Obituaries
Chester S. Suchyta
Chester S. Suchyta, 89, of Parsons died at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at Labette Health in Parsons.  He was born on Nov. 11, 1923, in Detroit to Ignatius and Frances (Jaroz) Suchyta. He grew up in Detroit, where he attended St. John’s Cantius Catholic School. For a time, he worked at Civilian Conservation Corps camps and also as a machinist at Mirror Manufacturing Co. He served in the U.S. Navy from January 1942 through October 1947. Upon...
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Rex D. Richter
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Rex D. Richter, 81, of Kansas City, Kan., died on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Survivors include his daughter, Rachelle Shriver and her husband, Randy, and their two sons, Riley and Drake; a stepdaughter, Carol Warford and her husband, James; a stepson, Joseph Bright and his wife, Martha; a brother, Earl Glen Richter and his wife, Pat, of Stockton; as well as other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary ...
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Chester S. Suchyta
Chester S. Suchyta, 89, of Parsons died at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at Labette Health in Parsons. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maria Ana (Kujawa) Suchyta, on April 4, 1996. Survivors include his daughter, Dianne Yarbrough and her husband, Dr. Gary Yarbrough, of Parsons. The requiem 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 pray...
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Lou Ann Bergkamp
CHETOPA — Lou Ann Bergkamp, 71, of Chetopa died at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Bergkamp, on Oct. 6, 2011. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mother of God Catholic Church in Oswego.  Burial will be in St. Rose Cemetery in Chetopa. The rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Friday at the church, where the family will receive friends immediately followin...
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William Francis Scaletty
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Father, grandfather, World War II veteran and businessman William Francis Scaletty, 86, of Kansas City, Mo., died Saturday, May 4, 2013. William was born on July 6, 1926, in Parsons to Frank and Emma Scaletty. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic grade school and Parsons High School. He graduated from Rockhurst College in 1949. William worked for Graybar Electric in Kansas City, Mo., until he started his own business in 1970 as a...
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Robert J. Morgan
WICHITA — Robert J. Morgan, 91, of Wichita died Saturday, May 4, 2013. He was born on March 8, 1922, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Harry K. and Minnie (Hohenstein) Morgan. He graduated from high school in Sioux City and joined the U.S. Marines, fighting in World War II and the Korean War. He then joined the U.S. Air Force, from which he retired after 20 years of service. He married Rosella I. Foister in 1947. She preceded him in death. Survivors inc...
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Joan Lero
Joan Lero, 79, of Parsons died Friday, May 3, 2013, at Freeman Health System in Joplin. She was born on July 16, 1933, in Mayetta to Glen and Cecelia (Aitkens) Hedrick. She grew up in the Topeka area. She graduated from the Labette Community College nursing program and became a registered nurse. She was employed for more than 30 years as a nurse at Parsons Presbyterian Manor. Earlier she had worked at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant. She was ...
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Naomi Simmons Bradshaw
WALNUT — Naomi Simmons Bradshaw, 84, of Walnut died at 8 a.m. Sunday, May 5, 2013, at her home. She was born on May 17, 1928, in Parsons to Raymond E. and Ruth (Hunt) Sharp. She graduated from Erie High School in 1946. She attended Parsons Junior College and Pittsburg State University, earning a bachelor of arts degree in journalism. On Aug. 10, 1951, she married George Richard Simmons in Erie. He preceded her in death on Jan. 1, 1984. She m...
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Jennifer Sue Burrows
BOLIVAR, Mo. — Jennifer Sue Burrows, 44, of Bolivar, Mo., died on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, at Cox South Hospital, Springfield, Mo. Jennifer Sue Spear was born on Sept. 20, 1968, to Gary and Pat (Miller) Spear in Parsons. She graduated from Olathe South High School in 1986 and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 2008 from Drury University in Springfield. Mrs. Burrows was a beloved preschool teacher for t...
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Maxine Louise Lewis
HUMANSVILLE, Mo. — Maxine Louise Lewis, 92, of Humansville, Mo., died Monday evening, April 29, 2013, at Big Spring Care Center in Humansville. She was born on May 13, 1920, in Howard to Enos and Ines Mayne. She married Cornelius Elijah Lewis on May 13, 1936, in Sedan. He preceded her in death. She was a homemaker. Survivors include two daughters, Kathina Lakin of Humansville and Karen O’Neal of Umatilla, Fla.; two sons, James Lewis of Rogersv...
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Robert William Jones
LEAVENWORTH — Robert William “Bob” Jones, 78, of Leavenworth died Wednesday, April 17, 2013. He was born on Aug. 29, 1934, in Independence to George and Eva Jones. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean War and later served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He graduated from Pittsburg State University with a degree in accounting. He worked for the federal General Accounting Office, retiring in 1993 after 35 years of service. He is survive...
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Vivian E. Collins
ERIE — Vivian E. Collins, 94, a longtime Erie resident, died at 7:46 a.m. Saturday, April 27, 2013, at the Guest Home Estates in Erie where she has resided for two years. She was born on Dec. 8, 1918, at Spokane, Wash., to John and Olive (Morris) Collins. The family lived in Spokane, Vinita, Okla., and Sedalia, Mo., before moving to Erie in 1930. She attended Erie schools and graduated from Erie High School in 1936. She worked at the Kansas...
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Douglas A. ‘Doug’ Heiskell
Douglas A. “Doug” Heiskell, 55, of Parsons died at 2:40 a.m. Monday, April 29, 2013, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg.  He was born Aug. 20, 1957, in Parsons to Vernon and Fernita (Divine) Heiskell.  He grew up and attended schools in Parsons and was a 1975 graduate of Parsons High School. Throughout his adult life, he worked as a concrete finisher. He was a member of the Parsons Foursquare Church, Ducks Unlimited, the National Rifle Asso...
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Vivian E. Collins
ERIE — Vivian E. Collins, 94, a longtime Erie resident, died at 7:46 a.m., Saturday, April 27, 2013, at the Guest Home Estates in Erie where she has resided for two years. A private memorial graveside service will be at a later date in the East Hill Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the S.E.K. Humane Society or to the Erie Library and these may be left in care of the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 113 N. Main St., P.O. Box 182, Erie, 66...
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Douglas A. 'Doug' Heiskell
Douglas A. “Doug” Heiskell, 55, of Parsons died at 2:40 a.m. Monday, April 29, 2013, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg. He is survived by his wife, Mary Heiskell, of the home. The service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Parsons Foursquare Church. Burial will be in Springhill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Memorials are suggested to the Doug Heiskell Memoria...
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Sharon Vallier
JOPLIN — Sharon Kay Vallier, 57, of Joplin passed away at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 24, 2013, at Landmark Hospital after losing her battle with lung cancer. Sharon was born May 17, 1955, in Scotia, Calif., to Ray and Mary (Brooks) Ward. Sharon had lived in the Joplin and Southeast Kansas areas for more than 20 years and had lived in the Decatur, Ill., area for 25 years. Sharon devoted her life to helping others. She worked for the states o...
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Keith C. Billingsly
MOUND VALLEY — Keith C. Billingsly, 70, a lifelong resident of Mound Valley, passed away at 4:14 p.m. Monday, April 22, 2013, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.  He was born April 28, 1942, on the family farm near rural Mound Valley to “Leonard” and Ann (Blake) Billingsly. He grew up and attended school in Mound Valley and was a 1960 graduate of Mound Valley High School. He earned an associate degree from Parsons Junior College, a master’s d...
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Ethel D. Jacobs
ERIE — Ethel D. Jacobs, 89, of Erie died at 12:35 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute.  She was preceded in death by her husband, William Jacobs, on Oct. 11, 1999. The rosary will be prayed at 5 p.m. Friday at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Erie. The funeral Mass will immediately follow the rosary at the church. Burial will be in New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore, Md., at a future date. The fa...
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Mary Ellen Walters
ERIE — Mary Ellen Walters, 91, of Erie died Saturday, April 20, 2013, at her home. She was born March 17, 1922, at Hamilton to Fred O. and Bessie (Hollis) Smith. She graduated from Hamilton High School in 1940. She married Richard Lee "Dick" Walters on Dec. 13, 1940, at the home of her father and stepmother, Fred and Catherine Smith. They moved extensively as Dick was a heavy-equipment operator. She was widowed in 1960 at age 38 with eight ch...
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Johnnie J. Karry
Johnnie J. Karry, 92, of Parsons died at 6:20 p.m. Saturday, April 20, 2013, at the Wilson Medical Center at Neodesha. He was born March 21, 1921, at Quindaro, Kansas City, Kan., a son of John Peter and Pauline Erma (Durham) Karry. He was raised in the Ladore and Galesburg areas and attended school at Galesburg. He served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945 and was stationed in the Pacific Theatre. Upon his discharge, he moved to Pa...
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