Obituaries
Glenda Falkenstien
Glenda Falkenstien, 73, of Parsons, a retired teacher at Labette County High School at Altamont, died at 9:23 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012, at Elmhaven West nursing home in Parsons. She was born on Feb. 20, 1939, in Garfield County, Okla., to Glen O. and Mary Ellen (Egelston) Serviss. She grew up near Lamont, Okla., and graduated from Lamont High School in 1957. She attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College at Tonkawa and then Oklahoma State Un...
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Del R. Veenstra
MOUND VALLEY — Del R. Veenstra, 52, of Mound Valley died unexpectedly at his home, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012.  He was born on Oct. 11, 1960, in Harvey, Ill., to Daniel and Mardell (Whitten) Veenstra. He grew up and attended school in Mound Valley. He was an auto body technician.  He married Cheryl Yoakum on Dec. 30, 1978, in Brandon, Fla. They later divorced. Survivors include his father, Dan Veenstra Sr. of Mound Valley; his mother, Mardell Veens...
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Del R. Veenstra
MOUND VALLEY — Del R. Veenstra, 52, of Mound Valley, died unexpectedly at his home, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. He is survived by his father, Dan Veenstra Sr., and his mother, Mardell Veenstra, both of Mound Valley. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont.  Following visitation, the body will be cremated. Complete obituary details will be announced. Online condolences may be lef...
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Loyal Monroe Clough

OSWEGO — Loyal Monroe Clough, 85, of Oswego passed away at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012, at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, Wichita. He was born March 6, 1927, in Fairview, Okla., to Harry Monroe and Anna (Harder) Clough. He has lived in Oswego for 47 years, moving there from Lubbock, Texas. He owned and operated Clough Construction until his retirement in 1993. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was assigned to the USS...
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Terry W. Walker
Terry W. Walker, 53, of Parsons died at 10:13 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, at the home of his mother, Juanita Walker, following a brief illness. He was born on July 1, 1959, at Parsons to Raymond and Juanita (Robinson) Walker. He grew up and attended schools in Parsons, graduating from Parsons High School in 1977. He later attended Labette Community College. He worked at Ruskin Manufacturing for 34 years. He was a quality control foreman. He s...
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Barbara May Hughes
Barbara May Hughes, 75, of rural Parsons died at 7:19 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, at Oswego Hospital. She was born on May 23, 1937, at Neodesha to Lester L. and Mable (Hine) McCormack. She graduated from Neodesha High School. She had been employed at Electra in Independence, Aerosol in Neodesha, sewing factories in Cherryvale and Parsons, Hi-Lo in Chanute and Grandview Products in Parsons. She owned and operated the B and R Upholstery Co. in...
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Allen D. Hillis
COLUMBUS — Allen D. Hillis, 44, of Columbus died at 11:22 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, in the emergency room at Mercy Maude Norton Hospital in Columbus. He was born on Nov. 22, 1967, in Parsons to Ronald Hillis and Janice (Ball) Evans. He grew up and attended school in Parsons. He worked at Millennium Rail in Neodesha. He married Frances (Beardmore) Valentine. They later divorced. He married Vickie L. Weaver on Dec. 11, 1992, in Parsons. She ...
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Marshall Lance Sage
BOISE, Idaho — Marshall Lance Sage of Boise, Idaho, passed away on Monday, Nov. 5, 2012. He was bird hunting in the mountains of Idaho, one of his favorite pastimes. Marshall was born in Parsons on March 23, 1947. He was one of four children and the only son of Marshall D. and Leota Lance Sage. He graduated from Parsons High School in 1965 and earned a bachelor of science degree from Pittsburg State University in 1969. Marshall joined the U.S....
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Terry W. Walker
Terry W. Walker, 53, of Parsons died at 10:13 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, at the home of his mother, Juanita Walker, following a brief illness. Among his other survivors is his son, Hunter Harvey of Lawrence, a student at the University of Kansas. The service will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at Carson-Wall Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Proud Animal Lovers Shelter...
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Robert E. ‘Bud’ Willis
CHETOPA — Robert E. “Bud” Willis, 85, of rural Chetopa died at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.  He was born on July 15, 1927, in Chetopa to James A. and Grace (Wright) Willis. He was a 1945 graduate of Labette County Community High School in Altamont. Following high school, he served in the U.S. Navy. Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to Southeast Kansas, where he worked at Goodrich Corp. in Miami...
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Clark A. Fletcher
OSWEGO — Clark A. Fletcher, 76, passed away at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at his home. He was born on July 14, 1936, in Kansas City, Mo., to Charles and Lora Fletcher. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Dick. Clark is survived by his wife of 43 years, Lorena “Dena” Fletcher; two sons and daughters-in-law, Len and Kim Fletcher and Rob and Loree Fletcher; seven grandchildren; a great-grandchild; two brothers-in-law; a...
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Robert E. ‘Bud’ Willis
CHETOPA — Robert E. “Bud” Willis, 85, of rural Chetopa died at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin. He was preceded in death by his wife, Myrna (Hilderbrand) Willis, on July 6, 2010. Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa will announce complete obituary details and funeral arrangements later. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Roy L. Sperry
EDNA — Roy L. Sperry, 88, of Edna died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in the emergency room at Labette Health. He was born on Aug. 11, 1924, in Cherryvale to Charles C. and Elizabeth Eldora (Byers) Sperry. In the early 1950s, he lived on a farm with his parents near Dennis until moving with his family to Mound Valley in 1958.  He attended Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe and earned a bachelor’s degree from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. ...
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Elma E. Munsell
Elma E. Munsell, 96, of Parsons died at 7:35 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Labette Health in Parsons, where she entered Monday. She was born on Nov. 9, 1915, on a farm near Lebanon to Paul and Eva (Cochran) Butler. She grew up on the farm and graduated from Lebanon High School and earned a teaching certificate. She taught in rural, one-room schools for several years. Her grandfather, David Butler, was the first governor of Nebraska, serving...
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Roy L. Sperry
EDNA — Roy L. Sperry, 88, of Edna died at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in the emergency room at Labette Health. He is survived by a brother, Lloyd C. Sperry of Parsons. Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons will announce complete obituary details and funeral arrangements later. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Rosa M. (Munoz) Smith
McCUNE — Rosa M. (Munoz) Smith, 54, of McCune died at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at the home of her son in McCune. She was born on June 1, 1958, in Barrington, Ill., to Enrique and Juanita (Munoz) Carrillo. At 13 days of age, she was brought to Parsons, raised and later adopted by her uncle and aunt, Prudencio and Sara Munoz. She grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons High School. She later attended Labette Community College and P...
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Donald K. Smith
Donald K. Smith, 85, of Parsons died at 5:47 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, at Presbyterian Manor. He was born on March 28, 1927, at Calumet, Okla., to Harold J. and Beulah B. (Knox) Smith. He was raised in Oklahoma until age 10, when his family moved to rural Oswego. He graduated from Labette County Community High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army the day after graduation. He served at the end of World War II and was stationed in Germany. Upo...
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Rosa M. (Munoz) Smith
McCUNE — Rosa M. (Munoz) Smith, 54, of McCune died at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at the home of her son in McCune. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Parsons. Burial will be in McCune Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Thursday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons, where the family will receive friends following the rosary. Memorials are suggested to Angels Among Us and may be lef...
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Karen Ruth LaBarge
Karen Ruth LaBarge CLOVIS, N.M. — Karen Ruth LaBarge, 54, of Clovis, N.M., died Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, at the home of her mother in Glasco. She was born on July 1, 1958, in Concordia to Daniel Edward and Marian Evelyn (Olson) Williamson. She grew up in Glasco and graduated from Glasco High School in 1976. She married David Matthew LaBarge on Oct. 12, 2002. He survives. She worked for golf courses, nurseries and greenhouses. Other survivors in...
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Ronald E. Wetzel
WICHITA — Ronald E. Wetzel, 95, of Wichita, a retired maintenance electrician, died on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. He was born in Winnebago, Ill., to Evore and Effie Hazel (Todd) Wetzel. He and his wife, Ethel (MacDonald), lived in Parsons for several years. He is survived by his wife Ethel Wetzel of Wichita; a daughter, Trudy MacDonald of Wichita; two sons, Scott A. MacDonald of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Jim Wetzel of Effingham, Ill.; six grandchi...
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