Obituaries
Ruth Ellen Leap
GROVE, Okla. — Ruth Ellen Leap, 86, of Grove, Okla., formally of Blue Springs, Mo., died on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Ruth was born on March 18, 1925, to Lewis and Hazel (Hudson) Horn on March 18, 1925. In 1942, she married Harold D. Leap. They lived in the Bartlett area for nearly 20 years and farmed on his family farm.  “Granny” was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was a talented artist and was employed as an advertis...
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Douglas W. ‘Doug’ Kelsey
ERIE — Douglas W. “Doug” Kelsey, 61, of Erie died at 7:58 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011, at Labette Health. He was in his usual health, and death was not expected. Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Erie, will announce further obituary details and funeral arrangements later.
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Patricia Marie Martinez
HATFIELD, Mass. — Patricia Marie Martinez, 67, of Hatfield, Mass., died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011, at her home. She was born on Dec. 18, 1943, at Bucyrus, Ohio, to Mary Rosella (Leon) and Tito Munos Martinez Jr. She attended Parsons High School. She later attended Emporia State Teachers College. She later owned The Chameleon, a Pennsylvania tavern. Survivors include Gary Martinez of Arkansas City, Brenda Rodriguez of Dallas, Tammy Ford, Jack Martin...
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Ralph L. Misener
Ralph L. Misener, 83, of Parsons died at 3:10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at Galichia Heart Hospital in Wichita. He was born on Oct. 18, 1928, in Pontiac, Mich., to Ira Earl and Zella (Detwiler) Misener. As a young boy, he grew up in Nevada, Mo., where he attended school. While serving in the U.S. Army, he was stationed in Germany. On Aug. 12, 1950, he married Dorothy Williams in Bentonville, Ark. The couple lived in Tulsa and western Kansas...
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Dwayne E. Williams
ALTAMONT — Dwayne E. Williams, 78, of rural Altamont died at 2:14 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center at Via Christi — St. Francis Campus, Wichita. He was born on Sept. 15, 1933, in St. John to Harry and Arena (Jones) Williams. As a child, he moved with his family to Pittsburg, Thayer and later Altamont, where he graduated from Labette County Community High School. He married Florence Walborn on Dec. 28, 1952, ...
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Albert P. Olson
MOUND VALLEY — Albert P. Olson, 81, of Mound Valley died at 10:15 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, at Elmhaven East nursing home in Parsons. He was born on Nov. 18, 1930, in Angola to Silas and Dorothy (Olmstead) Olson. He attended Angola Elementary School and was a graduate of Labette County Community High School in Altamont. He served in the U.S. Army. He worked at Dixon Manufacturing in Coffeyville. He married Edith M. Gwartney on Aug. 21, 1970,...
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Lucy M. Rybka
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Lucy M. Rybka, 90, of Bartlesville, Okla., died at her home on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011. Lucy M. Boggess was born April 21, 1921, at Hallowell to Pearl and Loyd Boggess. She went to school in the old Globe School, on to high school in Columbus and attended Parsons Junior College. She worked at the Kansas Ordnance Plant from 1941 to 1945. In 1948 she married Bolis Rybka and resided on a farm north of Dewey, Okla. She is su...
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Marjorie A. Waun
Marjorie A. Waun, 81, of Parsons died at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011, at her home. She had been in failing health several months. She was born June 1, 1930, at Sandusky, Mich., the daughter of Alma S. and Rachel (Jones) Green. She grew up there and graduated from the Sandusky High School. On June 3, 1950, she married Jerry D. Waun in Sandusky. They lived in Merced, Calif., and several other towns in California before moving to Parsons i...
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Marjorie A. Waun
Marjorie A. Waun, 81, of Parsons died at 6:30 a.m. Thursday in Parsons. She had been in failing health for several months. She was the widow of Jerry D. Waun, who preceded her in death on Oct. 29, 1998. Carson-Wall Funeral Home will announce complete obituary details and funeral arrangements later.
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Ronald Ray Low
Ronald Ray Low, 60, of Parsons died at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, at his home. He was born on March 11, 1951, in Independence to George Edward and Eulonda Marie (Jewett) Low. He worked most of his life in construction building houses. Ron enjoyed fishing in his spare time. Survivors include his father, George Low of Parsons; his aunt, Captola James-Williams of Parsons; and several cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother and h...
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Dr. Joseph E. Brewer
WICHITA — Dr. Joseph E. Brewer, 97, of Wichita died on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. Joe was born on May 31, 1914, in Joplin the oldest of nine children of Icem E. and Mary Maude (McCool) Brewer. He was raised in Parsons. He married Helen M. Davidson on Sept. 11, 1936, and they were always together until her death in 2005. He received his bachelor of arts degree and master of arts degree at the University of Kansas and a doctorate in psychology at ...
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Ronald R. Low
Ronald R. Low, 60, of Parsons died Wednesday morning, Nov. 23, 2011, at his home. Carson-Wall Funeral Home of Parsons will announce further obituary information and service arrangements later.
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William L. 'Bill' Kinzer
William L. "Bill” Kinzer, 86, a longtime Parsons resident, died at 7:05 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at Labette Health in Parsons. He was born on Feb. 13, 1925, at Attica to Olin Joseph and Jeanetta Elizabeth (Hoyt) Kinzer. He grew up at Attica and attended school there before moving to Parsons during his senior year of high school. He graduated from Parsons High School in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Pacific The...
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Rosie L. Olson
Rosie L. “Mimi” Olson, 80, a longtime Parsons business woman, died at 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at Elmhaven West nursing home. She was born on July 3, 1931, at Arlington to William and Pearl (Locke) Powers. She grew up in Altamont and graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1949. On Dec. 14, 1949, she married Charles Olson at the Methodist Church in Altamont. They lived in different areas while Charlie was serving in t...
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William L. ‘Bill’ Kinzer
William L. “Bill” Kinzer, 86, a longtime Parsons resident, died at 7:05 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at Labette Health in Parsons. He was preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Kinzer, on April 29, 2004. The service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at First Assembly of God Church. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery with military honors conducted by Brown-Bishop Post No. 704 Veterans of Foreign Wars. The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Su...
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John P. Lucke
John P. Lucke, 63, of Parsons died at 10:48 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at Labette Health in Parsons. He was born in Chanute to Howard and Edna (McGowan) Lucke. As a young boy, he grew up in Erie and attended schools in Erie and Parsons. Through the years, he worked as a carpenter and had assisted with farm work. He had attended the Methodist Church and was an associate member of George L. Hendricks Post No. 102, American Legion, in Erie. He e...
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B. Nadine ‘Deany’ Herridge
CHETOPA — B. Nadine “Deany” Herridge, 87, of Chetopa died at 6:25 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin. She was born on Oct. 9, 1924, in Chetopa to George Willis and Bertha Alice (Turnbough) Kepford. She worked for Hertzler Clinic in Wichita as a receptionist. She married Lester Herridge on July 15, 1944. They later divorced. Survivors include two sons, Michael Herridge of Valley Center...
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Rosie L. Olson
Rosie L. Olson, 80, a longtime Parsons business woman, died at 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at Elmhaven West in Parsons. She and her husband, Charlie Olson, are the owners of Olson’s Ace Hardware in Parsons. Carson-Wall Funeral Home will announce complete obituary details and funeral arrangements later.
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Ralph L. Misener
Ralph L. Misener, 83, of Parsons died at 3:10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at Galichia Heart Hospital in Wichita. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Misener of the home. 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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Luther L. ‘Butch’ Gamblian
Luther L. “Butch” Gamblian, 72, a lifelong Parsons resident, died at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, at his home. He had been in failing health for several years. He was born on March 22, 1939, in Parsons to Charles A. and Bessie M. (Keeling) Gamblian Sr. On June 23, 1958, he married Diana “Donna” Mulligan in Miami, Okla. She survives of the home. Butch worked for Parsons Cold Storage for 14 years, for Individual Mausoleum Co. for 18 years ...
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