday afternoon, Dec. 2, 2011, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born April 18, 1955, in Parsons to Derwood E. and Ruth E. (Hamm) Robinson. He grew up and attended schools in the Parsons area. While living in Parsons, he was employed by Ruskin Manufacturing and Swift’s Trucking Co. While residing in Georgia and other states, he worked as a project ma...
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Wesley Wayne ‘Wes’ Overman
OSWEGO — Wesley Wayne “Wes” Overman, 56, of Oswego died at his home at 11:45 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. He had fought a short and hard battle with a rare cancer. Wes was born on Feb. 1, 1955, to Ben and Dee (Box) Overman in Parsons. As a young child, he moved with his family to California in 1958. The family returned to the Oswego area in 1964. For a time, Wes attended schools in the suburbs of Los Angeles and in rural Hallowell at the Distric...
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Daisy Ellen Farran Wilkins Caress
Daisy Ellen Farran Wilkins Caress, 93, of Parsons died at her home at 9:02 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. She was born on Oct. 22, 1918, to L.D. and Mary Ellen (Johnson) Farran at home in Parsons. Daisy attended Parsons schools, graduating from Parsons High School in 1936 and Parsons Junior College in 1938. She clerked in her family’s grocery store from 1933 to 1938. She then became a clerk and assistant cashier at J.C. Penney in Parsons until he...
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David E. Robinson
ODUM, Ga. — David E. Robinson, 56, of Odum, Ga., a former longtime Parsons area resident, died Friday afternoon at his home in Odum. Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home of Parsons will announce further obituary details and funeral arrangements later.
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