Obituaries
Bobbie Joe Mattox
MOUND VALLEY — Bobbie Joe Mattox, 79, of rural Mound Valley died at 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Sept. 29, 1932, at St. Paul to George E. and Bertha L. (Fickess) Mattox. He grew up and attended schools in Erie. Mr. Mattox began driving a truck at the age of 14 and continued as a self-employed truck driver until ill health forced him to retire in 2008. For a short time, Bob was the...
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Gerald A. Finch
PITTSBURG — Gerald A. Finch, 96, of Pittsburg, and a former longtime Parsons resident, died at 9:33 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, at the Via Christi Village in Pittsburg. A memorial service will be in Parsons in January. The time, date, and place of the service and complete obituary details will be announced by the Carson-Wall Funeral Home of Parsons.
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Louise Hopkins
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Louise Hopkins, 98, of Santa Monica, Calif., and a former resident of St. Paul and Coffeyville, died at 9:20 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, at her home. The service will be next week at Carson-Wall Funeral Home in St. Paul, with the time and day to be announced. Burial will be in Hope Cemetery at St. Paul. Complete obituary details will be announced.
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Peggy Joyce S. Perry
Peggy Joyce S. Perry, 80, of Parsons, died at 3:10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, at the Clare Bridge Assisted Living Center in Tulsa. She moved to Oklahoma in 2008 to be with her family. She was born Feb. 4, 1931, at New Orleans, La.,, a daughter of Benjamin F. and Myrtle (McCullough) Sutton. Her family moved to Pensacola, Fla., later that year and she attended school there, graduating from Pensacola High School in 1948. She was married in Pen...
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Jeffrey Scott Branch
GULF BREEZE, Fla. — Jeffrey Scott Branch, 53, of Gulf Breeze, Fla., died on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, after a 6-month battle with cancer. He was born Aug. 26, 1958, in Parsons. He worked in the Fort Walton Beach, Fla., for BAE Systems as an electrical engineer for 28 years. He married Elaine Rogers. She survives. Other survivors include three sons, Danny Branch, Jeremy Branch and Cody Branch; his father, Charles Branch; a brother, Chuck Branch;...
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Connie L. Vaught
Connie L. Vaught, 60, of Parsons died at 8:53 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19, 2011, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. She had been in failing health. She was born on Jan. 12, 1951, at Scotia, Calif., to John and Wanda Kay (Kimmel) Ward. She grew up at Scotia and Parsons and attended schools there. She married John Oliver Walker at Parsons. They later divorced. She married Chris Vaught at Miami, Okla. They later divo...
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William Slane
CHANUTE — William Slane, 95, of Chanute passed away Sunday, December 18, 2011, at Guest Home Estates II in Chanute, surrounded by his family. He was born August 31, 1916, in Chanute the son of Alva and Hazel Slane. On June 6, 1942, he married Dorothy L. Smith of South Mound while he was serving in the Navy in San Diego, Calif., during World War II. They celebrated their 69th year of marriage this past summer. Bill graduated from Chanute High...
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Connie L. Vaught
Connie L. Vaught, 60, of Parsons died at 8:53 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19, 2011, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She had been in failing health. Further obituary information and service arrangements will be announced by the Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
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William Slane
CHANUTE — William Slane, 95, of Chanute died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at the Guest Homes Estates II in Chanute. The service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel in Chanute. Further obituary details will be announced.
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Thomas Cleveland Witten
CHANUTE — Thomas Cleveland Witten, 72, of Chanute died Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, at his residence. The service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Thayer Christian Church. Burial will follow in Shaw Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Penwell-Gabel Gibson Chapel in Chanute. Memorials may be made to the Thayer Christian Church and may be left with the funeral home, which will announce additional obituary details. O...
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Gladys J. ‘Jeanie’ Wolfe
ERIE — Gladys J. “Jeanie” Wolfe, 75, rural Erie, died at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. She was born June 20, 1936, at Great Bend to Jacob and Katie (Vogts) Weins. She grew up in Hillsboro and graduated from the Hillsboro High School. She worked for Kustom Electronics in Chanute for 20 years. She married Ewing Wolfe on Jan. 18, 1958, in Yates Center. He survives of the home. Other...
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Dorothy Worrall
HAVERHILL, Mass. — Dorothy M. (Colton) Worrall, 88, of Haverhill, Mass., died Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, at Wingate at Haverhill. She was born in Altamont to George and Leah (Poage) Colton. She was raised and educated in Parsons. She was a cafeteria worker at the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center. She married Joseph W. Worrall. He preceded her in death. Survivors include two daughters, Marilyn Francis of Haverhill, Mass., and Linda Hensl...
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Ida Bernice Umbarger
THAYER — Bernice Umbarger, 92, of Thayer died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. She was born Oct. 29, 1919, in rural Parsons the daughter of James and Ida Mae (Schroder) Greenwood. She graduated from Parsons High School. She later graduated from Pittsburg State University with a teaching degree. She was a fifth-grade teacher for 35 years in Chanute and Thayer. She married Milo Irvin Umbarger on M...
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Martha Pearl Miller
EL DORADO — Martha Pearl Miller, 91, a lifelong Erie resident, died at 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, at the LakePoint Nursing Home in El Dorado. She was born July 14, 1920, at Erie a daughter of George Stephen and Pearl Viola (Yockey) Golden. She grew up at Erie. On April 16, 1930, she married Hurley E. Miller at Chanute. The couple operated Miller’s Locker for many years. Mr. Miller preceded her in death on July 18, 1999, and she moved ...
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Mary F. Cleaveland
CHERRYVALE — Mary F. Cleaveland, 72, of rural Cherryvale died at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at her home. She was born June 6, 1939, at Sawyer a daughter of Francis H. and Dorothy Edna Mae (Bever) Gilmore. At an early age her family moved to Phoenix, where she was raised. She later resided in Maryland, Arizona and Alaska before moving to the Cherryvale area in 1966. She worked in production at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant for 20 ...
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Phillip DeNeve
JOPLIN — Phillip DeNeve, 72, of Joplin died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at his home following an illness. He was born on Oct. 7, 1939, in Columbus the son of Henry and Arlene (Kelly) DeNeve. He was a long-time resident of Parsons, where he worked as a banker for Commercial Bank, retiring in 1994. After retiring Phillip moved to Joplin. He was in the Army National Guard and attended St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife,...
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Kenneth L. George
OSWEGO — Kenneth L. George, 68, of Oswego died at 8:07 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin following a lengthy illness. He was born April 19, 1943, in Chetopa to Lelin and Lorene (Reed) George. As a young boy, he grew up in Southeast Kansas and was a 1961 graduate of Labette County Community High School in Altamont. From 1961 to 1977, he served in the United States Army. While serving his country, he was awarded...
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Mary F. Cleaveland
CHERRYVALE — Mary F. Cleaveland, 72, of rural Cherryvale died at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at her home. Further obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announce by Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
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Robert Michael O’Bryan
UNIONTOWN — Robert Michael O’Bryan, 67, a resident of rural Uniontown, died Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott following a cancer illness. He was born June 27, 1944, in Fort Scott the son of Joseph G. and Rosemary (Rendina) O’Bryan. He graduated from the St. Patrick’s High School in Walnut. He married Susan Lydick on Oct. 6, 1967, at Walnut. In addition to operating his own farm, he had served as the transportation...
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Nina L. Ryel
Nina L. Ryel, 87, died Saturday evening, Dec. 10, 2011, at Parsons Presbyterian Manor. She was born Dec. 6, 1924, at Cherryvale the daughter of Leo Hersh and Letha (McCormick) Hersh. She attended Dennis schools. She worked at various jobs throughout her lifetime, including Birdview Satellite Co. for 12 years and Automotive Controls Corp. for eight years. She was a member of Mount Zion Church. In February 1949 at Wells, Nev., she married Georg...
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