Obituaries
David V. Richardson
David V. Richardson, 82, of Parsons died at 4:50 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, at Elmhaven West. He had been in failing health. He was born April 30, 1930, in St. Paul to Verlyn E. and Flossie M. (Morgan) Richardson. He grew up in St. Paul and attended St. Paul public schools. At age 14 he started working on the Katy Railroad in Parsons and at age 19 for the Ankortite Co., now Dayton Superior Corp. He retired in 1992. In 1950 he enlisted ...
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Kenneth C. 'Pappy' Kirchhofer Jr.
Kenneth C. "Pappy" Kirchhofer Jr., 62, of Parsons died at his home at 3:15 a.m. Monday, Dec. 24, 2012. He had been in failing health. He was born at Bartlesville, Okla., on Aug. 13, 1950, to Kenneth C. Sr. and Wanda Lee (Bird) Kirchhofer. He attended school in Dewey, Okla. He was a brick layer and worked construction. He is survived by two daughters, Kay Cee Kirchhofer of McCune and Sunny Hedges of Elk City; a son, Kenny Joe Bromagem of Bartle...
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Kenneth C. 'Pappy' Kirchhofer Jr.
Kenneth C. "Pappy" Kirchhofer Jr., 62, of Parsons died at his home at 3:15 a.m. Monday, Dec. 24, 2012. He had been in failing health. Further obituary details will be announced by the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home.
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Eli Walker Reed
BUHLER — Eli Walker Reed, 22, of Buhler died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, at his home. He was born Nov. 4, 1990, in Newton the son of Kelly E. and Jolene (Stover) Reed. He had played basketball and football at Buhler High School and was a student at Kansas State University. Survivors include his parents, Kelly and Jolene Reed of Buhler; a sister, Audra Reed of Spearville; a brother, Terry Reed of Hutchinson; grandparents, Mick Walker of Pittsburg...
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Lowell L. ‘Shorty’ Rhodes
Lowell L. “Shorty” Rhodes, 81, of Parsons, a retired owner of Wichita Southeast Kansas Transit, died at 4:18 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2012, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born on Dec. 28, 1930, at Tampa, Kan., to Harry W. and Lillie (Hegle) Rhodes. He grew up on the family ranch near Tampa and attended country schools. He graduated from Durham High School in 1948. He married Marilyn Peterson on Sept. 10, 1950, at Lost Sprin...
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Stephen ‘Steve’ Francis VanLeeuwen
BRAZILTON — Stephen “Steve” Francis VanLeeuwen, 60, of Brazilton died at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Surrounded by his loving family, in a room of prayer, Steve left this world for Heaven. He joked a few weeks before his death that God was looking for a new addition and his family is comforted knowing Steve is now dancing with the angels. Steve was born on May 9, 1952, in Parsons to Paul “Pat” and Maxene (Hudson) VanLeeuwen. He grew up ...
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Arthur W. ‘Art’ Nance
Arthur W. “Art” Nance, 88, of Parsons died at 7:38 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born on July 16, 1924, in Parsons to William Bloomer and Mildred Nadine (Geisenhoner) Nance. He graduated from Parsons High School and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He witnessed the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima and was stationed in the Subic Bay when the treaty ending WWII was signed. On June 7, 19...
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Lowell ‘Shorty’ Rhodes
Lowell “Shorty” Rhodes, 81, of Parsons died at 12:20 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, at his home. Carson-Wall Funeral Home will announce further obituary details and service arrangements later.
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Mary Bess Joslin
Mary Bess Joslin, 79, a longtime Parsons resident, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus at 10:06 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, at Labette Health in Parsons. She was born on Oct. 30, 1933, at Neodesha to Paul and Ruth Ann (Randall) Stephens. She grew up at Neodesha and attended Neodesha schools, graduating from Neodesha High School in 1951. She attended the University of Missouri and later the University of Kansas, where she received a bac...
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Ray F. Likins
CHERRYVALE — Ray F. Likins, 79, of Cherryvale died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, at Via Christy St. Francis Medical Center, Wichita. He was born on Jan. 29, 1933, in Parsons to Clifford Erwin and Julia Opal (Atherton) Likins. He graduated from Labette County Community High School in Altamont. He was a self-employed farmer until retiring in 1970. Survivors include two sisters, LaDonna Fern Likins Brothers of Cherryvale and Margie Ellen Likins Prate...
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Ethel Finnerty
Ethel Finnerty, 90, of Parsons died at 5:05 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, at Elmhaven West nursing home in Parsons. She had been in failing health for several years. She was born on Dec. 23, 1921, in the Rosedale area of Kansas City, Kan., to William L. and Fannie M. (Stambaugh) Morgan. She grew up in that area, helping in the family dry-cleaning shop, and graduated from Rosedale High School in 1939. On April 14, 1940, she married Richard “Di...
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Howard 'Wayne' Knight
CHERRYVALE — Howard “Wayne” Knight,71, of Cherryvale died Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, at Labette Health in Parsons. He was born Oct. 10, 1941, in Liberty the son of George and Shirley (Thornton) Knight. He grew up in the Cherryvale area and attended Cherryvale schools. He served in the Marines. He married Cecilia Oakleaf. They later divorced. Mr. Knight was a self-employed carpenter. Survivors includes a daughter Shelli Blair of Altamont; three so...
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Myrle E. Spencer
Myrle E. Spencer, 86, former longtime Oswego and Altamont resident, died at 3:55 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, at the Presbyterian Manor in Parsons. He was born Feb. 8, 1926, near Bartlett to Ernest and Marie (Allison) Spencer. He grew up and attended school in the rural Edna area and graduated from high school at Labette County Community High School in Altamont in 1943. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Follow...
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Ronald L. Madl
ALTAMONT — Ronald L. Madl, 79, of Altamont died at 9:55 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, at his home surrounded by his family. He was born Aug. 29, 1933, at rural Erie to Louis E. and Marguerite (Whitworth) Madl. He grew up and attended school at St. Paul. He had worked at filling stations in St. Paul following high school. He entered the United States Navy in March 1956 and served until December 1957 when he was honorably discharged. He worked for...
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Connie Jo Fisher
Connie Jo Fisher, 63, a lifelong Parsons resident, died at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village at St. Paul. She had been in failing health for several years. She was born Dec. 6, 1949, at Parsons a daughter of Kenneth and Doris (Bradfield) Allen. She attended Service Valley Grade School and graduated from the Labette County Community High School at Altamont. On June 10, 1974, she married Delmer D. Fisher in...
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James Wesley Guy
WALNUT — James Wesley Guy, 65, a lifelong Walnut resident, died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, at Wesley Medical Center at Wichita. His death was unexpected. He was born May 13, 1947, at Walnut a son of Lloyd Benjamin and Josephine May (Lowe) Guy. He attended elementary school at Walnut and then his family moved to Clovis, N.M., where he attended two years of junior high. They then returned to Walnut and he attended and graduated from the Stark Hig...
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Ethel Ann Lloyd
PITTSBURG — Ethel Ann Lloyd, 65, of Pittsburg died at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg. She was born Nov. 2, 1947, at Pittsburg the daughter of Frank J. and Norma Minerd Swope. She was raised in Pittsburg and graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1965. She later attended Pittsburg State University. She lived in Pittsburg most of her life. She was a direct care support worker at Bridges. She married Ro...
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Gordon Ralph Kent
OSWEGO — Gordon Ralph Kent, 89, died at 8:37 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, at Oswego following an illness. He was born Dec. 24, 1922, in Sublette, Ill., to William Ralph and Letta Mae (Scott) Kent. He had lived in Oswego since 1962, moving from Wausa, Neb. He graduated from the Humboldt High School before attending the University of Kansas. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army Air Corp as a glider pilot in Europe. He worke...
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Leona M. Moody-Russell
Leona M. Moody-Russell, 85, of Parsons died at 12:11 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, at Labette Health. She was born Nov. 3, 1927, at Talala, Okla., a daughter of LeRoy and Bertha Opal (Whitson) Miller. She was raised there and graduated from Talala High School. She moved to Erie and was employed at Swift and Co. at Parsons. She attended business college at Topeka and from 1966 to 1977 she was employed at the Pittsburg Census Bureau. She moved t...
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James E. McLean
James E. McLean March 19, 1926 – December 10, 2012 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — James E. McLean, Ph.D., died on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, at his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. His rich life spanned 86 years. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Lee Kelsey McLean, Ph.D., associate dean of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and chair of the Department of Allied Health Sciences. A child of the Great Depression, Jim grew up in South...
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